25 Years Since the Sbarro Attack: 'Life Goes On, But It Gets Harder'

Chaya Sakhivashvili, who was 8 years old during the 2001 Sbarro attack in Jerusalem, recounts in an interview marking 25 years since the attack the loss of her parents and three siblings, life alongside her injuries, and her longing. She describes the moments of the attack, coping with epilepsy, and the difficulty of explaining to her children what she experienced. Alongside her, Shantal Belzberg talks about founding the 'One Family' organization.

In an interview marking 25 years since the Sbarro attack, Chaya Sakhivashvili (33) recounts the moments when, at age 8, she lost her parents Mordechai and Tzirel and three of her siblings – Raya, Hamda, and Avraham Yitzhak – in the attack on the restaurant in Jerusalem on August 9, 2001. She and her sister Leah were the only survivors. Chaya describes the moments of the explosion, fleeing the restaurant, the severe burns, and the moment she learned of her family's death. Today she lives in Rishon LeZion with her husband and three children, named after her relatives. She speaks of the difficulty of explaining to her children what happened, the epilepsy that has accompanied her since age 18, and the growing longing. She notes that the events of October 7 and the war with Iran brought her back. Alongside her, Shantal Belzberg talks about founding the 'One Family' organization after the attack, which assists terror victims.