For the first time since October 7, 2023, Kibbutz Nir Oz residents gathered to mark the Shavuot holiday in the community’s fields. The traditional agricultural exhibition was led by former Israeli hostage Gadi Moses, who returned to the kibbutz four months ago, Nir Oz Kibbutz announced in a Sunday press release.
This year’s ceremony, the kibbutz noted, carried deep emotional weight, honoring both the resilience of the community and the memory of the Nir Oz agricultural workers who were killed during the October 7 attack, including Israeli and Thai staff. The community also expressed continued grief for the 14 loved ones still held in captivity.
Nir Oz Kibbutz stated that the entire set of farming tools showcased was purchased or donated after all original equipment was looted. Farmers returned to the fields within a month of the war’s start and continued cultivating the land.
During the event, Gadi Moses told attendees: "This year, we hold the ceremony in an atmosphere of sorrow and scarcity... We are here, and we are more optimistic than ever... So blessings to the Thai workers, blessings to the volunteers."