Keren Munder

Keren Munder, originally from Kibbutz Nir Oz, lives in Kfar Saba with her partner Avi and their sweet, remarkable son, Ohad. Keren is a highly esteemed physical education teacher in special education. Renowned for her dedication, she has left a mark on every student, reaching out with unparalleled warmth and compassion. She has even won awards at a school in Bnei Brak as an outstanding educator for children with special needs. Her prowess extends beyond the classroom to the volleyball court, where she both coaches the youth and stars in the Mamanet league. Keren’s blend of patience, creativity, and a knack for engaging children through games and activities, made her a beloved figure, enriching the lives of children with special needs.
Celebrating Simchat Torah with her son at her parents’ home in Kibbutz Nir Oz, Keren's tranquil world was unrecognizably changed on October 7th. Amidst the chaos of a Hamas attack, she managed to send a distressing update to her partner from the safety of a secure room. That day saw the harrowing abduction of Keren, her 78-year-old mother Ruthi, and her 9-year-old son Ohad by Hamas terrorists who forcibly entered their sanctuary. Abraham Munder, 78, Keren’s father, was kidnapped during his attempt to shield his family. Munder was kidnapped separately from his family and is still in captivity, his condition unknown.
The family's sorrow deepened with the loss of Roee, Keren’s brother, who was murdered close to his home on Nir Oz, his final rites devoid of his family’s presence. Amidst captivity, the radio broadcast the heartbreaking news of Roee’s death, a grim narrative amidst their ordeal.
Ruthi, Keren and Ohad were released from captivity under a temporary ceasefire agreement in late November. Keren’s cousin, Osnat Meiri, who campaigned tirelessly for their release, said: "If a child and mother are together, they can survive anything."

At the UN, under the auspices of Ambassador Gilad Erdan, Keren vividly recounted the ordeal of her kidnapping: a home invasion by Hamas terrorists, a forced march under threat, the destruction of her cherished kibbutz. She described the depth of their crisis, the harsh conditions in which they lived as hostages, with every movement fraught with danger. Their subsequent transfer to a hospital room, shared by ten souls, marked the beginning of a shared struggle for survival under the most degrading conditions, where basic human dignity was a casualty of circumstance.
Keren’s testimony laid bare the grim reality of captivity: the degradation of shared facilities, the erosion of privacy, and the psychological toll on women and children amidst dire conditions. The constant threat of violence, particularly sexual violence, underscored a pervasive fear that stripped away any semblance of safety or normalcy, in Keren’s own words: "We lost our identity, our humanity. The children lost their childhood."
Amidst this narrative of despair, Keren’s plea for her father's release from Gaza is a determined call to action, a reminder of the human stakes at play: "My father is still there. What happens when someone you love is kidnapped by monsters? Please, don't close your eyes. We need to bring them back home now. As a woman, as a mother, we need to do everything." Her plea during the Third Ashmoret Conference to Israeli leaders combines a deeply personal request with a call to moral duty: "in the name of my father, whose dignity and health are being trampled – do what should have been done the day after the tragedy."
Keren’s reflection on her ordeal speaks to a profound resilience and a steadfast commitment to reclaim a future for her son, denied by circumstance. Her critique of decision-making guided by pride or power serves as a poignant reminder of the values that should underpin our actions, emphasizing the essential dignity of returning captives to their families as a foundational step towards healing and recovery. Keren’s appeal, rich in human emotion and resilience, underscores a universal truth: the return of the hostages is not just a moral obligation but a necessary step towards confronting and overcoming collective trauma.

Quoting Keren Munder’s speech: "Pride and power intoxication must not lead our decision-making. We cannot normalize life, trying to live in a parallel universe in the country, while 134 captives are still held in captivity. I expect to see the heads of state and economy act in the light of Jewish, Israeli, and Zionist values – upon which the state was established. To take the only moral action and return the captives to their families or for burial. Only then can we begin to recover. Only following such actions can we deal with resurgence. If the captives are not returned soon, it will cast a shadow on the character of Israeli society for generations to come."