With the return of all the living hostages, the members of Kibbutz Be’eri finally reached the first point of collective closure, allowing them to begin to focus more fully on the responsibility of rebuilding. At the heart of Beeri’s “Building Back Better” mission is the Children’s Youth Centre a project supported by ICEJ. Nieve Higgins, Resource Development and Donor Relations Manager, wrote: “We extend our deepest gratitude to ICEJ’s representatives and management for facilitating this remarkable partnership, one that will remain strong far beyond the date of Be’eri’s members’ return…You have stood with us from the very beginning, and your partnership is the ultimate proof that after unimaginable darkness, there is indeed Light after Darkness. Thank you for standing by our side.”

One of the children of Be’eri: Nine-year-old Noga used to fill entire walls with flowers, figures, and houses drawn in bright colours. But on October 7th, she spent eight terrifying hours crammed into a safe room with her mother, listening to gunshots and screams outside. Since that day, Noga has stopped drawing. She became silent and withdrawn, only sitting quietly beside others. In the temporary Centre, her counsellor gently encouraged her by giving her space at the art table. For weeks she just sat and stared…until one day she drew a line, then another, and finally, a little girl in a pink dress. When asked about Be’eri, Noga whispered only one question: “Is my wall still there?” For Noga, rebuilding the Childrens Youth Centre isn’t just about a building. It’s about finding herself again.

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