One family from Kfar Aza family is dealing with the trauma of October 7 in a unique way: by all getting the same tattoo on the same part of their body.

The Tzadikevich family lost their father, Omer, during the Hamas attacks. While the members of his family were all away for different reasons, Omer was in their home, where he was murdered in such a cold-blooded manner that authorities had to use the distinctive tattoo on his ribcage to identify him.

The tattoo shows an EKG of four heartbeats, rising and falling like waves. Each wave represents the heartbeat for one of Omer’s children and was inked shortly after each was born. Waves also signaled Omer's passion for surfing. After burying their father, the four children went to the tattoo artist who did Omer’s work and got the same tattoo put in the same place, on the left side of their chests, under the ribs.

They’re not the only ones who have used ink to commemorate October 7. In the aftermath of the massacre, as Israelis continued to put their lives back together amidst an ongoing war, many chose to get a tattoo of a poignant image or message of resilience from the day.

The recent Nova Music exhibition in downtown Manhattan, funded in part by UJA, featured photos of the tattoo art some Israelis received in the months after the attack, in part to deal with the ongoing trauma. 

Another way the Tzadikevich children are learning to cope with their new reality is through alternative therapies, including overnight retreats that are part of the Kfar Aza youth program, funded by UJA and operated by Project Horizon.

And while their father’s tattoo is a small balm against the open wound of their loss, the Tzadikevich family children try to find small comforts. His heartbeat on their body helps.