A tweet by Israeli news reporter, Almog Boker, on Sunday has brought renewed public attention to Kibbutz Kerem Shalom, a small community on the Gaza border that has become a symbol of unity between religious and secular Israelis.
“Kerem Shalom has been operating for several years now as a mixed community—religious and secular residents who’ve chosen to live together,” Boker wrote, adding that on Friday, both secular and religious Zionists visited the kibbutz to explore joining the community.
Thank You to Those Choosing to Live on the Border
Boker expressed frustration over backlash by some to recent reports about religious Israelis moving to the area, ending his tweet with a call for gratitude: “Say thank you to the secular and religious who choose to live on the front line.”
This Is Why We Trained
The story of Kerem Shalom is also a story of heroism and sacrifice. Residents Amichai Yisrael and Yedidia Raziel, childhood friends from the religious settlement of Psagot and members of a religious youth group that joined the kibbutz to help save it from closure, were among the first to respond to the October 7 Hamas attack.
“This is exactly what we trained for in the emergency response team,” Amichai said in a final message to his wife: “Let the kids dance for Simchat Torah today.”
Both were killed while defending the kibbutz from terrorist infiltration, saving many lives.
Fighting in Gaza So We Can Tweet in Peace
Since the attack, the bond between the religious and secular members of the community has only grown stronger. As Boker wrote: “They’re being called up again and again for reserve duty, fighting in Gaza so that the rest of us can sit at home and tweet in safety.”
Kerem Shalom, once nearly dissolved, has now become a living example of unity, prooving that not only can people from different backgrounds fight side by side, but they can build, live, and believe in a shared future together.
