Going back home to Kibbutz Nirim
Dafna Ben Ami
Dafna Ben Ami
Kibbutz Nirim was first established on the eve of Yom Kippur in 1946 as part of David Ben Gurion's plan "to settle the Negev with Jewish settlements and make the desert bloom".
Over the years, the kibbutz developed a vibrant community life and significant construction and development.
Nirim is an agricultural community. Its livelihood is based on its rich and varied field crops and plantations, dairy farm, and the organic farm, which is one of the largest and most prosperous in Israel. Despite living in a security-challenged area, the residents, pioneers in spirit, have dealt with the hardships of living on the border for years, all the while proudly farming the land “up to the border.”
On the morning of October 7, during the Simchat Torah holiday, around 100 terrorists entered the kibbutz, armed with rifles and RPG launchers. The terrorists began setting homes on fire, shooting at civilians, and throwing grenades For hours, the kibbutz was under siege, as most of the residents did all they could to hunker down in their saferooms and protect their families.
In the aftermath, five people were brutally murdered, and another five were kidnapped and taken to Gaza. 3 of our hostages were released. Tragically, two hostages were declared as having been murdered by their captors.
The IDF retrieved their bodies to be interred in our cemetery on Kibbutz Nirim. 4 IDF soldiers, including the commander of the southern brigade, that arrived to the kibbutz in the early morning to defend our community were killed in the battles. Their bodies were kidnapped to Gaza as well.
The physical destruction is immense: 30 houses were burned, buildings and public areas were severely damaged, many infrastructures were destroyed. Over 60% of the kibbutz's agricultural land was completely burned.
Returning Home
Despite the shock and pain, the terrorists did not break our spirit!
The Kibbutz Nirim community has been shaped by decades of resilience and the cultivation of a strong community tradition, passed down through generations.
We will rebuild our home as a strong, solid and prosperous community.
We need your help to fund the construction of essential infrastructure aimed at nurturing education, stimulating economic growth, and enhancing communal life.
Your support not only helps rebuild essential infrastructure but also renews our collective spirit and resilience.
Together, we will do more than reconstruct a physical place—we will restore a vibrant community and rekindle hope in the hearts of all its members
Thank you for being a crucial part of our journey back home to Nirim
Over the years, the kibbutz developed a vibrant community life and significant construction and development.
Nirim is an agricultural community. Its livelihood is based on its rich and varied field crops and plantations, dairy farm, and the organic farm, which is one of the largest and most prosperous in Israel. Despite living in a security-challenged area, the residents, pioneers in spirit, have dealt with the hardships of living on the border for years, all the while proudly farming the land “up to the border.”
On the morning of October 7, during the Simchat Torah holiday, around 100 terrorists entered the kibbutz, armed with rifles and RPG launchers. The terrorists began setting homes on fire, shooting at civilians, and throwing grenades For hours, the kibbutz was under siege, as most of the residents did all they could to hunker down in their saferooms and protect their families.
In the aftermath, five people were brutally murdered, and another five were kidnapped and taken to Gaza. 3 of our hostages were released. Tragically, two hostages were declared as having been murdered by their captors.
The IDF retrieved their bodies to be interred in our cemetery on Kibbutz Nirim. 4 IDF soldiers, including the commander of the southern brigade, that arrived to the kibbutz in the early morning to defend our community were killed in the battles. Their bodies were kidnapped to Gaza as well.
The physical destruction is immense: 30 houses were burned, buildings and public areas were severely damaged, many infrastructures were destroyed. Over 60% of the kibbutz's agricultural land was completely burned.
Returning Home
Despite the shock and pain, the terrorists did not break our spirit!
The Kibbutz Nirim community has been shaped by decades of resilience and the cultivation of a strong community tradition, passed down through generations.
We will rebuild our home as a strong, solid and prosperous community.
We need your help to fund the construction of essential infrastructure aimed at nurturing education, stimulating economic growth, and enhancing communal life.
Your support not only helps rebuild essential infrastructure but also renews our collective spirit and resilience.
Together, we will do more than reconstruct a physical place—we will restore a vibrant community and rekindle hope in the hearts of all its members
Thank you for being a crucial part of our journey back home to Nirim
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