A new exhibit in Kibbutz Neot Mordechai titled "Life Stories" is expected to reflect the experiences of elderly citizens who were evacuated from their homes in northern Israel during the aftermath of the October 7 Hamas attacks in 2023, the Haverut organization announced last week.
The elderly Israeli citizens were transferred to live in hotels in the Jerusalem and Sea of Galilee areas and have been living in temporary housing for over a year.
The event is expected to open next Tuesday during the Jewish Holiday of Passover, and it will be open to the public with free admission for over a month, Haverut said.
The organization elaborated on what it believes is unique about the project, emphasizing that the stories told through the exhibit are based on interviews conducted with the elderly evacuees that created a space for them to express their pain, fear, and anxiety.
The exhibit's homepage begins with the quote, "Do not uproot what is planted. Do not forget the hope," which is attributed to Israeli musician Naomi Shemer.
Creating a healing space for the evacuated elderly
By conducting the interviews for the exhibit, the organization said it was possible to bring forth the inner strength of the evacuated elderly and shed light on their existing personal resources.
"The goal is to remind both the [elderly evacuee] interviewee and the reader of the story that a person is not defined solely by their traumas. A crisis ultimately becomes just one more chapter in a full life—a life of dreams, hopes, concerns, and resilience," Haverut said.
The stories of the elderly evacuees are expected to be presented alongside photos of the individuals in their temporary hotel residences.
This presentation will contrast the life stories told by the elderly evacuees against the backdrop of the uncertain present in which they are unable to return to their homes, Haverut stated.
The exhibit's opening day
On the opening day of the exhibit, Haverut said that an "intergenerational meeting" would be held.
This meeting is expected to allow visitors and children to have an opportunity to speak with those featured in the exhibit about their personal experiences as evacuees during the war.
Haverut promotes individual wellness and a healthy society by "incorporating the language of spirituality, creativity, and human connection into the health system," the organization said.
The exhibit has given the evacuees an opportunity be put on the center stage and have their stories heard, Founder and CEO of Haverut Rachel Ettun explained.
"Haverut was able to really work with, and listen to, the stories of the evacuees featured in this exhibit, giving us the opportunity to put them on ‘stage’ and allowing us all to truly see and listen to them," she said.
Ettun also emphasized the specific difficulties that come with being evacuated from the home at an old age.
"Dealing with the challenges of old age is difficult for most of us. The fact that they [the elderly] were forced to evacuate from their homes and familiar surroundings added on an especially challenging layer," Ettun continued.
The exhibit's connection to the Jewish holiday of Passover
Ettun also explained the significance of the date chosen to open the exhibit, emphasizing that the "holiday creates a connection between the current chapter of the Jewish people in the Land of Israel and the story of our [the Jewish] formation as a people as is it is told on [the Passover] seder night."
"There is significance in each person's personal exodus from Egypt," she stressed, drawing further parallels between the evacuated elderly and the Jewish people in the biblical narrative of Passover.
"The people featured in this exhibit are each 'builders of the land,' who were uprooted from their homes over a year ago and wander in the desert. They are now returning home, but there is a personal 'exdous' from hotel life to their home in the Promised Land."
"I have every hope that the long-awaited return home will strengthen the sense of freedom that is needed during Passover, especially this year."
The exhibit is expected to be held at the 'The Gallery,' Neot Mordechai.
Opening hours:
Harveut detailed the opening hours of the exhibit as follows:
Sunday through Wednesday: Between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
Thursday: Between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
Friday: Between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
The exhibit is expected to be open to visitors on the following dates: Tuesday, April 15 until Sunday, May 18.
Bader Philanthropies has partnered with Haverut to make this exhibit possible.