Iranian Missile Debris Transformed into Menorah at Reopened Israeli Facility

In the early hours of June 15, an Iranian missile slammed into a care facility in Bnei Brak, shattering walls, collapsing therapy rooms, and destroying life-saving medical equipment. Today, that same site stands not in ruin, but in triumph with a menorah forged from missile fragments casting its light over a fully rebuilt campus.

The Aleh campus, one of Israel’s foremost centers for children and young adults with severe physical and cognitive disabilities, officially reopened on Monday. At the heart of the Chanukah ceremony marking the reopening was a menorah unlike any other crafted by Jerusalem artist Guy Cohen using shards of the missile that once threatened the lives of Israel’s most vulnerable.

“We took the darkness and created a miracle from it,” said Cohen, describing his inspiration for turning twisted metal into a symbol of enduring light.

The menorah was lit for the first night of Chanukah by Aleh CEO Rabbi Yehuda Marmorstein, who reflected on the journey from devastation to hope. “This Menorah stands here as a living testament to the moment we chose not to sink into pain, but to rebuild faster, stronger, and better,” he declared.

Aleh’s Bnei Brak campus, opened in 2019, provides specialized therapies, education, and 24/7 medical care for 260 residents, many of whom depend on ventilators and constant clinical oversight. The June missile strike, which also claimed the life of a 75-year-old man in a nearby building, threatened the very heartbeat of this sanctuary. But Aleh’s leadership vowed the facility would be restored immediately.

True to that promise, the campus has reopened in just six months, its recovery marked by the symbolic menorah, now standing proudly where rubble once lay.

“This is a menorah of faith, of love, and of an entire nation standing behind us,” Marmorstein said. “Chanukah teaches that a little bit of light dispels a lot of darkness. In the place where the enemy sought to sow destruction we have established a fortress of kindness.”

The attack occurred during a harrowing 12-day conflict with Iran, triggered by Israeli preemptive strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. In response, Iran launched more than 550 ballistic missiles and 1,000 drones at Israeli targets. Though most were intercepted, 31 missiles hit populated areas, killing 28 and injuring over 3,000.

Yet in Israel, stories of perseverance rise even from the ashes. The missile that was meant to bring death now serves as a vessel for light, illuminating the strength of a people who choose healing over hatred, and creation over collapse.

As Chanukah continues, the Aleh menorah stands not only as a symbol of hope for its residents, but for all of Israel. In every flicker of its flame lives the spirit of a nation that does not break but builds again and again.

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