A Bat Signal for the Bibas Boys to Unite our Community

Have you ever experienced a tragic event that transformed your community and brought everyone together?

Have you ever experienced a family gathering after a loss where the collective compassion created a new path forward?

In the Batman comics, Gotham city has an emergency method to alert Batman when the city needs saving: the Bat Signal. A beam of light that creates an image of a bat in the night sky. It shines for all to see and is immediately recognizable. When the Bat signal shines, Bruce Wayne transforms from an ordinary man into the extraordinary Batman to emerge from the shadows and bring light to the world. Batman always defeats evil and saves Gotham City.

The Bat Signal is a simple message; light always shines through darkness. During challenging periods, a community that comes together becomes stronger. Love among each other is more powerful than hate from others.

The tragedy of the Bibas family is an opportunity for a Bat signal to unite the Jewish Community and the world at large.

On October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists from Gaza kidnapped Shiri Bibas and her baby boys Ariel (age 3) and Kfir (age 9 months). Hamas proudly shared videos of Shiri’s terror as jeering mobs captured her and her young boys. We later learned that Hamas terrorists strangled the Bibas boys with bare hands and mutilated their bodies in an attempt to cover up their evil actions. When the hostage exchange occurred on February 20^th, 2025, Hamas and hundreds of Gazan civilians cheered and celebrated the casket exchange for the world to see. Hamas cruelly switched the caskets of the boys and padlocked them without sending a key. They even swapped the body of Shiri to cause even more psychological terror.

The Bibas family became a rallying cry for Israel and the world beyond. The iconic images, which inspired the world, was a family photo of Yarden, Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir all dressed in batman tee shirts.

Seeing this Bat Signal catalyzed all of Israel and many in the world beyond to unite in mourning their deaths and celebrating their inspiring, albeit tragically short-lived lives. The inhumanity of Hamas taking a nine-month-old infant hostage and strangling them to death reveals the depravity and evil of Hamas and its supporters.

At the funeral, Yarden decided to bury the boys in the same casket with their mom. The Bibas boys’ final resting space was together facing each other and within in their mother’s grasp…forever.

This poignant image of the boys together resembles the description of the architectural design of Mishkan in Exodus 25:18-20 when the two cherubim are described on top. “The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the cover.” As Rashi noted, the cherubim were soldered together so that they would be not two cherubim but “make one cherub from the one end. “

When I read Exodus 25 again, it really raised a question in my mind. Why does the Torah devote relatively few verses in Genesis to Hashem creating the Universe but so many verses in Exodus (and others) to the design of the Mishkan. As I explored the passage describing the Mishkan design with the Bibas Boys and Bibas Family on my mind and heart, I found new opportunities to learn.

As we explore Exodus 25, there are other potential connections to the Bibas boys and their family. The Hebrew word Sabib סָבִֽיב appears 4 times in three verses: once in Exodus 25:11, once in Exodus 25:24, and twice in Exodus 25:25. The word סָבִֽיב means to encircle or to surround. The meaning can be physical, to surround. It can also be spiritual – to be a presence or an influence.

The word Sabib סָבִֽיב spelled backword is Bibas בִּיבָס

Bibas/Sabib is therefore mentioned four times in Exodus 25.

Looking at the three verses reveals a potentially prophetic connection between the Bibas Family and the building of the Mishkan. The four mentions of Sabib/Bibas could be representing the four members of the Bibas Family with Yarden in Verse 25:11. Then in verse 25:18 when the Cherubim are meant to inspire life and faith, in verse 25:24 when Shiri Bibas is next to her baby boys, Ariel and Kfir who are mentioned twice in verse 25:24.

