Eliyahu Yaakov Bernstein

Eliyahu was a production assistant at the Nova festival, and was murdered there by Hamas terrorists.

He came from a very religious family but eventually left the community, a process called “Returning to the question”. In an interview at the shiva of her son, Eliyahu’s mother, Hadassah Bernstein said “"As a child attending the Belzer cheider, Eliyahu's teacher described him as an 'ilui' due to his love for Torah study. "I shared a special bond with Eliyahu, being his eldest child. How could I not? When he went missing, we immediately turned to prayer. When I broke the news to Eliyahu's younger siblings about their beloved older brother's martyrdom, they were devastated. "And seeing him with his long hair [referring to a photo], I felt an even deeper connection with him. It wasn't that I connected with him despite his appearance, but rather because of it. This was his true self. The more he embraced his authenticity, the more his greatness shone through. While Torah study and repentance are crucial, with Eliyahu, I felt he was already exceptional, inherently incredible. Even when I prayed for his return to religious observance, I couldn't help but acknowledge his numerous talents and his infectious smile with those prominent dimples. He was deeply connected to our home, to our family. That's a bond not to be underestimated."