Two years after the horrific massacre at the Nova music festival site, ZAKA volunteers and the commander of ZAKA’s Special Units, Chaim Otmazgin, returned last night—on the night following Simchat Torah—to the same place where they had tended to hundreds of the festival’s murdered victims. This time, they came to dance and rejoice during the Hakafot Shniyot (second round of Torah celebrations) with Torah scrolls.

Chaim Otmazgin, Commander of ZAKA’s Special Units, who returned to the site of the atrocities carrying a Torah scroll written in memory of the Zohar family, may God avenge their blood (Hashem yikom damam), said:

“Here, under this very tree, two years ago, we witnessed the presence of the Holy One, blessed be He—the voice of God in power. Today, two years later, we return here and see the voice of God in beauty—merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in kindness. Today we rejoice, we recite Shema Yisrael with joy, we thank the Almighty for the return of the hostages, we pray for the return of all who have fallen, and that we may merit the unity of the entire people of Israel.”