Families of the Fallen Demand Social Cohesion Law in 100 Days

Moshe Shapiro’s son Aner died on October 7, 2023, while throwing grenades from a roadside shelter to protect others at the Nova music festival. Shapiro is now leading Hamechane, a group of bereaved families, captivity survivors, and wounded veterans. The coalition demands that the next Israeli government create a national framework for social cohesion within its first 100 days in office.

Shapiro spoke with The Jerusalem Post alongside Hoda Daxa and Shai Zohar ahead of the upcoming elections. Zohar is the uncle of Capt. Omer Neutra, a soldier from New York who was killed on October 7 and whose body was returned from Gaza in November 2025. Daxa’s husband, Col. Ehsan Daxa, commanded the 401st Armored Brigade and was killed in northern Gaza in October 2024.

The group’s name, Hamechane, translates to "the denominator," referring to the pursuit of common ground. Shapiro cites the 1960s wildflower protection campaign as a model for their goal. That initiative combined legal safeguards with public education until the cause became part of childhood. Shapiro wants the same level of ingrained respect for others, even when deep disagreements exist.

Shai Zohar described internal polarization as Israel’s greatest existential threat. He argued that divisions present before October 7 contributed to the catastrophe. "Unity is an operating system, an approach," Zohar said. He warned that the nation has already paid an immense price and cannot slip backward. He admitted he did not fully understand the impact of the 2018 Nation-State Law on the Druze community until he heard Hoda Daxa speak about it. "It went over my head," Zohar said.

The 2018 law reserves national self-determination for the Jewish people and designates Hebrew as the state language. It grants Arabic special status but lacks an explicit equality guarantee. Druze critics argue the law excludes a community whose soldiers serve the state. The High Court upheld the law in 2021, finding it compatible with equality protections. In November 2023, Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Muwaffaq Tarif called for constitutional recognition of Druze rights, and the then-coalition promised separate legislation.

Hoda Daxa said belonging is tested in daily life. She recalled riding a train with her children while speaking Arabic. Passengers did not speak, but she sensed their discomfort. "Hatred doesn't distinguish," she said. She stressed that unity must extend beyond Jewish solidarity. Many non-Jewish citizens already feel part of Israeli society and want to contribute. Group members vote for different parties, but Daxa said they converse because they are willing to learn. "We come with an open heart," she said.

Shapiro described a yearlong process of building a shared vision among religious and secular Jews, haredim, Druze, and people from the political right and left. "This is the face of Israeli society," he said. He noted that no member had to hide their views. He recalled his grandfather, Haim-Moshe Shapiro, who signed the Declaration of Independence and served as a minister. Before the Six Day War, the elder Shapiro urged Prime Minister Levi Eshkol to include opposition parties. In June 1967, the government widened to include Gahal, led by Menachem Begin, and Rafi, which included Moshe Dayan, who became defense minister.

Aner Shapiro expressed a similar outlook in a social media post before his death. After graffiti defaced an image of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Aner criticized categories like religious, secular, right-wing, and left-wing. He wrote, "There really is no 'them.'" Moshe Shapiro said he had believed such divisions were fading during his son’s shiva. He now feels disappointment at their return.

Hamechane plans to encourage personal connections through schools, workplaces, and communities. Shapiro wants children to learn about different communities and how to handle disagreement. He also wants measures against online activity that inflames hatred. The group has not decided on the specific structure of the body it seeks, leaving that to elected officials. Shapiro stressed he is not asking people to sacrifice their lives. He is asking them to listen, make room for others, and remember that disagreement does not cancel mutual obligations.