Gaza War Survivor Rebuilds Winery Dream in Kibbutz Be'eri

Tom Carbone, a 37-year-old resident of Kibbutz Be'eri, is reviving his dream of establishing a winery in his community, a vision tragically interrupted by the October 7th Hamas attacks. The massacre claimed the life of his mother, Galit, and forced the evacuation of the kibbutz. Despite the devastation, Carbone, with the mentorship of veteran winemaker Dror Engelstein, continued developing his wine, which was already in barrels.

Engelstein, who met Carbone while they studied winemaking in Italy, provided crucial guidance throughout the process, even while serving as a reservist in Gaza for over a year and a half. He received wine samples from Be'eri through a relay system within the Gaza Strip, offering advice via WhatsApp. Carbone found solace and structure in continuing the winemaking endeavor during the displacement, which saw his wife involved in planning the temporary kibbutz.

The first official bottle under the "Kibbutz Be'eri Winery" label was released in March 2024, and production is increasing. The winery is currently operating without its own facility or vineyards in Be'eri. However, Carbone has received approval to plant his first 15-dunam (approximately 3.7 acres) vineyard in the kibbutz within the next six weeks, with the goal of growing grapes specifically for his wine.

Carbone's ultimate ambition is to live in Be'eri, cultivate grapes there, and produce wine from them, establishing a legitimate and central winery. He acknowledges a continued reliance on Engelstein's expertise but is increasingly forging his own path. Concurrently, Israel is launching its first official "Wine Regions Map" on September 6th, designating eight distinct wine-growing areas, with Kibbutz Be'eri Winery to be included in the "Negev" region, highlighting the unique terroir of each area.