By David R. Parsons, ICEJ Senior Vice President & Spokesman

For the past three years, the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem has been fervently working to help the Israeli communities along the Gaza border to recover and rebuild their lives and homes decimated by the October 7 mass terror invasion. So far, we have nine major rebuilding projects either completed or underway in the Western Negev – the largest series of construction projects the ICEJ has ever undertaken. 

Now, the ICEJ has an incredible opportunity to crown this unique legacy of Christian love in action with yet another significant aid project in kibbutz Nir Oz, the hardest hit community of all on that fateful day. The leaders of Nir Oz have asked the Christian Embassy for our help to rebuild the heart of their communal life – their ransacked community dining hall and kitchen. 

Of all the Israeli communities along the Gaza border plundered by terrorists on October 7, kibbutz Nir Oz suffered the worst in terms of homes destroyed and lives lost or abducted. A small farming village of some 400 residents, it was completely overrun by over 500 Hamas terrorists, who murdered and destroyed unopposed for nearly seven hours. Amid the carnage, they set fire to nearly every building on the kibbutz, murdered 65 civilians, and took another 80 people hostage — the highest rate of killed and kidnapped of any Israeli village that day. 

Among the hostages were Shiri Bibas and her two small boys Ariel and Kfir – the youngest abductee at only 8 months old – as well as the oldest surviving hostage in 80-year-old Gadi Mozes. 

The survivors of the Nir Oz massacre have spent the past three years living as evacuees in other parts of Israel, but many of the families are finally ready to start returning and rebuilding their lives. What lies ahead is not simply reconstructing burned homes but restoring their whole communal way of life. The central focus of the restored kibbutz once again will be its shared dining hall and kitchen. And this is where Christians can help! 
 

Restoring the Heart of Nir Oz 
At the literal center of the kibbutz stands its large dining hall, which was always the heart of its communal life. The kitchen was destroyed and the dining hall heavily damaged. 

This special place once hosted the meals, meetings and celebrations shared by the whole community. But the large, upgraded kitchen was deliberately gutted by terrorists, and the dining hall left in shambles. They must be fully restored before families can return. The project also will include adding a large public bomb shelter to the dining facility. 

Amazingly, the kibbutz members have decided they want to partner with the Christian Embassy to help them restore the heartbeat of their community. This is a real honor for us, and a great opportunity for Christians to express their care for the people of Israel. The project is set to begin in Spring 2027 and will hopefully be finished the next year. 

Our goal is to provide 2,000,000 Euros (2,350,000 USD) towards rebuilding the Nir Oz dining hall and kitchen. Your gift, large or small, can help Nir Oz restore the central gathering point of this deserving community. 
 
Join Us 
Restoring the kitchen and dining hall at Nir Oz is about more than restoring a building. It is about giving a distraught community a place to recapture what it means to be together again. 

The ICEJ has assured Nir Oz that we will stand with them in this vital restoration project, but we need your help. We believe there are many Christians like you who will show solidarity and compassion for this battered Israeli community as they begin their road to recovery. 

We cannot let the survivors of Nir Oz down. Please consider a generous gift to help us rebuild their dining hall and kitchen. Donate today to our Israel in Crisis fund at:  help.icej.org/crisis 

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