Jerusalem Honors Shira Banki

On February 22, Anna Talisman, Head of the LGBTQ+ Department at Project Kesher Israel (pictured above), was interviewed on Radio REKA about the Jerusalem Municipality’s decision to name a street after Shira Banki.

Eleven years ago, Shira — just 15 years old — was murdered while attending the Jerusalem Pride march to support her friends. In her remarks, Anna reflected on the deep significance of this decision. For many in the LGBTQ+ community, particularly immigrants from countries where authorities are sources of fear rather than protection, public acts of recognition by the state — especially in Israel’s capital — carry profound meaning.

A street sign cannot erase hatred. But remembrance is a statement of values. It sends a message to young people questioning whether it is safe to be themselves, to parents learning how to support their children, and to society as a whole: baseless hatred destroys lives, and memory is a choice about where we stand.