"The Void That Remains" exhibition inaugurated in Jaffa, displaying personal belongings of 7 October victims

The memorial exhibition "The Void That Remains" was inaugurated on Saturday evening, 3 October, at the Peres Center for Peace and Innovation in Jaffa, ahead of the third anniversary of the 7 October massacre. According to Davar, hundreds of bereaved family members, hostage families and survivors attended. From 4 October, the public will also be able to visit the exhibition, which tells the stories of people and their lives through belongings they left behind, testimony and artworks.

The opening for families and the public opening take place on different dates. The visiting period published by the organizers is 4 to 10 October, and entry requires advance purchase of a ticket for the selected time. The Saturday evening inauguration should not be taken to mean that general public admission began that evening.

Remembrance begins with life before the disaster

The Peres Center's exhibition page describes a route beginning with life before the attack in the kibbutzim, cities, communities and at the Nova festival. It then moves to the events of 7 October and the absence they left. The objects are integrated with stories, testimony, video and art, rather than presented as a list of items detached from their owners.

Among the exhibits announced by the organizers are Ariel Bibas's balance bike, the beret of surveillance soldier Roni Eshel, paramedic Amit Mann's stethoscope and uniform, and Hersh Goldberg-Polin's copy of "Man's Search for Meaning." These belongings connect remembrance to aspects of their owners' lives: childhood, service, caregiving and reading.

Choosing these objects allows the person to be seen beyond the circumstances of their death or abduction. A small bicycle and a book point to a routine that existed before the names became familiar to the public. This is the exhibition's focus as reflected in its official description, not an account of a personal visit or a prediction of every visitor's response.

Objects, art and stories along one route

Ahead of the opening, Time Out reported additional exhibits, including Yagev Buchshtab's musical instruments, Lior Trushansky's Maccabi Haifa scarf and the camera of ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth photographer Roy Idan. According to the report, Ofri Bibas-Levy initiated the exhibition, and Emek Keidar-Gouma is responsible for its curation.

Alongside the belongings, more than 20 artworks were announced for sale, with proceeds intended for the activities of the October Council. An installation of 44 clay stars commemorating murdered children was also reported. Combining original items and new works creates two kinds of encounter: with something that formed part of a person's life, and with a work created after their death to commemorate them.

This distinction matters when viewing the exhibition. A personal belonging is an object with a particular story; an artwork may express a response, memory or interpretation. Not every artistic detail should be treated as a documentary reconstruction, and the way something is displayed alone does not establish information the family or organizers have not provided.

Calls for an investigation were also heard at the opening

According to Davar, the exhibition's inauguration opened the October Council's week of events. Speeches called for a state commission of inquiry and an examination of responsibility for the disaster. Families presented information gathered through an independent investigation, describing it as testimony and questions requiring examination.

The public demand and the material presented must remain attributed to those who raised them. Presenting testimony at a memorial event does not make every claim a finding of an authorized investigative body. Reporting that the material was presented does not justify assigning personal responsibility to a particular individual without further examination and context.

Davar reported that captivity survivor Sagui Dekel-Chen described at the event how even everyday objects and activities can cause distress. His remarks provide context for the choice to display familiar belongings: they may help the public learn a story, while carrying a different personal meaning for those directly connected to it. This does not establish one correct way for everyone to remember.

When to visit and how to book

The exhibition is at the Peres Center for Peace and Innovation, 132 Kedem Street, Tel Aviv-Yafo. Organizers set public visiting dates from Sunday, 4 October, through Saturday, 10 October. Select a time through the ticketing system on the event page rather than relying on the center's regular opening hours.

According to hours published by Time Out ahead of the opening, two visiting windows were scheduled for 4 October: 10:00 to 16:00 and 18:00 to 20:00. The published hours for 7 October were 13:00 to 20:00, and for the final day, 10 October, 11:00 to 15:00. These were announced in advance; available slots may change by the time of booking.

The official information page's text did not state a ticket price for this particular exhibition. The Innovation Center's regular tour price should therefore not automatically be applied. Check the price and options for the desired date in the booking system before paying. The page also did not publish an explicit age recommendation for this exhibition, so anyone visiting with children should ask in advance about the suitability of the content.

Getting there, accessibility and how this differs from a regular visit

According to the Peres Center's visitor information page, the center can be reached by light rail via Mahrozet or HaBa'al Shem Tov station, at a walking distance the center estimates at about 15 minutes. For bus access, it directs visitors to the Yefet/HaBa'al Shem Tov stop. Check routes and timetables for the day of travel, particularly for evening or weekend visits.

For drivers, the center identifies the Givat Aliya Beach parking lot, with blue-and-white parking markings. This points to a parking location, not a guarantee of available or free parking. Allow for the journey from the parking area to the building as well, rather than planning arrival solely around the start of the visiting slot.

The center states that it is accessible in its general visitor information. Anyone needing a particular accommodation can ask in advance how it is provided along the exhibition route, at the installations and for video content. The Innovation Center's published telephone number is 03-5680685. Information about regular tours, languages or visit duration does not necessarily apply to this temporary event.

In the coming week, the public will encounter the exhibition through its published admission times. Its objects offer a focused perspective within a national day of remembrance: getting to know a person through what they read, wore, made or used. The organizers seek to preserve those stories alongside the names, beyond the end of the week's events.