A 50-year-old news article illuminates the deep bond between Oded and Yocheved Lifshitz from Nir Oz, who nurtured not only their love but also a unique and remarkable garden in their kibbutz. Both were abducted from their home on October 7, and now Yocheved waits for her beloved Oded’s return.
Hannah Kritzman: The Storyteller of Kibbutz Be’eri
At age 15, Hannah Kritzman ran away from home to Kibbutz Be’eri, where she became a beloved preschool teacher and founded the local children’s library. 73 years later, on October 7, after spending hours hiding with her caregiver in her safe room, Hannah was shot by a Hamas terrorist, just as the two were being rescued. The memoir she completed shortly before her death offers us a glimpse of what a wonderful woman she was.
Tari Kipnis: A Kibutznik and an Artist, to the Very End
Tari Kipnis was born near the sea and sailed around the world – only to settle in Kibbutz Be’eri with his beloved Lilach. He lived and breathed art and never stopped looking for ways to create it. When he was stricken with a chronic neurological disease, he began to paint. On October 7, he was murdered with his wife and his caretaker Paul – but he left behind breathtaking paintings, including those which tell the story of the Gaza border region.
When the Farhud Came to Be’eri: October 7 and the Legacy of an Iraqi Pogrom
“We made Aliyah from Iraq to Israel so that Arabs wouldn’t be able to enter Jewish homes and murder us,” said Kibbutz Be’eri members who survived the pogrom known as the Farhud. In Be’eri, founded in part by Iraqi immigrants, there is a monument to the victims of the Farhud, suffered by the Jews of Iraq over 80 years ago. They couldn’t know that years later, their children and grandchildren would face a similar horror – but this time, in the Jewish state.
The Final Days of the Jewish Community in Gaza
Documents recently discovered in the Archives Department of the National Library of Israel shed new light on the forgotten Hebrew community of Gaza, as well as the Jews who lived in and visited the city even after the community no longer officially existed
Nahal: The Story of the Green Brigade
In the early days, Nahal soldiers served as both fearless fighters and hard-working farmers. They brought their determination and camaraderie from the battlefields to the wheat fields of Israel’s kibbutzim and moshavim. The Nahal program is even responsible for some of the finest songs written in Hebrew! This is the story of the IDF’s green brigade
The State’s Watchful Guardians: Female Field Observers on the Border
IDF field observer war rooms are spread across Israel’s borders, working 24/7. The soldiers and officers who operate the systems contained within know that the security of their entire sector often depends on their judgment calls. On October 7, dozens of field observers were killed by Hamas terrorists who broke into Israeli army outposts. This is the story of the IDF’s field observers – the eyes that protect Israel’s borders.
Nir Oz Will Blossom Again: The Story of a Legendary Kibbutz Gardener
In the early days, members of Kibbutz Nir Oz suffered from terrible sandstorms that made it difficult to move, see and even eat. Ran Pauker, the kibbutz’s legendary landscaper, was called to solve the problem, and along the way, Nir Oz became a green, ecological gem. When asked about the future of the kibbutz that suffered a fatal blow on October 7 – he says the vegetation will be restored within a year, as for the community: “We’ll have to wait and see”
Those Who Dream of Givati: The Many Lives of the Purple Brigade
The IDF’s Givati Brigade came into being during Israel’s War of Independence, even before the Jewish state was officially established. This is the story of one of the Israeli army’s leading infantry brigades, and the famous fighting spirit bequeathed to it by its founder, Shimon “Givati” Avidan
We Shall Return: The Spirit of Kibbutz Nirim Will Prevail
“We shall return” – these were the words printed in Hebrew on t-shirts made by the survivors of Kibbutz Nirim. These words embody a history of heroism, pioneering, culture and Zionism which should serve as a model for all of us. Kibbutz Nirim, founded in 1946, faced a desperate battle for its very existence just two years afterwards. It survived then and survives now thanks to the unique spirit of its members.
