“A Place at the Table” is a commemorative project that documents the favorite dishes of those lost on October 7 with the help of their families.
When Michal Katz prepared family dinners, she knew her niece, Eden Ben Rubi, didn’t like to see little pieces in her Bolognese-inspired meat sauce. So, she would blend the onion, garlic, and cilantro until smooth, “hiding” them in the sauce. The dish became known as “Eden’s Bolognese.” Even though Eden was never a big fan of meat, she always asked her aunt to make this dish for Friday dinners.
In the last year of her life, Eden began keeping kosher, which meant she would no longer be able to have a dairy dessert after, which always left her a little disappointed. So she and her aunt created a new tradition: “The moment she arrived, I’d open the fridge and give her a bite of the biscuit cake with cream, so she could enjoy it before eating the Bolognese,” Michal recalls. “And of course, after the meal, she’d always pack a plate to take home. She just couldn’t resist.” At their family’s Shabbat dinners, everyone had their usual seat at the table. But since October 7, no one sits in a fixed spot anymore. Singling out Eden’s empty place at the table is too painful.
“Eden brought the light to our family dinners,” says Michal. “We used to play party games, and with her it was always the most fun.” While Eden was traveling after her army service, they all missed her presence. It just wasn’t the same without her.
On the evening of Simchat Torah, Friday, October 6, Michal had plans with friends, and for the first time in a long while, there was no Shabbat dinner at her home. Eden had a quiet meal with her parents, her brother Roei, and her partner, Ariel Biton. Later that night, the couple went to bed, saying they planned to leave for the Nova music festival early in the morning because Eden wanted to make it in time to photograph the sunrise.
Eden and Ariel arrived at the festival at 5 a.m. on the morning of October 7. When the attack began, they managed to flee to a roadside shelter near Kibbutz Be’eri. Eden was able to reach her mother and asked her to call for help. At 8:02 am, the family received their last message from Eden. Hamas terrorists reached the shelter and opened fire on everyone inside. Eden and Ariel were murdered. She was 23. He was 22.
Since she was 12, Eden kept a notebook filled with dreams and goals: to make a million shekels, to own a Balenciaga bag, to find a good husband, to have three children (two boys and a girl), to take her parents on a trip abroad, and more wishes — some of which she had already fulfilled. She was a talented photographer and painter, and loved makeup and tattooing. One of the dreams in her notebook was to show her art in a gallery in New York. After she was murdered, her mother began fulfilling the wishes on her list in her memory. Among them, Eden’s artwork was displayed at an art gallery in Chelsea, New York.
Eden spent countless hours by the sea. She would wake up at 5 a.m. to photograph the sunrise, paint on surfboards, and often photographed Israel’s surfing champion, Dor Bitton. After her death, the family partnered with the brand Billabong to create shirts featuring her artwork.
Michal recalls that Eden was a strong, vibrant presence. “She was always lifting people up, especially those who lacked confidence. She used to say, ‘When I uplift someone else, it lifts me too.’” For every birthday, Eden would write the most thoughtful, heartfelt message. “It’s been so hard for all of us not to receive her annual birthday wishes anymore,” Michal says.
After her death, the family created a book in her memory, which will be published soon. “There’s a chapter in the book called ‘Eden Without Borders,’ and in its folder are all her photos from abroad. She came back from her big trip in June 2023, and by October 7, she had already flown abroad four more times. She worked so she could travel. That was her thing: seeing the world and living life,” Michal says. “Eden is a loss for the world. She had so much more to achieve. I see what she gave to people, I hear all the stories about her, and I keep thinking she had so much more to give.”
Did you prepare the dish? Share a photo of it and tag it #A_Place_at_the_Table to honor the memory of the late Eden Ben Rubi.
¼ cup olive oil
1 bunch cilantro
1 small onion
4 garlic cloves
Vegetable oil, for frying
1.1 lb (500 grams) ground beef
½ tablespoon sweet paprika
½ tablespoon curry powder
3.5 ounces (100 grams) tomato paste
1½ cups of water
½ pack spaghetti
- In a blender, combine olive oil, cilantro, onion, and garlic. Blend for 30 seconds or until finely chopped but not puréed.
- Heat a generous glug of oil in a wide pan over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and sauté, stirring with a wooden spoon. Season with curry powder and sweet paprika, and cook until the meat is no longer pink.
- Add 2 tablespoons of the cilantro-onion mixture along with the tomato paste. Cook together for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Pour in 1½ cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20–30 minutes.
- Cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions. Toss with the sauce and serve.
* This recipe remains faithful to the original from the family. No modifications were made.
