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At this difficult time, with the memories of the horrific October 7th terrorist attack still hanging over southern Israel, a group of volunteers demonstrated a unique bravery on Monday — the courage of the heart and mind.
In a joint venture organized by the Fourth Quarter Movement and Combat Antisemitism Movement, more than 100 young volunteers from across Israel came to the city of Ofakim to lend a hand to residents in the recovery process from the brutal Hamas massacre that befell their community eight months ago.
“The volunteers renovated houses, cleaned gardens and yards, but the main thing was — they heard the stories of The residents and respected their pain,” said Yaholoma Zehut, CEO of the “Hosen Kehilati Ofakim” volunteer organization, run under the auspices of the Fourth Quarter Movement. “The primary goal was to open hearts, to break down stigmas and walls.”
Mazal Yosef, who lives in Ofakim’s Mishor Hagafen neighborhood, said with tears in her eyes, “For a long time, I wanted to paint and renovate the garden, but my health did not allow it. I thank you for opening your heart and being with me today. I will not forget your kindness, you give me hope.”
CAM Director of Strategic Planning and Project Management Hadas Bar-Erez said, “For a long time, the city of Ofakim and its residents felt that no one saw them. The events of October 7th and their impact on the residents were for us an opportunity to change this equation, to show them that they are cared about and that they are important and deserve help. This activity is part of a broader CAM project in Ofakim, which is intended to restore to the heroic residents of the city the resilience that was undermined by the attack and foster rejuvenated civic pride.”
