When Doron's father claimed that the family would light Hanukkah candles at the hotel and not on the kibbutz, everyone was sure he was joking. "When I recently came to the kibbutz to pick up winter clothes, my father asked me to bring the Passover haggadot with me. Now no one laughs because it doesn't seem far-fetched anymore," Doron says.
IDF Attacks in South Lebanon 24.12.2023 // Social Networks
Doron (42), visual communication designer and owner of a business "GOLD - JOJOBA" for cosmetics; Jonathan, 43, owner of an advertising and digital marketing company; Rennie (12); Tommy (11); Leni (6) and dog Luca.
"It was strange at home," Doron continues. "I had a member of the alert squad with a weapon with me, who asked me not to turn on the lights so they wouldn't see us from the other side of the border. From the kitchen you can see Mount Hermon, but on the other side you can see Hezbollah positions in Lebanon."
"Despite this, we didn't live in fear, and every morning I went jogging in the orchards. Now we don't know what will happen and how we will return. The IDF is crushing Gaza, but firing from Lebanon at communities in the north is becoming routine reminiscent of what used to be in the south of the country."
Smoke over the northern border near Lebanon, photo: AFP
In addition to being evicted from their home, Doron and Yonatan also feel the impact on their livelihood since they are both self-employed. "In the first month, activity in both of our businesses stopped completely," says Yonatan. The children were without frames, we were with them all day and our minds were busy. As a business owner, you're looking for independence, and the compensation outline isn't always clear."
Doron says: "My partner, Aina, and I have a studio on the kibbutz, and here we had to improvise. Our products are currently placed in two warehouses located in the hotel's synagogue and from there we take the deliveries.
"This situation is delusional, as if we live in a parallel universe. We have no idea how to lead our lives because there is no certainty in anything. We don't know when we'll return, what security situation, and what will happen in the north. Our children want clarity and they see that we don't have answers for them. It puts insecurity and stress into their lives. The other day Tommy asked me if I would let him be home alone when we got back."
What are you hanging on to these days?
"In the lovely community of the kibbutz, which is with us at the hotel. The shared meals in the dining room take me back to my childhood and the days before privatization. I see the kibbutz of yesteryear, and the feeling is one of pioneering."
Families interested in sharing their story with Israel Hayom can contact us by email TalA@IsraelHayom.co.il
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