Exploring the numerological significance of these passages can reveal:

• Exodus 25:18 – 18 is Chai and means Life. As the Cherubim are facing each other and shining light on the life around us.
• Exodus 25:11, eleven can signify spiritual growth beyond completeness. Yarden Bibas buried his loving family, his wife Shiri and beautiful boys Ariel and Kfir. If 10 are the commandments, then 11 is the next stage of Yarden’s growth and spiritual journey. May we all Sabib (encircle) Yarden during his moments of mourning and healing.
• Exodus 25:24 – 24 can be interpreted as completeness (as in the 24 books of the torah) and Shiri was returned to Israel with her baby boys (in the next parsha) and buried together in the same casket so that she can hold them forever.
• Exodus 25:25 – The two mentions of Bibas/Sabib could be representing the two Bibas Boys: Ariel and Kfir together at last, facing each other and bringing light in the darkness for the world to see. Five can be interpreted as a divine presence as the 5 books of torah, the 5 human senses (smell, touch, hearing, seeing, tasting), 5^th letter H which is part of the Hebrew word for god. If 5 is divine, then 5 x 5 = 25 which is even more divine. Then 25 x 25 is an ultimate expression of divine presence.

In the week since the Bibas family funeral, we have seen the skies around the world filled with orange balloons and orange lights to remember the beautiful Bibas family.

New York City, USA

Berlin, Germany

San Francisco, USA

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Budapest, Hungary

Paris, France

On social media the image of a broken orange heart posted in solidarity and remembrance of the Bibas family went viral. It has been written that a broken heart allows light in.

Returning to my question about the connection about why the torah explains the creation of the Mishkan in so much more detail than the story of the creation of the universe. I carefully reflected on this question over the past week since the Bibas family funeral and reexamined the parsha of Exodus 25. I also looked for clues in Exodus 24 to understand the context. Interestingly, in Exodus 24, Moses gathers the Children of Israel together and reads the 10 commandments to them.

After reading the Ten Commandments to the Children of Israel, Moses returned to Mt Sinai. The passage describes Moses spending 7 days alone with Hashem. He then spent 40 days and 40 nights alone on the mountain.

The reference in Exodus 24:15 to the 7-day period could be interpreted as a new stage of the 7 days of Creation. Hashem, with Moses’ leadership, creating a new universe. In Exodus 24:18, Moses spending 40 days and 40 nights can be another interpretation of the creation of a new community. Forty years in the wilderness was the period for the Children of Israel between Slavery in Egypt and Promised Land.  Forty days was also the period of the flood when Noah led the formation of a new community with the population from his Ark.

I then explored why the Mishkan was so important following Exodus 24 when Moses read the Children of Israel the ten commandments. I realized that this moment was the most united and unified moment for the Children of Israel. Prior to this moment, the Children of Israel were enslaved in Egypt and experienced sibling strife with Kane/Able, Isaac/Ishmael, Jacob/Esau, and Joseph and his brothers.  Following this moment, the Children of Israel divided over the Golden Calf and the twelve tribes fought about the promise of the Promised Land.

At this very moment, the Children of Israel were united.  In that spirit of unification, they build the Mishkan and within the holy of holies the Arc of the Covenant – as detailed in Exodus 25. It was truly the most precious collective creation of the most unified people.

However, I firmly believe that the Mishkan was not intended to be an object to worship but rather as a vehicle to enable worship.

The symbol of the Bibas family intertwined in the design of the Mishkan can be a symbol that this is the moment for the Children of Israel to unite and unify.

It is my fervent prayer that the Jewish community and world collectively see these orange balloons, lights, and broken hearts as the Bat Signal to awaken and unite in our collective fight against evil. That it will catalyze us to lead with love in a new path forward to the promised land of peace, prosperity, and freedom of spiritual celebration.

While we will of course face many obstacles and challenges, may the feeling of cohesive community enable us to experience collective creation based on our shared faith and belief in God. As we remember the beautiful Bibas Boys as the Cherubim of the Mishkan, and See the Bat Signal, may we feel the compassionate presence God all around (Sabib) us.

Appendix A:

There is a beautiful tradition in the Amish community to gather for a day and build a barn. This reminds me of the collective creation opportunity of the Mishkan. A unified community sharing a common purpose. Please enjoy the video.

Appendix B:

Exodus 25