Between Rehabilitation and Commemoration
Gaza Envelope Kibbutz Members Grapple with a Heart-Wrenching Dilemma
The ruins of homes in the kibbutzim along the Gaza border have become a flashpoint for residents, who are torn between honoring the memory of their fallen friends and the urgent need to rebuild their lives. "All opinions are legitimate and valid, that's exactly why the debate is so tough," shared a Be'eri resident. "There's no clear right or wrong here."
In Kibbutz Be'eri, a vote is scheduled for tomorrow (Thursday) on whether to preserve four homes damaged during the October 7 attacks as memorials or to demolish them entirely.If the decision leans toward preservation, the kibbutz's perimeter fence would be relocated to place these structures outside the community's boundaries.
Advocates for commemoration argue that the homes should remain intact in their original locations to allow for public visits and remembrance. Opponents, however, find the sight too painful and believe that while visitor access might be meaningful in the initial year, it could hinder the healing process. "They stare at us like we're exhibits," some have expressed.
In parallel, Be'eri members have agreed to establish a separate memorial center beyond the kibbutz grounds.
Inbal Alon, a Be'eri resident, spoke on the "Kalman Liberman" program on Kan News Network B today: "More than a hundred homes were affected. There's no absolute right or wrong, it's painful for everyone. Personally, I feel that keeping even one house would help me deeply connect with and remember my friends. But every viewpoint is valid and understandable, which is what makes the discussion so emotionally charged."
Discussions haven't yet begun in Kfar Aza. A local resident told Kan News: "Nobody wants to live in a place that feels like Auschwitz. This is an incredibly sensitive issue we can't even approach yet. Once talks start, it'll unleash a lot of painful fallout."
In Kfar Aza, a privatized kibbutz, 40 privately owned homes have already been demolished, though no decision has been made about the kibbutz-owned "Young Generation" neighborhood. Over in Kibbutz Nir Oz, demolition and renovation work has started on some properties, which will soon house 50 members from a Hashomer Hatzair youth group nucleus.