A moment of unity: A mezuzah affixing ceremony was held this past Thursday at the educational facility in Kibbutz Dafna. An initiative by the Livnot U’Lehibanot (To Build & To Be Built) organization led to collaboration between professionals—most of them religious—members of the kibbutz , and volunteers from the Diaspora. Working together, the volunteers established a warm home for first and second grade students.
The building was renovated from the ground up and transformed into a warm, safe, and pleasant space for children. A place that invites them to return, to play, to learn, and to connect—above all, to regain a sense of routine and a feeling of being home again after the evacuation period.
Watch the project:
“From the very beginning, we knew these were people working from the heart, out of a sense of mission,” shared Eran. “We met amazing volunteers from the Diaspora, especially from North America—young people who left their lives behind to come work here with us. It’s not something to take for granted, and it gave us a real sense that we are not alone.”
“When children return to a framework – life gets back on track,” said Eran Shahar, Kibbutz Dafna’s Community and Society Coordinator. “It was important to us to create a place that children would want to come back to, where they would feel comfortable, safe, and welcomed. And today, with the affixing of the mezuzah [holy scroll on the doorpost], we received an emotional symbol of a new beginning.”
Seeing a person as a person
Even under the shadow of security threats, the staff and volunteers continued their work. The partnership between religious Israelis and kibbutzniks proved to be a genuine opportunity for connection. “When there’s a will—anything can be bridged,” Eran said. “In the end, it all starts with something simple—seeing a person, as a person.“
The connection between the Livnot U’Lehibanot and Kibbutz Dafna goes far beyond an emergency project. This is a story of partnership, of building education, and of a community lifting its head high. Today’s mezuzah affixing is not just the conclusion of a process—it is a new beginning.
