Settlement victory
New ‘Neve Esther’ Neighborhood Lit for First Time on Fifth Anniversary of Esther Horgan’s Murder
The neighborhood, located in northern Samaria, is being built in Horgan’s memory and is expected to include approximately 135 housing units. Once completed, it will roughly double the size of the community.
The lights were switched on overnight for the first time in the new Neve Esther neighborhood in Tal Menashe, marking five years since the murder of Esther Horgan in a terrorist attack.
The neighborhood, located in northern Samaria, is being built in Horgan’s memory and is expected to include approximately 135 housing units. Once completed, it will roughly double the size of the community.
Horgan was murdered five years ago while out jogging in the forest near her home. After hours of searching involving hundreds of volunteers, her body was found. In the aftermath of the attack, her family called for a significant expansion of the community as a civilian response to the terror attack.
That vision took a symbolic step forward overnight, when lighting was activated along the perimeter path of the new neighborhood for the first time. Construction in Neve Esther is already at an advanced stage, and additional families are expected to move in as work continues.
Benjamin Horgan, Esther’s husband, said the timing was deeply moving.
“I was very emotional to see that on the exact anniversary, the lights were turned on for the first time along the new path surrounding Neve Esther,” he said. “Immediately after the attack, we demanded a response of building and life. Today we are seeing that happen in reality. This was Esther’s way, and this is the path we will continue on.”
Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan said the moment carried powerful symbolism.
“The Horgan family asked from the very beginning to add light in the face of darkness,” Dagan said. “It is chilling and meaningful that on the anniversary we see the new neighborhood illuminated. The answer is clear: continued building and development.”
Tal Menashe community committee chair Yuval Botzer said residents view the lighting of the neighborhood paths as a symbolic link between Esther Horgan’s memory and the continued growth of the community.
Shlomi Vermeshtain, a partner in the construction company carrying out the project, said the firm was proud to take part in the development of northern Samaria alongside the regional council and local residents.
Neve Esther is considered one of the major expansion projects in the area and is expected to significantly reshape Tal Menashe in the coming years.