Following the October 7 massacre, the ‘The Wheat Grows Again’ initiative has brought together hundreds of volunteers working to rebuild communities in both southern and northern Israel impacted by the ongoing war, according to a press release from the organization.
Supported by the Kibbutz Movement Rehabilitation Fund, the initiative focuses on restoring public spaces, gardens, and offering emotional support to residents.
The initiative was founded by Nitzan Sela, a member of Kibbutz Beit Hashita, whose commitment to community-building dates back to his experience during Operation Protective Edge in 2014.
According to the press release, Sela witnessed the trauma in southern Israel and worked to support residents. He and other kibbutz members welcomed Kibbutz Kfar Aza’s evacuated residents during that time, a gesture that has since become a lasting tradition, offering ongoing hope.
One of the key figures in the initiative, Lili Itamari, a Kfar Aza resident, became the liaison between Kibbutz Beit Hashita and Kfar Aza. The two kibbutzim held their last joint celebration to bring their communities together on September 23, 2023. Just two weeks later, the tragic events of October 7 took place.
Sela recalls a phone call with Lili that day: “The terrorists have entered our home. I can’t keep talking,” she said before the line went silent. Lili and her husband, Ram, were murdered during the attack, leaving behind their children, family, and community.
On October 8, one day after the attack, Sela met with his partners from Beit HaShita, Ido Farber and Yaakov Shulami. “I told them, ‘We’re going to Kfar Aza,’” Sela remembers. “When they asked me what we would do there, I said, ‘Whatever is needed—even watering potted plants.’” After gaining permission from the military, Sela and his team arrived in Kfar Aza. They dedicated themselves to restoring the kibbutz’s gardens, clearing debris, and providing emotional support to the residents, the press release added.
Expanding efforts to Kiryat Shmona
After nearly ten months of work in the south, the volunteers expanded their efforts to Kiryat Shmona in northern Israel, another town affected by the war.
In Kiryat Shmona, the initiative has continued its mission, cleaning and revitalizing public spaces while organizing social activities to strengthen community ties.
More than 600 volunteers from Israel and around the world have participated in the initiative. Among them are soldiers and retirees from countries such as the US, Canada, France, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand, and Albania.
Neri Shotan, CEO of the Kibbutz Movement Rehabilitation Fund, praised the initiative’s impact: “The work being done by the volunteers in ‘The Wheat Grows Again’ is an inspiring example of resilience, solidarity, and unity in the face of adversity. These efforts are not just about restoring physical spaces; they’re about healing communities and showing that, even in the darkest of times, new life can emerge.”
