Guiding Toward the Light: Hamas Captivity Survivor Eli Sharabi Honors His Daughters as NOAL Remembers Its Fallen Children and Teens

Sonja Gershaft
Jul 7
4 min read

During the first Leadership Training Institute of the summer held by NOAL, Dror Israel’s associated youth movement, teens and educators gathered for a powerful and emotional memorial ceremony honoring 13 members of the movement who were murdered on October 7th. Among them were Noya and Yahel Sharabi z”l, daughters of Hamas captivity survivor Eli Sharabi, who shared a moving tribute about memory, resilience, and hope.

Held at NOAL’s campsite, the ceremony marked the dedication of a new memorial site. Families of the victims, youth participants entering 10th grade, community representatives from southern Israel, and movement leaders came together to remember, reflect, and draw strength from the legacy of those lost.

Eli Sharabi, from Kibbutz Be’eri was taken hostage by Hamas on October 7th. He was released after 491 days in captivity. His daughters Noya and Yahel were murdered alongside their mother Lianne.

Eli Sharabi, Hamas captivity survivor and father of Noya and Yahel z”l, was the ceremony’s guest of honor. In an emotional speech, he shared memories of his daughters, who were murdered along with their mother on October 7th:

“Noya and Yahel Sharabi, beloved sisters from Kibbutz Be’eri, carried with pride the spirit of NOAL,” said Sharabi. “A movement of equality, activism, responsibility, and love of humanity.

Noya, my eldest, was a quiet and deeply thoughtful participant. She could always be relied on—always there for everyone, with a listening ear and a helping hand, without needing to be asked. She believed in the movement’s values not just in activities, but in her everyday life. She volunteered with children with special needs and brought accessibility, perspective, and genuine human warmth.

Yahel, her younger sister, was a burst of joy. Full of life, courage, a love for the stage, for laughter, for moments of connection. Beneath her playfulness was a profound soul. Yahel loved being part of something, part of a group, part of action, part of a space where everyone is equal and belongs.

Together, they brought something rare to the movement: a balance between inner quiet and explosive energy, between dedication and lightness. They were the embodiment of what girls in NOAL can be: active, sensitive, present, and leaders.

On October 7th, Noya and Yahel were brutally murdered along with their mother. It’s a pain we still can’t comprehend. But we will continue to carry their spirit, their smile, the path they paved. Because they are part of the DNA of the Sharabi family, of the Be’eri community. They wore the blue NOAL shirt with pride. They are etched into us as true friends, as role models, as light.”

Eli Sharabi with his niece Oren Sharabi, participant in NOAL and daughter of Yossi Sharabi z”l who was murdered in Hamas captivity. His body is still being held hostage.

Adi Gabay, Director of Education in the Eshkol Regional Council and mother of Amit Gabay z”l, who was murdered on October 7th at Kibbutz Re’im, also spoke at the ceremony:

“Amit didn’t gravitate toward formal youth frameworks, but he believed in the power of a group. He lived simply and courageously, choosing his own path—but never walking it alone.

Especially in the reality we live in, I see how youth refuse to succumb to fear and instead choose meaning. This memorial site expresses a message of continuity—to fulfill the dreams of those who fell, to choose life and hope from within grief.”

Nitzan Rosenvaks, one of NOAL’s Executive Directors, closed the ceremony with a reaffirmation of the movement’s core commitments:

“In remembering our youth and guides, we plant their memory deep in the hearts of thousands of young leaders...Our struggle is the choice not to become like our enemies. We commit again: to work, to defend, and to pursue peace.”

The ceremony was a powerful intersection of mourning and mission. Even in a time of war and loss, the youth movement continues to raise a new generation of educators, drawing strength and hope from the legacy of those who are no longer with us. With resilience and determination, they choose to keep building a movement rooted in values, belonging, and a shared belief in a better future.