More than 1,100 Israelis were killed and over 6,000 others were injured during the second intifada – the al-Aqsa Intifada – which erupted a decade ago and was one of the most painful times in the country's history.
One of era's most horrific terror attacks took place on March 26, 2001, when a Palestinian sniper fired a bullet to the head of 10-month-old Shalhevet Pass while she was seated in her stroller in Hebron.
"We've erected a memorial in her honor and we constantly pass by it. But we are looking ahead, we do not despair. We believe in the righteousness of our path, and only become more resilient with time," says the girl's father, who was injured by the same bullet that killed his daughter.
With the help of family and friends, Yitzhak Pass established a thriving seminary in his daughter's memory. "Now, after our loss, we appreciate even more how crucial our values are. This is how we will help people learn of the importance of the connection between the people and all the Land of Israel," he says.
Yitzhak and his wife Orya have four children: Two daughters, aged eight and nine, and two sons, aged four and two and a half. "The girls talk like children, of how when the messiah comes Shalhevet will return," Yitzhak says.
"People ask me if the price I paid was worth it, and the answer is clear. To us, the Land of Israel isworth it. We'll be stronger in 10 years. Through the seminary, we continue to spread messages until everyone understands that the land is not a security issue for Israel, but an existential one."
On September 9, 2003 a terrorist blew himself up near the army base in Tzrifin, killing nine soldiers. Among the victims was Captain Yael Kfir, who dreamt of becoming an astronaut. "She would call home after every terror attack, so when the time passed and she didn't call I understood what had happened," her father, Ben Kfir, recalls.
"I felt like a deflated balloon. When your daughter is murdered, the first thought that comes to mind is revenge," he says, "But two weeks later I thought to myself, 'If I go to a nearby construction site and kill five (Palestinians), what good will it do? It won’t bring my daughter back, and I'll only be contributing to the cycle of violence.'"
Evacuating bodies after Tzrifin attack (Archive photo: Tomeriko)
Ben contacted The Parents Circle – Families Forum, a group of bereaved Israeli and Palestinian parents which promotes coexistence and peace. "Meeting Jewish and Palestinian families who have lost loved ones gave my life meaning," he says.
Many bereaved parents, such as the father of Sergeant David Biri, the first Israeli soldier to be killed in the second intifada, became politically active. Tzion Biri called on both the Israeli and Palestinian sides to renounce extremism and resume negotiations.
David Biri's funeral (Archive photo: AP)
"We (the family) spoke of the settlements, but our opinion of the decision-makers' considerations is no different than most people's; we are just citizens who paid a heavy price," he says.
Biri remembers every detail of the day he received the terrible news. "There was a knock on the door at midnight. We looked at the people standing before us. One of them said, 'Listen, your son is in critical condition at Soroka (medical center in Beersheba).' You don’t know if they are speaking the truth or just softening the blow. Then you hear from the doctors there is not much they can do," he says.
"I don’t even have to recall the moment; it is always with me; particularly when they were about to disconnect him (from the respirator). I stood in front of him and said goodbye. I left him there."
Biri says the family is not allowing David's death to prevent them from moving on with their lives. "We live with the loss 24 hours a day, but we have three other children to care for, so we cannot immerse ourselves in death. We continue to live as long as we have responsibilities."