A little over a year after surviving the Nova music festival massacre, Maia and Oshri Bouganim welcomed their first child, Ariel, into the world. "Holding Ariel in my arms is nothing short of a miracle for me. I never imagined we'd reach this joyful moment from where we were a year ago," said Maia Bouganim, 27, from Afula, who works at a local law firm.
"Just a year ago, we were fighting for our lives, surviving the worst massacre in Israel's history. Today we've had the privilege of holding a brit milah (circumcision) ceremony for our firstborn," added Oshri Bouganim, 28.
Maia and Oshri met in Afula six years ago. The day before October 7, they excitedly arrived at the Nova music festival, scheduled just five days before their wedding date. "The event turned into the greatest tragedy in the history of our country," Oshri recounted.
"We fled the festival site at 7 a.m. and ran for over six hours until we found shelter in Moshav Patish. We didn’t separate for a moment when we fled because we felt we couldn't split up. I believe this was a testament to the strong bond we share," he added.
Despite the disaster, the couple kept their original wedding date, marrying in a small ceremony with their family at a synagogue in Afula only five days after the tragic attack. They held a larger, more festive celebration in January 2024.
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"By March, we realized I was pregnant and we were beyond happy. Our relationship and the baby we've been blessed with are nothing less than a great miracle," Maia concluded. Ariel, weighing 3.6 kg (7.9 lbs), was born at Emek Medical Center in Afula.