At the site of the fall: The memorial for the children of Majdal Shams was inaugurated
Two years after the tragedy at the soccer field that claimed the lives of 12 children, a memorial site was inaugurated, combining the rocket crater and a preserved wall. Architect Zvika Pasternak noted that visitors will be forced to bow their heads in memory of the victims.
A memorial ceremony was held in Majdal Shams for the twelve victims of the rocket strike launched from Lebanon. The memorial honors those murdered two years ago, on July 27, 2024. During the Iron Swords War, the town's children were taking a break, with some training on the village soccer field while others played nearby.
At 18:18, an alarm siren pierced the quiet, and seconds later, a heavy Iranian-made Falaq-1 rocket fired by Hezbollah struck the site. The tragedy resulted in the deaths of 12 children aged 10-16, with 34 others injured. A nearby stone wall, which collapsed from the blast, likely saved the lives of others behind it.
The disaster shocked the entire country. The local council head initiated the creation of a memorial park to combine memory and life, featuring a soccer field and an amphitheater for memorial events.
The memorial was designed by architect Zvika Pasternak, known for his work in the Gaza Envelope communities. In collaboration with the victims' families, he created a restrained and profound project.
"I knew the impact crater would be the focal point," Pasternak explained. "My goal was to preserve the crater to convey the power of the impact. Visitors will be forced to bow their heads slightly to observe the content of the installation."
At the center of the composition is a metal bowl replicating the crater's shape. Around it are concrete tiles bearing the names and ages of the victims. A crucial element is the remains of the wall, which were initially slated for removal but were integrated into the design at the request of a grieving father.
"The wall remnants became the architectural framework for the entire installation," the architect noted. "The bowl is made of rusted metal, a reminder of the rocket's material. Its texture consists of geometric shapes welded together, symbolizing both the breakage and the healing process."
Each of the 12 concrete tiles features the children's names etched in Hebrew, Arabic, and English.
