Two mothers find each other 20 years after losing their daughters in Lebanon

Rivana Tendler, who lost her daughter Keren in the Second Lebanon War, has met with Hilit Yanai, whose daughter Rotem was killed in Lebanon three months ago. Keren Tendler was the first female airborne mechanic on IDF Sikorsky helicopters and was killed in 2006 when a Hezbollah missile struck her aircraft. Rotem Yanai, a welfare non-commissioned officer in the Givati Brigade, was killed by an FPV drone. The two women connected after Rivana posted about her loss on social media. Hilit Yanai explained that she sought out Rivana to understand if it is possible to continue living after such a tragedy. Rivana, who has lived with the loss for two decades, shared that while the pain remains, she has found ways to cope through commemoration and daily routines. Both mothers expressed that they view their ongoing efforts to honor their daughters as a different form of parenting, ensuring their legacies endure despite the profound absence.