A new dining hall at Kibbutz Nirim
CBN rebuilds destroyed community sites
Kibbutzim are an integral part of life in Israel. Many of these village-like collective settlements were attacked and destroyed by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023. This was also the case for Kibbutz Nirim on the border with the Gaza Strip. CBN is helping people rebuild these places.
Many immigrants who came to Israel after World War II and the Holocaust found refuge and a new home in the kibbutzim. These agricultural communities, many of which are located on the border with the Gaza Strip, still play an important role in supplying Israel today and are places characterized by communal living.
But on October 7, 2023, this existence was threatened. Thousands of Hamas terrorists invaded Israel, killing and kidnapping men, women, and children. Thousands of residents have been displaced from their homes. At Kibbutz Nirim, five civilians and three soldiers were killed and five people were kidnapped on October 7. Many of the buildings were severely damaged in the fighting, and 30 were burned down.
But thanks to numerous donations, CBN Israel is helping the community rebuild. “We received a generous donation from CBN and are in the process of building a new dining hall,” said Dafna Ben Ami, Nirim’s public relations director. “And next to the dining hall, we have our store, which is also being built with the help of CBN. We will have a beautiful place where we can gather on holidays and Shabbat.”
Generous donations from CBN partners have enabled the church to rebuild its dining hall with several shelters and a grocery store that will serve the entire region. “The dining hall is the heart and soul of the kibbutz,” said Nirim resident Adele Raemer. “It will literally be the center of the kibbutz.”
The members of Kibbutz Nirim are looking forward to returning to their homes and becoming a community again—an important element of their healing process. “Community builds resilience. So, we invest in the community and do things that serve the community,” Adele explained. “Without community, there is no kibbutz.”
CBN Israel staff have visited Nirim repeatedly, spending time with residents, listening to their stories, and observing the initial destruction and now the rebuilding process. Donations to CBN Israel enable the more than 400 residents of Nirim to return to their homes, resume their community life, and gain a sense of security and support.
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