When we asked you last month to help the residents of Kibbutz Be’eri rebuild their community after the deadly attack of October 7th, we did not expect such an overwhelming response. More than 180 of our supporters and activists sent generous gifts to the kibbutz, and we collected more than $63,000 to help with emergency aid.

More than 130 of Be’eri’s residents were murdered on October 7th, which accounts for more than ten percent of its members. Many kibbutznicks were kidnapped and are still held hostage in Gaza. The destruction in Be’eri is unfathomable. The terrorists burned and damaged dozens of structures and looted whatever they could.

Like other kibbutzim abutting the Gaza Strip, Be’eri is a peace-seeking community. Many of its members were and still are affiliated with Peace Now and active in Israel’s peace movement. Earlier this month, Peace Now took volunteers (including our own Ori Nir) to Be’eri to pick pomelos in the kibbutz’s orchards.

Rebuilding Be’eri will take time. Healing the trauma that this community suffered will take much more time. Our support is just one small piece of the healing process, but it was received with deep gratitude.

We join the people of Kibbutz Be’eri  in thanking members of our APN family for helping Be’eri rebuild.