I wonder if Noya Dan tried to cast a spell when they came for her. Expecto Patronum, Expelliarmus, Colloportus? If they were real, any of those spells would have protected her and her grandmother. Twelve year old Noya was a huge Harry Potter fan. She read all the books, watched all the movies and probably practiced spells all the time. Her House was Gryffindor, of course.

But none of that would have helped her. Without magic, what can a twelve year old girl and an eighty year old grandmother really do when faced with murderous terrorists armed with automatic guns?

Noya lived in kibbutz Kissufim with her mother, Galit, and her younger sister. Her grandmother, Carmela Dan, lived nearby in kibbutz Nir Oz. Noya and Carmela were very close and Noya often stayed over in her grandma’s house.

On Friday October 6, Carmela’s family celebrated her 80th birthday together in kibbutz Nir Oz. Noya asked to stay the night at her grandmother’s. So while her mother and sister went home to Kissufim, Noya stayed in Nir Oz.

Early the next morning, both Nir Oz and Kissufim were invaded by Hamas. As an endless barrage of rockets exploded in the air and terrorists hunted down Israelis, the different family members hid in their secure rooms and kept in contact via text.

Galit hid in the closet of her safe room with her youngest daughter, while terrorists took over their house and used it as headquarters, shooting at people from the windows. Noya and her grandmother sheltered in the safe room of Carmela’s house. Carmela’s other daughter, Hadas Calderon, fought desperately to keep the door of her safe room shut, while Hadas’ children were with her ex-husband in his shelter.

To all of them, texting each other, it must have felt like the world was ending. Every time I think about the people in these kibbutzim, and what they must have gone through, my mind short-circuits. I just cannot imagine the horror.

The last message Galit received from her daughter Noya, was a voice recording. She said: “Mom, there was a big boom at the door that scared me. All the windows in Grandma’s house were broken at the entrance. Because there was another boom, there are many broken windows. Mommy… I’m scared.”

The last one she received from her brother in law, Ofer Calderon, was very short: “Galit. Holocaust.”

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Ofer Calderon is a friend of a friend of mine. I feel connected to this family. I feel connected to all of these people, with a thousand different threads.

When the day drew to a close and the IDF regained control over the kibbutzim, Noya and Carmela were missing, just like Ofer Calderon and his children, Sahar and Erez.

Again, I cannot imagine what Galit and Hadas must have felt when they managed to live through this hell, only to find out their children were gone. If I try, something grabs my lungs and squeezes all the air out of them.

Cries of help went up from these wounded kibbutzim, these shattered communities. Where are our children, our parents, our friends?

Noya’s picture was posted on X/Twitter, where it drew the attention of J.K. Rowling herself. She reposted it with a heartfelt message:

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“Kidnapping children is despicable and wholly unjustifiable.” No beating around the bush, no talk about “context” or “proportionality” or “freedom fighters”. For this, J.K. Rowling is my hero. The whining about how she disrespected trans women sounds ridiculously trivial compared to something as huge as this. If you use all the right words and pronouns to refer to people, but you refuse to condemn a horrific massacre by terrorists, what kind of person are you, really?

Noya and Carmela were assumed to be hostages, until their bodies were identified ten days later. They were found at the border with Gaza, burned beyond recognition.

No one knows for sure what happened to them, if they were abducted and then murdered and dumped, or if they were first killed and then Gazans tried to kidnap their bodies but didn’t succeed. There is a “pay for slay” system in place in Gaza, where people get paid by Hamas for killing Jews. A dead body is worth money to them. Shocking? Inhuman? Yes. We’ve heard it all by now.

Galit had to try and deal with the murder of her daughter and her mother, while supporting her sister, whose children were held hostage. For seven long weeks. Try to imagine that. Just try.

Fortunately, Sahar and Erez Calderon were released during the ceasefire. The relief must have been incredible. But their father, Ofer Calderon, is still in captivity now, three months later.

Sahar and Erez walk to safety together with Eitan Yahalomi, escorted by the same terrorists who dragged them from their homes.

But there was no relief for Galit. No homecoming for Noya and Carmela.

Noya was a bright, funny and loving girl. She was also autistic. Galit said: “Noya is my eldest; she is mine alone. I’m a single mother, and she’s a uniquely special child.”

Carmela Dan held American and French citizenship. She loved gardening, cooking and spending time with her family. Like many Israelis who live near the border, she volunteered for a nonprofit organization that brings sick Gazans to Israel to get critical healthcare.

Nothing will bring Noya and Carmela back. Not even magic. Fly high, little wizard. I hope the next life turns out better for you. 💔