As the youngest Israeli hostages, the two boys became symbols of the pain of the terror attacks, and hostage campaigners have often donned orange garments, in reference to the boys’ bright ginger hair, as well as the yellow adopted by the wider hostage advocacy movement.
“The story of Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir Bibas touched the heart of the entire world, becoming an indelible symbol of the pain and shattered reality of October 7,” said Venatata, an NGO dedicated to preserving nature in Israel, which is organising the project.
Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas (Courtesy)[Missing Credit]
"From this place of darkness, The Orange Garden was born, not as an effort to erase the pain, but as a courageous choice for life and Tikkun (repair).
"We are not seeking to hide the cracks; we are gently gathering the shards to create a new wholeness.”
The organisation added that the garden would promote “national healing” and be “a place of respite, of healing, and of light”.
Commenting on the new images, Yarden’s sister, Ofri Bibas, told Ynet: “It was beyond anything I imagined.
"Ariel would probably be running around, going to the water, climbing trees and enjoying everything the garden has to offer.
"[Yarden and Shiri’s] shared love for open spaces is what led them to live in a kibbutz and raise their children there, with outdoor play, getting dirty, connecting with nature and everything it brings to the body and soul.
"For me, it’s the most natural and fitting way to commemorate them. I imagine what it would have been like to be there with them, and that’s why I joined this project.”
A digital rendering of the planned Orange Garden, dedicated to the Bibas Family, in Migdal HaEmek (Venatata)[Missing Credit]
Key features will include a memorial plaza dedicated to all the children affected by the October 7 attacks, a “Wall of Wishes” where children can write down their “deepest hopes and prayers”, and orchards planted with the favourite fruits of Shiri, Ariel and Kfir.
The garden has been designed by Izzy-Blank Landscape Architects and is being built with the support of the Bibas family, the Migdal HaEmek Municipality and the Jewish Federation of Detroit.
A digital rendering of the planned Orange Garden, dedicated to the Bibas Family, in Migdal HaEmek (Venatata)[Missing Credit]
A digital rendering of the planned Orange Garden, dedicated to the Bibas Family, in Migdal HaEmek (Venatata)[Missing Credit]