Video: The sticker memorial for Shachaf Nissani.
When Sapir, Shachaf Nissani's older sister, went to the mall with her son and he suddenly exclaimed, "Mom, there's Dodosh!" she was naturally surprised. On October 7, 2023, 20-year-old Staff Sergeant Shachaf Nissani, a lookout soldier stationed at the Nahal Oz base, was killed in the deadly Hamas terrorist attack on the outpost. Shachaf, who was supposed to be discharged from the army three days later, was murdered along with other female lookouts.
Little Rani was excited to see "Dodosh" and couldn't hide his joy. He was referring to a sticker of Shachaf, which had been placed on the wall inside the Ashkelon mall, one of thousands of stickers distributed by the family and plastered across Israel and abroad.
This memorial project is no longer just a family initiative. Shachaf's mother, Ilana Nissani, says that even complete strangers feel connected to her story and want to participate in her commemoration.
"A lot of young people going on year-long missions abroad come to us, and we equip them with loads of stickers," Ilana said. Sapir, her older sister, added, "Mom made sure to have boxes in every size, every type. Her house storage is something insane. These stickers are being put up everywhere, even abroad, where she printed them in English."
"Do for each other and not to receive, But really from the heart" - these are the words chosen to honor Shachaf's memory on the sticker distributed by her family. This sentence, taken from a farewell letter Shachaf wrote to her friends at the base the day before she was killed, encapsulates her personality and way of life.
"We received the first batch of stickers at Shachaf's memorial, on the 30th day after her death. Her friend, Relli, who studied with her, brought us a pack of stickers with Shachaf's picture. The quote came from a letter she wrote on October 6, the day before the Black Sabbath," Sapir said. For the family, the stickers with Shachaf's image and quote have become symbols of remembrance.
Shachaf, a native of Ashkelon, was the youngest in her family. Her mother Ilana recalled, "I was already 37, but I insisted, I wanted her. She came after a miscarriage and a stillbirth. But I always wanted a big family, and I fought for her. I really wanted a daughter. After many challenges, she arrived, and Shachaf always said she was my gift."
Shachaf, the family's "gift," had a tough childhood in Ashkelon. She suffered from security-related and social anxiety in a city constantly under severe rocket fire in rounds of fighting with Hamas. It would have seemed logical for Shachaf to opt for a less demanding military service, but she chose a different path. She enlisted as a lookout soldier and chose to serve at the Nahal Oz outpost, which, like her hometown, was under constant threat.
Her family says that her service was incredibly meaningful to her and created a deep bond between her and her comrades at the base. Over time, she became known as the "mom of the command center." Sapir, her sister, said, "She had something very mature about her, despite her young age. She knew how to be there for everyone."
Omer Keinan, who served with Shachaf at Nahal Oz, explained that the sentence on the stickers reflected Shachaf's way of life: "She really lived like that. It wasn't just words; she always, always genuinely thought about others." When Omer traveled to Thailand for a healing retreat for lookouts from across the country, she had no doubt that she would take a pile of stickers with her. "She deserves to be everywhere, so of course I took stickers and put Shachaf up in every place."
How would Shachaf have reacted if she knew about the stickers? Neta Chaim, her friend from Ashkelon, said: "If she knew her face was everywhere, she'd be in shock. She'd call us embarrassing. I can vividly imagine her laughing, making fun of us, and being mad at us for putting her face everywhere. But she was the most beautiful person in the world, and she totally deserves to be seen everywhere."
The "Sticker Memorial" for Shachaf Nissani is a living testament to the immense loss but also to the enduring human spirit that continues to live through the memory of this beloved young soldier. As her mother, Ilana, sums it up: "This quote truly represents her because she really had a big heart and a giant smile. She was all sunshine."
Since October 7, stickers have become an integral part of the memorial projects for bereaved families. Israelis pass by them daily on the street, and sometimes even stop to look at the extraordinary person gazing back from the sticker. The "Sticker Memorial" project, a special initiative of Israel Hayom, aims to pause and delve into the stories hidden behind each sticker.
As part of the project, three short films were created, telling the stories of two soldiers and a female soldier, who fell in battle on October 7, through their stickers. A picture, a quote, a scanning code - all reveal a complete story that shows us the unique spirits of those we lost, but who continue to accompany us all.
