Spreading Oriya's light - October 7 tragedy

The life of Hannie Ricardo was pretty great until October 6, 2023. She had everything she needed: a place to call home in New York, a good job, her studies, and above all she had her girls. Three.

On that same Friday, October 6, her youngest daughter, Oriya, and Hannie had an intense conversation. They spoke for over an hour, envisioning their intertwined futures, where they both played integral roles. They spoke about Hannie's studies and how she aimed to complete them to her doctorate swiftly and then return to Israel to be there with her when she got married, to witness her transition to motherhood and envision her turning into the unconventional grandmother she always knew her mother would be. And they planned Oriya's visit in December in the new apartment which she intended to move into on October 15.

A few hours later, everything changed.

Around 1:30 AM on October 7, a phone call woke Hannie up, telling her that there was a terror attack and Oriya was missing. She left everything and went back to Israel on the first flight she found, still thinking she would see her girl soon. 24 hours after she arrived in Israel, Oriya was found dead. Shot in her back.

The world as she knew it until October 6, was gone, and she was confronted with an unyielding reality. Losing a child is the most painful thing. It hits you so badly that you can't breathe. Yet, amid the difficulties, she chose to embrace life and go forward with cherishing the life of her precious daughter, spread her light and tell her story, and pursuit the plans they envisioned together.

For over two decades, Hannie researched the history of the Jewish musicians who perished in the Holocaust. Their lives within the Terezin Ghetto and the profound significance of music in their daily lives went with her everywhere ever since she started researching back in 2001. Now, she finds herself, a daughter of Holocaust survivors, who researches the lives of Holocaust victim's music, a performer of that same music, becoming a mother of the 2023 Holocaust victim herself.

Her forthcoming thesis will possess a distinct and unparalleled character, a narrative that only she can articulate, and it must be written. She also knows that what will help her get back on her feet is to finish her studies all the way to her Ph.D.

But being very much aware of her situation, and the support required to accomplish this task - both mentally and physically, and in terms of financial backing, we turn to you for support.

Hannie desires to share her knowledge, experience, and talent and support herself through that, but we know it will take time until she is able to do that. Her Oriya is gone, and at this hard moment, she needs your help.

Your money will be used for tuition and fees ($ 7,500), travel expenses (around $4,000), and accommodation (around $3,000), as Hannie will have to travel between the US and Israel several times until she graduates in December 2024.

We thank you for your support and please share with your friends.