Kibbutz Be'eri Survivors Replant Trees as Symbol of Resilience

Two and a half years after the October 7th Hamas attack, the author and their family have planted trees from the devastated Kibbutz Be'eri in their garden in Lod. The trees, a pomegranate and an almond, were gifted by the kibbutz as a gesture of solidarity to the families of fallen soldiers. The author's son, Noam, was critically wounded fighting in Be'eri and later died. The trees were taken from the vicinity of homes in the Karame and Zaitim neighborhoods, which were heavily damaged and where many residents were murdered or kidnapped.

The decision to destroy the damaged homes in Be'eri was difficult for the families of victims and fighters, but the kibbutz ultimately decided to raze them. Before the demolition, Eilam Maor, a kibbutz member, offered the surviving residents trees from the kibbutz gardens. He proposed giving trees to the families of fallen fighters and to those still serving. The author's family requested two trees.

The pomegranate tree came from the yard of Itzik Kozin, who was murdered in his home, and the almond tree from the home of Roni Baruch, who was responsible for the kibbutz's landscaping. Baruch's home was also the site of a horrific incident involving his sons. The family undertook a significant effort to prepare their garden in Lod for the trees, involving professional landscapers and considerable expense.

Despite the challenges and the dry condition of the trees, which had not been watered for two and a half years, the planting was successful. The author notes the resilience of nature, finding solace in the trees' growth after initially feeling anger at nature's indifference to human tragedy. The trees have since sprouted new leaves and bloomed, symbolizing continuity and hope. The author feels a deep connection to Be'eri through these trees, a bond forged by the shared experience of loss and the fight for survival.