In the first days after October 7, when the shock and grief felt too much to bear, the phrase most spoken by Israelis was "Ein milim" — there are no words.
Now, again.
What words can be summoned to capture the grief of the Jewish people for the slain Kfir and Ariel Bibas, brutally murdered at ages 10 months and four years old. Kfir, whose name means “lion cub,” and Ariel, whose name means “lion of God,” with their bright red hair, were the most recognized of the original 251 hostages. Kfir, we learned early on, was the very youngest.
For these 500-plus days, we had hoped against hope that they would return alive. How could we not hope? In their beautiful smiles, we saw our own children and grandchildren. Little lions, guilty of nothing but being born Jewish.
And what words can begin to convey the agony of discovering that Hamas had sent someone else’s remains in place of their mother, Shiri Bibas. Our hearts are with the boys’ father and Shiri’s husband, Yarden, himself only recently released from captivity. We send him not just our sorrow, but the strength of an entire people.
