After a year in Shefayim, hundreds of members of Kibbutz Kfar Aza are now moving to their temporary residence in Kibbutz Ruhama, just a few kilometers from their original kibbutz. Along with them, institutions unique to the kibbutz, initiated by members no longer with us, will also make the move. However, the transition has come too soon for some, and they intend to stay in the Sharon beaches area. “Our Temporary Lives” – A unique project marking one year since the “Black Sabbath” from Nadlan Center.
By Nimrod Buso, Nadlan Center
On a sunny afternoon in late September, the “cara-villa” neighborhood of Kfar Aza evacuees in Kibbutz Shefayim is enveloped in pastoral beauty, with the blue sky merging seamlessly with the white dunes and the lush green forest of the nearby nature reserve overlooking the sea. This picturesque view offers solace to those in need of emotional healing. The trauma from the Black Sabbath massacre, during which dozens of their friends were killed, has left even those who were physically unharmed deeply wounded and scarred in various ways.
This neighborhood is one of two established in Shefayim for kibbutz evacuees who stay at the kibbutz guesthouse. Over the past year, Kibbutz Shefayim, situated on the Sharon coast, has hosted approximately 40% of the Kfar Aza community, or around 160 households, serving as the central hub for all kibbutz activities, including those in neighboring communities. Additionally, two other significant centers housing kibbutz members are the dormitories of Reichman University in Herzliya and the Sea Dreams Hotel in Tel Aviv.
Currently, members of Kfar Aza are transitioning to their “official” temporary housing in the state-built expansion at Kibbutz Ruhama in the western Negev, just a few kilometers from their original kibbutz. Along with them, the kibbutz’s institutions—including its education and welfare systems, members’ meetings, and the Scouts tribe—will also relocate from Shefayim to Ruhama.
Approximately 180 households, totaling around 400 people, will relocate to Ruhama, representing just under half of the kibbutz’s residents. Another substantial group of about 32 households is anticipated to remain in Shefayim. Meanwhile, several dozen members have returned to Kfar Aza, while the remaining residents have secured independent housing solutions.
The Workshop of Livnat
One of Kfar Aza’s unique institutions is the kibbutz workshop (known locally as “Beit Melacha”), which offers nearly every type of craftwork—carpentry, pottery and ceramics, jewelry-making, and more. The workshop was established and run for years by Livnat Kotz, who perished with her husband Aviv and their three children in the Hamas attack on October 7.
Kibbutz member Yankele Argantau: “The idea of long-term plans is foreign to me right now, so whether I plan to return to Kfar Aza is irrelevant. I don’t even have plans for next week. I can say that I feel very good here; the residents of Shefayim are embracing us in a way that’s hard to describe, and my house in Kfar Aza was destroyed.”
Shortly after the Kfar Aza evacuees arrived in Shefayim, the workshop was rebuilt with donations, including from the Brothers in Arms organization, the Makita tool company, and, of course, Kibbutz Shefayim, which provided the structure, formerly used as a garage. “The workshop is intended for kibbutz members who want to create, whether it’s useful items like a chair or mug or decorative and design pieces for the home,” says Kfar Aza member Yisrael Lander, the current manager of the workshop. It also serves as a venue for various workshops and a permanent activity center for the kibbutz’s senior citizens.
Yankele Argantau, a frequent visitor to the workshop whose many creations adorn the surrounding walls, sits in the jewelry-making corner. By profession, he is an expert in trauma therapy using animals. “Right now, I’m treating myself,” he says with a soft smile.
Since arriving in Shefayim, he has been staying at the kibbutz guesthouse and plans to remain there even as many of his friends move to Ruhama. When asked if he intends to return to Kfar Aza in the long run, he responds: “The idea of long-term plans is foreign to me right now, so the question isn’t relevant. I don’t even have plans for next week. I can say that I feel very good here; the residents of Shefayim are embracing us in a way that’s hard to describe, and my house in Kfar Aza was destroyed.”
