(Photo credit: Shai Zakaria)
Their story has a bitter beginning. Noa Ofir and Yair Zribi met at a house of mourning. They were both grieving the death of their mutual friend, Oded Ben Sira.Sergeant First Class Ben Sira was killed by sniper fire in the Gaza Strip on July 21, 2014, during Israel’s military operation, Protective Edge (Tzuk Eitan). He had completed his compulsory army service but opted to remain in Gaza to fight with his unit. Oded was laid to rest in the cemetery at the religious moshav (settlement) where had lived, Nir Ezion, in northern Israel.Yair and Oded both grew up in Nir Ezion and were friends from childhood. Yair was traveling in Slovenia when he heard of Oded’s tragic death. “I was determined to make it home in time for the funeral,” says Yair, “and I thank the El Al personnel who were so helpful with the arrangements.”Oded’s shiva brought together family and friends from all over Israel. Nir Etzion is about 18 kilometers south of Haifa, and the religious young people from the two communities were very close. “Oded was my friend,” says Noa, who grew up in Haifa, “and, of course, I went to his shiva.”Noa, then 22, and Yair, 23, knew many of the same people but did not know one another. “We were both at the shiva almost the whole time,” recalls Yair, “and that’s when we first noticed each other.” Life can be bittersweet.A day after the shiva, Yair sent Noa a text message and invited her for a milkshake. They continued to text throughout the day, and by the time they went out that night for their first date, there was already a strong connection. “In fact, we even talked about wedding songs,” smiles Noa. They both liked the Hebrew song by Amir Benayun, “I have a dream,” beginning with the words, “You understand me in the most difficult moments.” Considering how they met, Yair and Noa had already shared some difficult moments.Noa knows when something feels right. After graduating high school, she signed up for Sherut Leumi, the national service option for religious girls, and worked in a hospital to help children with cancer. “After my first day, I decided I wanted to be a nurse,” says Noa. Today Noa is a second-year student at The School of Nursing Sheba Medical Center, adjacent to Tel Aviv.Until the summer of 2014, neither Noa nor Yair had dated much. “But after our first date, we were pretty much inseparable,” says Yair. That is, when they are both in the same city at the same time. Yair is a first year student in Chinese Business at the University of Haifa. Noa’s school is about 80 kilometers away.“Yair likes to talk and I enjoy listening,” says Noa. “And we both enjoy music and going on hikes.” About four months after they met, Yair proposed to Noa. “I don’t get surprised easily,” explains Noa. “But Yair caught me off guard. He’s an amazing organizer.”At their marriage ceremony, Noa and Yair remembered the past and looked forward to the future. The father of their dear friend, Oded, recited two of the blessings under the chuppa. Afterwards, the guests danced to the song of Amir Benayun, which ends: “I have hope, that with the help of faith, we will be able to fulfill our dream.”Noa and Yair were married in the town of Kiryat Ata on March 9, 2015. Mazal tov.