Noa Argamani

I wasn’t sure if I wanted to give this any time or attention, but I can’t stop thinking about it.

Over the last two years, primarily because of my activism and outspokenness, I’ve had the opportunity to meet with many people impacted by October 7, including families of those murdered, families of those both murdered and kidnapped, survivors of the Nova massacre, and individuals who’ve been held hostage by Hamas in Gaza. Every person I met with or had the privilege of hearing speak seemed shattered. Their emotions and demeanour always went beyond sadness, despair, fear, and worry.

It was as though they were no longer whole since the attacks happened, which would make sense.

But the person I’ll never forget -- the one who seemed most out of sorts -- was Noa Argamani. A few months ago, I attended an invite-only event where she delivered remarks and spoke with an interviewer. Typically, I’d pipe up and ask a question or say something supportive, but on this occasion, I was stunned by her voice and body language. I just stood there in the back, taking it all in. I had never in my life come across someone who seemed as broken as Noa. The pain in her voice was palpable, and she seemed physically unable to smile or to speak with any enthusiasm. I could tell she was suffering. We all could.

That’s why photos like the one below, where we can see her having a brief moment of reprieve with her father nearby, are so important and indeed, celebrated. The same can be said about photos and videos of her being reunited with her spouse, Avinatan. They’ve brought many of us to tears.

To suggest Noa is promiscuous, that she’s a cheater, that she’s an actor, or that she’s heartless is as low as it gets. Something we’d only see come from those obsessed not with life and happiness, but with endless struggle, death, and destruction. Noa embodies everything that makes Israel and the Jewish world great.

Women like her are the reason we’ll win and thrive, and why our enemies, no matter how hard they try, will fail miserably. Here’s to many more smiles for Noa and all the great people of Israel

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