Dror Israel Supports Zarzir Community After Missile Strike

Volunteers from Dror Israel and NOAL youth movement arrived to help residents recover and to show that the community is not facing this crisis alone.

Last Thursday, a overnight barrage of rockets from struck northern Israel. One missile hit a structure in the Arab village of Zarzir, injuring 58 people and causing widespread damage to homes across the community.

Within hours, Dror Israel educators from the nearby Kibbutz Eshbal educators community and members of our associated youth movement, HaNoar HaOved VeHaLomed (NOAL), arrived in Zarzir to assess needs and offer support.

Working alongside volunteers from other organizations and in coordination with local leadership, teams went door to door helping families clear broken glass, damaged windows, and debris from their homes. While many houses were damaged, most families were determined to remain in their homes. The immediate priority was clearing the destruction quickly so residents could safely sleep there that night.

Volunteers assess the damage.

Dror Israel volunteers worked side by side with residents throughout the day, providing practical assistance during a difficult moment for the community.

NOAL maintains a large and active youth movement branch in Zarzir that is deeply integrated into community life. Following the attack, movement leaders met with Atef Ghrifat, head of the Zarzir local council, together with the local youth movement coordinator and community representatives, to coordinate next steps and continued support.

NOAL Director Nitsan Rozenwaks-Ziv met with Zarzir's leadership to coordinate aid.

“Head of our youth movement, Nitsan Rozenwaks-Ziv, arrived in Zarzir immediately after the missile strike,” said Ghrifat. “We met and coordinated the continuation of youth movement activity in the village. I want to thank the movement, its instructors, and volunteers for their work over the years, and especially during this emergency. This is the hope for true shared life.”

During the visit, Jewish and Arab youth movement members also visited injured residents at the hospital while other volunteers continued assisting with cleanup in the village.

NOAL Volunteers visited residents in the hospital.

“For us, one shared fate has placed us here in this country,” said NOAL co-director Nitzan Rozenwaks-Ziv, who visited the site together with leaders of the movement’s Arab branches. “We stand together in times of emergency and in everyday life.”

Despite the scale of destruction, volunteers noted the strong sense of resilience within the community. Alongside the practical help, many residents expressed appreciation simply for the presence of others who came to stand with them during a frightening moment.

On Friday, amidst the rubble, as Ramadan continues and Shabbat approached, community members exchanged wishes for peace and safety, a reminder that even in difficult times, partnership and shared responsibility remain possible.

Dror Israel and NOAL will continue working with local leaders in Zarzir to assess ongoing needs and to support youth and families in the days ahead.