When terrorist organization Hamas attacked residents of Israel’s Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7, it upended the lives of many, including in the jewelry world. There are deep roots connecting Israel and the international jewelry community, not least because Israel is a major diamond-cutting center.
Be’eri was one of multiple Jewish communities on the Gaza border where Hamas gunmen slaughtered and kidnapped innocents and set houses on fire — vicious moves that reached far beyond the boundaries of southern Israel.
One of those murdered at the kibbutz was Grandview Klein manager Isaac Siton, who was on vacation with his family. His wife, son and sister-in-law also perished that day. In a phone interview this week, company president Moshe Klein was understandably shaken, calling Siton’s death “an open wound.” “We call ourselves a family business because all our employees are literally like family,” he said.
Voices of solidarity
Many trade groups were quick to denounce the violence. Among the first to do so were the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA), the Diamond Manufacturers & Importers Association of America (DMIA), the Diamond Dealers Club (DDC), and the Indian Diamond & Colorstone Association (IDCA). The groups released a joint statement condemning the “horrific acts of violence perpetrated on the citizens of Israel,” and applauding “any actions they take to assure that acts like this can never happen again.”