'From fire to light' – NY audience in tears from story of wounded soldiers

On Thursday evening, a unique event took place at the Central Park Zoo that brought together two worlds – New York women from across the Jewish community and wounded Israeli soldiers on a journey of healing. The gathering, part of Belev Echad’s Neshek initiative, created a deeply emotional space for connection, reflection, and shared strength.

Among the evening’s speakers was 22-year-old Neta, an IDF officer who was critically wounded last year during a missile attack near Israel’s northern border.

"It was February 14, 8 am. We had just arrived at the base for a classified mission," she recounted. "I was sleeping in a wooden room with my soldiers when the siren went off. We started running to the shelter. Next to me was First Sergeant Omer Banjo. She was just 19."

Moments later, a missile struck nearby.

"I was thrown to the ground. Omer was killed instantly. The fire was everywhere. I couldn’t move. My legs, my ribs, my hip – shattered. I remember lying there, thinking: Is this how it ends?"

It didn’t end.

Her commander, Mor, found her in the flames and dragged her to safety. Neta was rushed to surgery and began a long and painful rehabilitation process—both physically and emotionally.

“At some point, I didn’t recognize myself anymore,” she said. “I wasn’t a soldier. I was broken. That’s when Belev Echad came into my life – not just with medical support, but with love, dignity, and the reminder that I was still Neta. Still whole. Still worthy.”

Now in recovery, Neta spends her time visiting other wounded soldiers, offering them the strength she once needed herself.

“I’m no longer just Neta the injured officer,” she said. “I’m Neta, the woman who stood back up—and now helps others rise too.”

The event was part of Neshek, a women-led initiative within Belev Echad designed to foster resilience and emotional healing through community and conversation. But this evening went beyond dialogue – it became a living bridge between those who have borne the weight of war and those eager to listen, support, and uplift.

“She created a moment none of us will forget,” said Shevy Vigler, co-founder of Belev Echad and the visionary behind Neshek. “We brought together women and warriors. Pain met compassion. And from that meeting came something stronger than both: hope.”

As the evening drew to a close, hugs replaced handshakes. Tears fell silently. Strangers became sisters. The soldiers, no longer just visitors, had become part of the Belev Echad family.

In her final words, Neta offered a message that resonated long after the applause had ended:

“I’ve seen darkness. I’ve felt loss. But light is real. Healing is possible. And together –we rise.”