The youngest daughter of Meli and Amit, and the younger sister of Chen, Gal, and Yuval.
From the day Noa Zander came into the world, she brought with her a great light. Noa’s light was always outward-facing—when she was around, there was no way to miss her. She loved to laugh until her stomach hurt and to make everyone around her laugh as well. Humor was an inseparable part of her. She knew how to make the most of every moment in life, loved to sing and dance, to rejoice and celebrate, to spread love, and to make sure that the people around her knew it. Everyone she loved—she made sure to tell them, hug them, kiss them, and squeeze them with affection. Every little thing was a reason to celebrate for her. She lived at full volume, and those who encountered her energy were drawn in and wanted to stay close. Even at a young age, she was surrounded by many circles of friends.
The light Noa spread through her care for others was just as great. She worked as a counselor in the “Maccabi Tzair” youth movement, leading a group of AKIM members—youth with special needs. She cherished the connection that formed between them and saw it as much more than volunteering or a mission; for her, it was a way of life, a path of pure giving.
Before enlisting in the army, she visited the Blikind School for Special Education weekly, teaching life skills, making the students laugh, and communicating with them in a unique way. Every visit filled her with immense joy.
During her military service, she served as a Black Hawk helicopter instructor in the Israeli Air Force, later advancing to a command role where she trained soldiers at the Technical School in Haifa. This period was deeply meaningful to her.
After her service, she embarked on a post-army trip to Central America, traveling through Colombia, Mexico, and Panama. She met friends from all over Israel, fell in love with the landscapes and beaches, and learned how to surf.
Upon returning to Israel, she started working at the “Mami” bar in Rishon LeZion while also serving as an operations manager at the Burgers Bar restaurant chain. She excelled in her role, and despite her young age, the chain’s owners decided to offer her the position of managing their first restaurant in New York. She accepted the offer and was scheduled to fly to the U.S. on October 16—just nine days before she was murdered. That dream was never fulfilled.
On October 7, Noa arrived with her boyfriend and two other friends at the Nova Festival in Re’im, where she danced and spread her light until the rocket barrage began. They drove to take shelter in a nearby reinforced security room (migunit) near Kibbutz Re’im. She even managed to speak with her family, sent a picture, and, as always, reassured everyone that she was safe and in a protected place. Even in that moment, she found the strength to calm those around her. That was Noa.
Our Noa was murdered at just 22 years old while outside the security room in Re’im—a shelter that was supposed to protect her but ultimately became a death trap. In that security room and its surroundings, 28 young men and women were murdered, 12 survived, and one—Omer Vonkerat—was kidnapped.
On her final journey, Noa was accompanied by about 3,000 people.
Noa’s images are displayed as stickers, signs, and flags across Israel and the world. Her family asks that everyone who hears her story and sees her picture remember that Noa was happy and at peace with herself. She believed in the goodness within every person, respected everyone she met, and helped those who struggled. This is how she would want to be remembered, and this is how her legacy should continue—”Live as if there’s no tomorrow, and be a little kinder to others every single day.”
