From Nahal Oz: Voices from the Gaza Border

The lives of Jewish people and Israelis changed forever on Oct. 7.

One couldn’t have imagined it happening even in our worst nightmares. Faith, trust, and safety shattered in ways we could never have fathomed.

The AJT interviewed the delegation from Kibbutz Nahal Oz and its Oct. 7 survivors. On a visit with the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta on Feb 24, the AJT met with two extraordinary women, Noami Petel Adler and Michal Magen. Adler is a registered nurse who serves as the director for events and culture, while Magen is the community recovery director.

The purpose of the visit was to meet the Atlanta Jewish community and personally thank them for the enormous help and support that was offered to the kibbutz, shortly after the atrocities of that Black Saturday. As the government entered a state of shock, immediate help was needed. Mismhear HaEmek Kibbutz in northern Israel had accepted all the evacuated residents from the decimated kibbutz and provided shelters and support. On Oct 8, Federation reached out and asked what the basic needs were and the long-term needs. After a brief assessment, the kibbutz outlined what assistance they received from the government, from private sectors and donors, so the Federation could cover the gaps.

Federation adopted the kibbutz for three years, a partnership that tremendously helped their recovery: providing essential needs, mental health support, and sponsoring a special memorial service. For this small community of 420 members, it was important to mourn and grieve together for their friends and family whom they lost on Oct. 7. Fifteen members were murdered and eight were taken hostage. The two hostages were Omri Miran and Tzachi Idan, who was killed in captivity and whose body was later returned. IDF soldier Matan Angrest was captured from the Nahal Oz base and was kept in the Gaza tunnels for more than two years.

This kibbutz suffered fewer losses than others on the Gaza border largely due to the heroism of its security team, who fell defending their community, and the soldiers from the nearby Nahal Oz base who immediately joined the fight. A small group of soldiers managed to hold off and eliminate hundreds of terrorists, though many soldiers lost their lives in the battle.

The delegation’s stories are nothing short of a horror movie and impossible to comprehend. Their morning on Oct. 7, began at 6:29 a.m. As the closest kibbutz to the border — only half a mile away, they were targeted first. Adler recalled waking up to loud sirens, gunshots, and people shouting in Arabic, “Allahu Akbar.” At that moment, she and her husband realized that terrorists had infiltrated the area, but they had no idea of the scale of the attack. Magen was the first to call Ilan, the head of security, shortly after 6:30 a.m., urging him to send help. The situation was so surreal that Ilan asked her three times if she was sure. From her window, she could see the terrorists at her next-door neighbor’s house. One can hardly imagine the fear and agony these women felt for themselves and for their families.

Adler’s three young children were asleep in a safe room. Their lives were saved by what she calls a true miracle. The terrorists shot at the door and jammed the lock but could not break in and eventually moved to the next house. They stayed in the safe room for 19 hours, struggling to remain safe and sane with little food or water.

To their astonishment, a mob of Gazan civilians — not linked to Hamas — stormed the kibbutz, including men, women and children as young as five. They broke into homes, stole, vandalized property, set cars on fire, and smashed windows and doors. Residents described them as abusive and terrorizing, with no one stopping them. Their hatred was so extreme that it reinforced the belief that there were no innocents in Gaza. On Oct. 7, they cheered and celebrated the deaths and atrocities.

Adler and Magen noted that in rebuilding their lives and homes, the hardest part was establishing a routine for the children. Restoring their homes and managing daily life left them overwhelmed. The uncertainty of the future caused constant, unbearable stress.

The trip to Atlanta gave the delegation an opportunity to meet the Federation team, see their incredible work for Nahal Oz, and connect with the larger Jewish community which has supported them since Oct. 8. Their love and support were not taken for granted. Today about 55 percent of residents have returned to the kibbutz full-time, while others waited or decided not to return. While the Israeli government helped with some rebuilding, the support from the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta was incomparable. This partnership and friendship will be everlasting.