Three years after the Simchas Torah massacre, bereaved families gathered on erev Sukkos at the Ashdod cemetery to mark the anniversary of the day their worlds were destroyed.
The families assembled at section Shin-6, where Rav Shneur Goodman, director of Chabad House in Ashdod, and Rav Ovadia Dahan, chairman of the Ashdod Religious Council, had prepared the area for the memorial gathering.
Rav Goodman, a shaliach of the Lubavitcher Rebbe zt"l, opened the gathering by reciting Tehillim for the elevation of the neshamos, followed by Kel Malei Rachamim in memory of those murdered Hy"d.
Rav Dahan addressed the families with words of pain and encouragement: "We stand here near the graves of kedoshim and tehorim, who were killed al kiddush Hashem for no reason other than being Jews. We have gathered to mark three years since those kedoshim and tehorim were murdered with cruelty by despicable murderers on this holy day, Shabbos and Simchas Torah. We must remember those kedoshim every day, and we at the Religious Council will continue to do everything in their honor."
Rav Dahan urged each person to take on a good deed for the elevation of the neshamos of the kedoshim. "In these moments of erev Sukkos, it is worthwhile for each person to take upon himself to do a good deed for the elevation of the neshamos of those kedoshim, so that the remembrance will not only be in coming here but at all times, and this is what will perpetuate their memory. We all pray that Hashem will say 'enough' to our troubles, we pray for the safety of IDF soldiers, a complete recovery for all the wounded, and a chag samei'ach to all of Klal Yisrael."
Rav Dahan then conducted the ashkavah ceremony for the elevation of the neshamos of those who were killed. Afterward, perakim of Tehillim were recited by Avi Chassidim, whose son Naor Hy"d was murdered on that day, and by Shlomo Elkabetz, whose daughter Sivan Hy"d was murdered on that day.
Family members spoke in memory of those murdered Hy"d.