Long Before 7/10, Argantau was familiar with the consequences of the conflicts with Hamas. In 2008, his neighbor, Jimmy Kedoshim, was killed by a mortar shell. Later that year, during Operation Cast Lead, Argantau’s own house was hit directly. In 2012, his eldest daughter’s house was also hit, and in 2014, his youngest daughter’s home was damaged as well. “Now it’s hard to return because no one can protect us. I’m not saying this as a complaint, just as a fact: the government isn’t committed to defending the border kibbutzim.”
Argantau is not alone. He is part of a significant group of members who find returning to the western Negev difficult and will likely remain in Shefayim. Lander states, “There is a core group here that is still struggling to return to the area, some of them having lost their loved ones.”
We couldn’t have ended up in a better place
Sixty-four residents of Kfar Aza were murdered during the Black Sabbath massacre and the war, and 19 were kidnapped. Five remain in Gaza: Doron Steinberger, Keith Segal, Ziv and Gali Berman, and Emily Damari. According to Lander, a kibbutz member for over 30 years, who is married to a native of Kfar Aza, “We are still deeply traumatized. We have five captives in Gaza. We can’t move on until they return.”
He recounts his experience on that tragic day: “We were in the shelter for 36 hours until they came to rescue us. For hours, my wife and I held the shelter’s door handle together while the terrorists tried to break in, and we were lucky they didn’t shoot at the door. We had no electricity, no food, just one bottle of water, and we were cut off from communication. We relieved ourselves in a container. Eventually, soldiers from the Sayeret Matkal unit evacuated us to a gathering point at the kibbutz entrance. Along the way, we saw the destruction and the number of bodies scattered everywhere.”
From there, Kfar Aza’s survivors were evacuated to Kibbutz Shefayim. Lander has nothing but praise for his friends there: “We couldn’t have ended up in a better place. I have no words to thank Kibbutz Shefayim. We arrived here with only the clothes on our backs, and that was it. They were waiting for us here, welcomed us, gathered supplies, and took us under their wing. Everything we needed over the past year – we didn’t hear a single ‘no.’ Their generosity and mutual responsibility are unbelievable.”
However, Lander has less praise for the government, though he does commend two government ministries: the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Welfare. “These two ministries did everything to give us the best possible support. To this day, their representatives come to Shefayim every two weeks to meet with us and personally address any issues. Our welfare department has grown significantly due to the large number of bereaved families, orphans, and widows.”
The Wings of Livnat Kotz
The events of the Black Sabbath and its victims are also present in the workshop. One of the outer walls is adorned with a pair of giant wings—”Doll Wings,” a colorful creation made from dolls and toys that had “served their purpose.” This piece was first created in July 2023 by Livnat Kotz on the wall of the protective shelter near the kibbutz dining hall. Since October 7, the creation has been replicated in dozens of locations nationwide to commemorate the Kotz family. The workshop also features a woodworking corner in memory of Nadav Amikam, a beloved woodwork teacher who was killed on October 7 as a member of the emergency response team.
Another initiative associated with the kibbutz and the Kotz family is the “Apifuniada,” led by Livnat’s husband, Aviv, every Simchat Torah. It is present in the “Beit Melecha” through a kite created by Aviv, featuring the portraits of Avraham Mengistu, Oron Shaul, and Hadar Goldin, alongside the inscription “Born for Freedom.” This message carries a chilling significance today, as 101 hostages remain in Hamas captivity, a year since October 7th.
Exhibit to Commemorate Kfar Aza
From Tuesday, October 8, until October 15, the exhibition “Through Their Eyes—The Story of Kfar Aza” will be displayed at the Shefayim Cultural Hall. The exhibition aims to commemorate and tell the story of Kfar Aza from the Black Sabbath to today from the community’s perspective. It is open to the public by prior registration and is intended for visitors aged 13 and up. To register, click here.
