The Academy of the Hebrew Language sent an emotional letter this morning (Friday) to Yarden Bibas, a former hostage whose entire family was murdered by Hamas terrorists. The letter informed him that the butterfly previously known as Kitmit Yerushalayim would now bear the name Ktemit Ariel, in memory of his son, Ariel Bibas—the infant murdered along with his brother Kfir and their mother Shiri.
In its letter to the Bibas family, the Academy wrote:
“The Academy’s Zoological Committee has decided to change the name of the butterfly Kitmit Yerushalayim (Melitaea ornata) to Kitmit Ariel. From now on, the butterfly will be named after Ariel Bibas—a child who loved butterflies and was murdered by Hamas.”
“This butterfly now carries the name Ariel with love and meaning”
“Of all the butterflies in our land, this one now carries the name Ariel with love and meaning, just as it was carried by his family in Jerusalem. May this be a small comfort in the face of grief, and may the memory of those lost in this tragedy and in the broader struggle be blessed,” the letter continued.
The butterfly formerly known as Kitmit Yerushalayim, now renamed Kitmit Ariel, is a delicate orange-and-black butterfly from the Nymphalidae family, also known as the Brush-footed butterflies. It is native to Israel’s mountainous regions, including the Jerusalem Hills and the Galilee.
