Families of the abductees and missing demonstrated in front of the Knesset demanding the release of their sons/Roni Knafo
The dining room of Kibbutz Mishmar HaEmek has not seen such a large "kibbutz conversation" in a long time. On the agenda was the proposal that the community of Kibbutz Nahal Oz, which was evicted from its home on Saturday, October 400, continue to live in Mishmar HaEmek for the coming year. This is a medium-term solution, until a more convenient solution is found for them and until there is already a clear path that will allow them to return to their destroyed homes.
A huge majority of Mishmar HaEmek members supported this, and now the Nahal Oz members will decide whether to accept the proposal, or choose one of the other alternatives offered to them by the Takuma Administration.
Since periods of security tension in the western Negev became more frequent, the kibbutzim near the Gaza Strip have been connected with "adoptive kibbutzim" throughout the country. Thus, Kibbutz Nahal Oz became a "twin kibbutz" of Mishmar HaEmek in the Megiddo Regional Council. "Every time there was a round or warming in the south, in recent years, Nahal Oz would be evacuated to us. It has become a natural thing," said Sagit Lilo, secretary of Mishmar HaEmek and the person in charge of the connection with Nahal Oz on their behalf. She explains, "Families with small children would usually come. The elderly population would not come. On the morning of October 320, when Nahal Oz was contacted, we began to understand that this time it would be something different than ever."
The magnitude of the horror, the extent and intensity of the damage were still unclear at this stage, but Mishmar HaEmek has already begun preparations to absorb Nahal Oz personnel. Lilo said, "The whole kibbutz enlisted in the preparations – from teenagers to older friends. The first task was to prepare for them the pavilions in which the youth of the Shomriya educational institution lived. When the people of Nahal Oz started arriving, we realized they had nothing left. We made sure to give them what they needed – from diapers for babies to food for cats and dogs." At first, about 120 residents from Nahal Oz evacuated to Mishmar HaEmek. Since then, some have found other places in Israel, and now Mishmar HaEmek has <> members, children and youth from the Nahal Oz community. Kindergartens were prepared for the young children, and the Megiddo Regional Council provided the students with classrooms. Mishmar HaEmek is also home to another <> evacuees from the communities that were hit that terrible Saturday.
Giving confidence. Brave decision by Mishmar HaEmek/official website, Megiddo Regional Council
The Nahal Oz community is currently in the process with the Takuma Administration, and by the end of the week they will decide which route to choose. "There are different considerations," explained Yael Raz-Lahyani of Nahal Oz; "Considerations of education, proximity to workplaces, a sense of stability and more. I don't wish for anyone or any community to face such decisions and have these experiences. This is a loaded decision that joins other things we are dealing with – days of mourning and support for the families of the abductees," she said. "In any case, the offer we received from Mishmar HaEmek gives us confidence that we have one safe and familiar option. Mishmar HaEmek has opened our hearts to us throughout and helps us in everything – from mental health treatments to the possibility of maintaining our own education system, providing work spaces and more. They give us the feeling that we are welcome here," she added.
In Mishmar HaEmek there are those who feel that they have now been given the opportunity to return the favor for the support they themselves received from communities that reached out to them in times of need; In April 1948, the kibbutz faced a major attack by Fawzi Kaukji's "Salvation Army". This was the first artillery attack of the War of Independence intended to break out in the direction of Haifa and cut off the Jewish community in the north from the center of the country. Houses were destroyed, comrades and fighters were killed, and animals were killed. The entire kibbutz was dug in trenches and turned into a military fortress. After bitter battles that lasted ten days, the attack was repulsed, with the help of Palmach battalions. During the battles, the children and young boys were taken in a convoy to Kibbutz Mizra to the east and then moved to Gan Shmuel. Only after six months did they return home. After they returned, the kibbutz was bombed by an Iraqi plane. The children's home was hit, three children and a pregnant woman were killed.
In yesterday's "Friends Call," a veteran kibbutz member spoke: "I was a child when we were attacked and evacuated from here. We stayed at other kibbutzim at the time, which opened our hearts to us. Now history repeats itself and we have been given the privilege of supporting those who need it," she said.
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- Mishmar HaEmek
- Nahal Oz