Dror Israel Partners with Evacuated Kibbutz Re’im in Tel Aviv

Kibbutz Re’im, located in the Gaza border area, is one of the many communities heavily affected by the war. The Nova music festival, site of many murders and kidnappings on October 7th, took place just outside the kibbutz, which was also infiltrated by terrorists. Following two months in evacuee centers, in December, most of the kibbutz’ 400-person population relocated together to two buildings in south Tel Aviv, an urban landscape that couldn’t be more different than their pastoral home. 

Dror Israel’s Educators Kibbutz in Tel Aviv, which is located in the same neighborhood as Re’im’s temporary home, has worked closely with the kibbutz to help strengthen the displaced community, especially its youth. Dror Israel has created a “learning center” where Dror Israel educators, many of whom are teachers in local schools or run after-school educational programs, tutor children from the kibbutz on a weekly basis. 

Children from Re'im and Dror Israel face challenges and celebrate Passover at "Ten Plagues Olympics".

In addition, Re’im’s “children’s houses,” or communal daycare centers, have partnered with the daycares run by Dror Israel educators for their own children. During Passover break, children from Re’im and from the Dror Israel Tel Aviv Educators Kibbutz participated together in a day of activities themed “Ten Plagues Olympics,” led by teen leaders from the HaNoar HaOved v’HaLomed youth movement.

HaNoar HaOved v’HaLomed, which is affiliated with Dror Israel, maintains a longstanding chapter in Kibbutz Re’im and continues to run regular educational programming even after the move to Tel Aviv. Participants from Re’im’s youth movement branch joined the annual Passover hike held for HaNoar HaOved’s Tel Aviv local chapters. 

Youth from Re'im joined their youth movement peers for Passover hikes.

This year, ahead of Yom HaShoah, Dror Israel is partnering with Shapira neighborhood committee to host its annual memorial ceremony commemorating those who perished in the Holocaust. In recognition of Kibbutz Re’im’s presence in the neighborhood, they have invited a second-generation Holocaust survivor from the kibbutz to speak at the ceremony. 

Dror Israel and HaNoar HaOved have been crucial partners in restoring normalcy for Re'im's youth.

The partnership with Dror Israel has helped ease the transition of Kibbutz Re’im to their temporary urban home. Working together to rebuild resilience in the Kibbutz community and to support its devastated youth, this connection has already had a positive impact on both communities and will continue to grow and flourish long after Re’im will return home.