On the occasion of International Women's Day, Israel Hayom held a gala event Wednesday in Tel Aviv, with Israel Hayom Opinions Editor Moriah Kor as the host.
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The event was attended by First Lady Michal Herzog, Israel Hayom publisher Dr. Miriam Adelson, and entrepreneur and businesswoman Yasmin Lukatz, a venture capitalist and co-founder of ICON and Code for Israel.
Dr. Ayelet Levy Shahar, the mother of Naama Levy who was abducted on October 7, took the gala stage and spoke about her life in the past five months and her vision for a more equal and just world.
"My name is Ayelet and I am the mother of 19-year-old Naama Levy. I am also the mother of Amit, 21, Michali, 16, and Omri, 11.5," she said at the start of her remarks.
"You all know my Naama. You saw the video of my daughter's abduction, and maybe like me, you averted your eyes in pain, but you saw her dragged by her long, beautiful hair at the back of a jeep in Gaza, wearing pajamas, shackled, bleeding, wounded, barefoot and afraid. Those are horrific moments that turned Naama into everyone's daughter. Since October 7, Naama has been held by Hamas terrorists for five months, 152 days and 152 nights."
"As a mother, I am powerless in the face of these moments of horror and terror, and I know that everyone, especially the many mothers here, share that with me. I am a mother and my heart is shattered. My days and nights are haunted by Naama's absence. Her nightmares are my nightmares. And I speak here to you because we must be her voice, the voice that has gone missing, of a young girl held for five months by Hamas, wounded and hurt and violated. No mother, no parent should ever have to imagine these feelings and this cruelty. One terrible video unrelated to the Naama we knew before October 7 turned Naama into everyone's daughter. Every previous video of Naama before that morning was full of joy, laughter, and optimism. Dancing with her friends, laughing with her brothers and sister, talking about peace as part of a peace-seeking delegation, and playing with refugee children in the kindergarten where she volunteered. Naama is a quiet, determined sportswoman, full of compassion and emotion. An optimistic girl who dreamed of making the world a better place. A girl who believes in the good in people, which I still believe in too.
"March is International Women's Month, marking the achievements of women around the world. And yet, 19 women, including five girls among them my beloved Naama, are held captive. And I ask: Where is the international community? Where is the world? How can a month celebrating women be observed when women are held captive by a terrorist organization and enduring the unspeakable?"
"Naama should be on this stage instead of me, presenting her vision for an equal and just world. For her sake, for Naama, do not stop demanding what is right. Do not stop saying her name."
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