Dvorah “Debbie” Abraham, a police sergeant major from Moshav Talmei Yosef in Israel, became a hero on October 7 when she saved hundreds of people during the attack on the Nova music festival near Kibbutz Re’im. For days, her family—evacuated from their home in the Gaza envelope—had no news of her fate. She left behind her mother and three siblings: Keren, 52; Shimon, 41; and David, 48. Her family remembers her as someone who could have saved herself but chose to protect others, embodying the very essence of selflessness that defined her life and career.
Her courage and determination were foreshadowed years earlier in a letter she wrote in 2008 to then-Public Security Minister Avi Dichter and Police Commissioner Dudi Cohen. At the time, Debbie, then 25 and studying criminology, had volunteered with the Civil Guard and dreamed of joining the police. In the letter, she expressed her commitment to serve Israel, stating, “I see myself as a serious and capable person, and I decided to fulfill my childhood dream of joining the police. I am loyal to the State of Israel and want the state to be loyal to me. Please, I am sure that if you look hard enough in the drawers, you’ll find a place for me as well. I promise I will prove I was worthy of it.”
The letter also revealed her determination to endure challenges and contribute fully to the security of her country: “After it was explained to me that the road will be hard, I am not ready to give up on who I am. I am willing to undergo any test and promise that if you give me the chance and recruit me, I will seize it with both hands, use it wisely, contribute my strength, intellect, and abilities—and I have them.” Her brother Shimon later read the letter aloud at a police academy training course, moving many attendees to tears.
On October 7, Debbie’s dedication became a tragic reality. She arrived at the Nova festival for her morning shift, immediately taking charge amid the chaos. She coordinated medical and military aid and ensured that people were guided to safety. “She knew all the security teams in the communities and the emergency coordinators,” Shimon recalled. “At some point they told her there was no one to send—no ambulances, no army. Then she called my sister and told us all to get into houses and take care of Mom. She was busy trying to get help.”
When terrorists arrived at Nova around 8:30 a.m., Debbie directed festivalgoers along safe dirt paths, saving hundreds from the ambush. Witnesses reported that she ran into a small bar, shielding people hiding inside with her own body, and was shot first. Survivors recounted how she instructed one man to dismantle a fence so they could escape, urging him to run to safety while others trapped on blocked roads could not get through. Her bravery directly saved countless lives that day.
Debbie was also a devoted animal lover. She cared for stray cats at the Ofakim police station, feeding them even on her days off, and rescued her golden retriever, Goldie, who had been abandoned between the moshavim. “Debbie found her wandering and tried to find someone to adopt her, but no one wanted her, so she brought Goldie to our mother,” her brother David recalled. After Debbie’s death, feeding stations for cats were established across the Gaza envelope in her memory.
Her final phone call was to her sister Keren, during which she reminded her family to take care of themselves and their mother. The family remembers small but poignant gestures, like a heart-shaped serving set Debbie gave Keren on Simchat Torah, still wrapped in cellophane as a cherished memory. Her presence is remembered in symbolic ways as well, such as when swallows appeared while family members walked in the fields—a sign they interpret as Debbie watching over them.
Debbie also wore a necklace engraved with a verse from Psalms: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me.” The necklace was found at the site by a Defense Ministry photographer, who helped return it to her family. They subsequently had fourteen identical necklaces made to honor her memory.
Shimon Abraham reflected on how Debbie’s early letter to the police continues to resonate: “Today’s recruits are joining a force that has already suffered so many losses—but they understand the mission. Debbie’s courage and commitment remain an example for all of us.” Her story, as reported by Israel Hayom, is a powerful reminder of the bravery, selflessness, and dedication exhibited by those who risk everything to protect others.
