'Down But Not Out' October 7th Victims Rebuild with Help from Jews, Christians

KIBBUTZ RUHAMMA, Israel – There's a saying in boxing, "Down, but not out." That describes the survivors of the Hamas massacre living near Gaza who became homeless on October 7th, 2023. Their thriving businesses subsequently collapsed.

These people are moving forward. They are in no way "out" – thanks, in part, to help from nearby communities.

As Israel continues to fight its enemies, its people and their supporters are banding together to rebuild and move forward.

At Kibbutz Ruhamma in the western Negev, they're building a place for some 80 families from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, one of the hardest-hit communities on October 7th.

They'll be able to live at Kibbutz Ruhamma for a couple of years until Kfar Aza is rebuilt and ready to receive them.

Shariel Gon supervises fundraising for Keren Kayemet L'Israel or KKL, also known as the Jewish National Fund.

He told CBN News, "KKL decided to build a new neighborhood for the citizens of Kfar Aza, and KKL will be here in Kibbutz Ruhamma."

The Jewish National Fund has helped support Jewish settlements for more than a century.

"This is part of the things that KKL is doing for Kfar Aza, in the south, in the periphery of Israel," he said.

The organization recently brought some 300 donors here to see the situation and meet the people. They also joined together for a finale they called "Seeds of Hope" – a tribute event for the western Negev," the general area attacked on October 7th.

Yuval Yeini, also of the Jewish National Fund, told us, "We are launching many projects for the rehabilitation of Kfar Aza, of the western Negev, and afterward, of course, it will be also in the north. As for the difficult and complicated situation, we are praying for a better year, and for the (safe return) of our 101 kidnapped hostages in Gaza, and for the safety of our IDF soldiers in Gaza."

Yeini believes Israel has only one option.

"Unfortunately, it's taking too much time," but finally, we will win the war, and everyone will have to understand that we don't have any options but to live here safely with our neighbors," he declared.

Hungarian Kobi David leads the Central Europe branch of the fund. He insists his country stands with Israel.

"Despite the challenging times that the State of Israel and the people of Israel face, I'm confident that we will overcome it. We'll come out strengthened, more united, and it's gonna serve as a testimony for the generations to come," David shared.

Visitors from around the world attended the gathering's closing festival, as small business owners from the Gaza border communities shared their products and stories.

Several years ago, Or Shukron decided to follow her dream, and she opened up the Oryosss Coffee Shop in Kibbutz Erez, where she still lives.

She told us, "One month and a half before October 7th, I opened the second coffee shop in Sderot, near the police station that was destroyed on October 7th, so it was terrible. I was in the Kibbutz on October 7th with my husband, and we succeeded to run away just in the night."

Shukron returned in August, and has reopened her coffee shop in the kibbutz. She will soon re-open the shop in Sderot.

She stated, "My vision is to be in all the world, like Starbucks, like McDonalds. I want Oryosss in all the big cities of the world."

Fourteen years ago, CBN News interviewed Yaron Bob in his studio in Moshav Yated, close to the Gaza Strip. Even then, he transformed terrorist rockets into roses.

"I'm turning rockets into sculptures, from darkness into light," he explained.

On October 7th, their community lost power and all communications for more than 30 hours, and Bob found evidence of terrorist activity in his backyard.

Still, he's hopeful for the future.

"Yes, we want to live in peace and harmony, we don't want war. The Hamas and Hezbollah, they want war because they're getting money from Iran. Until they're going to stop funding the terrorists, then they will see the only choice is to live in co-existence," he said.

Gadi Yarkoni leads the Eshkol Regional Council near the Gaza Strip and oversees many of the ravaged communities.

"We think about the 7th of October every day on one hand, and on the other side, we think about the hope of continuing. What bothers us is the hostages," he told us.

Yarkoni does not doubt that people will rebuild the houses, although resurrecting community life will take more time. He praises the support received from Christians.

"The most important thing is a) – that the hostages will return, and b) – after this, we need to remember the mission is long. The mission won't finish in a year. We are here to stay but we need you to stay with us for many years and come see us, help us, and hug us. The hug is very important," he noted.

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