SA volunteers help kibbutzniks return to Nir Am

A circle of yellow flags, symbolic of the hostages who remain captive in Gaza, greet you as you enter Kibbutz Nir Am – a painful reminder of that Black Shabbat. Every so often, the dull boom of combat in neighbouring Gaza punctuates the air. The symphony of war continues.

Kibbutz Nir Am (Nation Meadow) is situated in the south of Israel, close to Sderot and about 2km from the Gaza border. The closest point of the kibbutz is less than a kilometre from Gaza. On 7 October, as Hamas terrorists invaded the communities and kibbutzim of the Gaza envelope, Nir Am was one of a few that avoided casualties. Nir Am’s security team or “kitat konenut” managed to repel the terrorists. Their story is nothing less than extraordinary.

I stood at the perimeter fence at the closest point to the Gaza Strip, totally exposed. It was a clear indication of just how vulnerable these communities were on 7 October.

On the morning of my visit, news had just broken that the Israel Defense Forces had recovered the bodies of six hostages, brutally kidnapped from their homes on neighbouring kibbutzim on that dark Saturday. There are still 109 in captivity in unbearable conditions.

Many of the residents of Nir Am have started to return, having been evacuated to the Herod Hotel in Tel Aviv. It’s a profoundly emotional and sensitive time, as war still rages and many still feel the trauma of that day and are concerned about their safety. A ceasefire seems to grow increasingly out of reach. It’s understandable that the return to their homes is overwhelming and bittersweet. Residents have started returning to other kibbutzim as well.

The most pressing need for these communities to start returning is to feel safe.

Responding to their needs, the Jewish Agency for Israel has launched Communities2Gether, which partners 25 Israeli communities with communities around the world with the goal of ensuring that no community is left behind. Nir Am was partnered with South Africa. Though Nir Am wasn’t breached on 7 October and there’s no physical damage to any of the structures, emotional or “people-to-people” support is needed.

The Communities2Gether project – in partnership with Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund; Jewish National Fund South Africa; ORT South Africa; the South African Zionist Federation; and olim organisation Telfed – is committed to ensuring that the residents have all the support they need. A busload of volunteers including two handymen and a locksmith descended on Nir Am to help clean and organise the four kindergartens so that they are ready for the return of children on 1 September. Volunteers helped pack up the makeshift ganim (kindergartens) at the Herod Hotel, and wanted to continue to give support as many of the residents started to return.

“Our volunteers just wanted to give back, and we’re going with the flow, understanding that we’re dealing with a wounded community,” Debbie Dash, the deputy chairperson of Telfed, told the SA Jewish Report. “Many are returning with mixed feelings after living in a hotel for 10 months with little privacy, but still not feeling safe. It’s important that we can give people-to-people support”.

Chairperson Maish Isaacson echoed her sentiments, saying emotional support was critical, especially as many felt a sense of trepidation about the security situation. “Residents left under extreme duress, and even though the kibbutz wasn’t destroyed, we want them to return knowing they are well cared for,” he said.

Volunteers worked to prepare the four kindergartens for the children’s return. Israel Tzadok is head of education for Nir Am, served as a soldier for three months as part of a tank unit, and was stationed at the kibbutz.

“I wanted to do more than protect, I wanted to help rebuild. Helping to revive the kibbutz is exciting and emotional, and I hope the children have a sense of feeling at home. The first of September will be a dream come true. I hope the children take as much as they can from all the support they are receiving. It’s important to help the parents as well as they deal with their anxiety. We want them to know that their children are safe. We know how to take care of the kids, but the parents also need to be taken care of,” he said.

As parents start to prepare for the start of the new school year later this week, there’s a lot to take into consideration. Counsellor Ofir Ohayon cautions that this isn’t a regular school year for children of the south. They have effectively lost a year crucial to their development and maturity. And there has been some emotional regression because of the immense trauma that they have faced. They need to feel safe and secure as they experience many emotional difficulties.

“Parents need to be extra sensitive to their children,” Ofir said. “If they are emotional, their parents tend to be extra sensitive, and of course, children pick up what their parents are feeling. Their lexicon has changed. They speak about death, and many of them lost friends and family, and the parents may not be emotionally strong yet.”

The Communities2Gether project will be that physical and emotional support system for communities who have endured incomprehensible trauma. For the volunteers helping to prepare the kindergartens, the feeling of pride in giving back in such a meaningful way was so great, they immediately asked to return to help prepare other parts of the kibbutz.

• Telfed arranged the volunteering initiative.