Kite Festival Honors Victims of October 7th Attack

The "Kite Festival" (Afikoniada), originally from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, is returning to Tel Aviv during the intermediate days of the Sukkot holiday. The event, which has become a cherished family and community tradition, was canceled on October 7, 2023, due to the Hamas attack. The Koetz family, who were instrumental in founding the festival, were among those murdered that day.

This year's festival, scheduled for September 30th from 10 AM to 5 PM at the southern Zuk Beach lawns in Tel Aviv, aims to blend remembrance with hope. Attendees can participate in kite flying, creative workshops for making kites, enjoy performances, and explore family-friendly activity zones. Admission to the event is free.

The festival seeks to preserve the spirit of the original Kfar Aza gathering: a joyful, simple meeting for children to create, families to spend time together, and everyone to look up at the sky. In the context of Sukkot, a holiday where people leave their homes for temporary dwellings, the flying kites symbolize enduring memory, an unbroken tradition, and continuing hope.