A 33-year-old mother of three young children, Rachel Nahear, is one of thousands of Israelis who have fled their homes in the south of Israel in the wake of the October 7 massacre. She left the city of Netivot and has come to stay, at least for now, in the community of Midreshet Ben Gurion in the Negev Highlands.

“The Hamas terrorists who entered our city on Saturday morning, were very close to our home,” she says in a quiet, slightly shaky voice. “Thank God security forces were able to stop them. But my children and I have not been able to sleep since then.”

Ms. Nahear, whose husband, like many Israelis, has been called up to the IDF reserves, says they spent the entire Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah in their family bomb shelter amid the sirens and rocket explosions. “Ever since then, I just don’t feel safe anymore. It feels like terrorists are waiting to attack us at any moment.”

The first question Ms. Nahear’s daughter, Neta, asks her host family when she enters their home, is where is the bomb shelter. “Look at how fast I can run to the shelter,” the  curly blond four-year-old demonstrates as she counts the seconds it takes her to get to the shelter. Her older sister Reisheet, age seven, follows her sister inside. They do not giggle. 

For the Ramat HaNegev Regional Council, which is the largest regional council in terms of land in Israel and is where Midreshet Ben Gurion is located (and David Ben Gurion himself is buried), the absorption of the 1,500 evacuees and displaced people like Ms. Nahear has been unprecedented. 

“We have taken in residents from Sderot, Netivot, the Eshkol, and Shaar HaNegev Regional Councils, Ashkelon and more,” the project manager of the Ramat Negev Regional Council, Hen Rudomin, tells the Sun. “In addition to Midreshet Ben Gurion, other communities like Kibbutz Revivim, Kibbutz Mashabei Sadeh, Ashalim, Retamim and others have welcomed evacuees.” 

Many of the evacuees from the south are also being housed in Eilat, the Dead Sea region and safer areas of Israel. 

“This war came by complete surprise,” Ms. Rudomin says. “But our residents have huge hearts and were completely prepared to take in the evacuees. There have been so many different community initiatives to help these evacuees feel at home for the time being.”

It is not the first time that Midreshet Ben Gurion has hosted evacuees. During the IDF Operation Guardian of Walls in May 2021, Midreshet Ben Gurion hosted the entire community of Kibbutz Nirim, which has been the subject of deadly Hamas mortar fire for years. Last week, Hamas massacred countless members of Kibbutz Nirim, including children and babies. 

“We have strategic plans in place for emergency evacuations like this,” says Galit Pereg, the head of Midreshet Ben Gurion’s security squad. “We are hosting families  from several southern cities and all over the Gaza border, some of whom have no actual homes or even communities to return to,” she tells the Sun.

 “We provide everything for the evacuees from where to stay including the field school where they receive three hot meals a day as well, as well as host families with private homes and cottages who have opened their doors.”

Ms. Pereg explains that the evacuees also have access to medical and psychological services along with activities and entertainment for the children throughout the day.  “We have even thought of the smallest details to provide like shampoo, soap, toothbrushes, and clothing,” adds Ms. Pereg, who is equipped with an M16 rifle like other members of the Midreshet Ben Gurion security squad. 

Other community members utilize their professional backgrounds for the good of the evacuees. Helaine Roll is an art therapist who,  in Midreshet Ben Gurion, has been leading the art therapy sessions with other volunteers for the evacuees as well as local residents, many of whom have partners who have been called up to serve. “The art activities provide people a chance to escape the turmoil,” Michal Moses, one of the volunteers who is helping Ms. Roll, tells  the Sun.

An art teacher at the local elementary school, Ms. Moses explains that there is a healing power to creating art. “We can see how the participants, including the many displaced children, will suddenly relax. Tired moms come out with renewed energy.”

Others like Michal Hess and Nirit Portugues who own a traveling clothing boutique in Midreshet Ben Gurion have donated designer clothing to the evacuees. “Women will come into our shop crying,” Ms. Hess says. “ We had many clients in the Gaza border communities. These women have lost everything, their homes, their property, some even loved ones and neighbors. All they have is literally the clothing on their back.”

“A new piece of clothing from Tel Aviv designers gives these women a chance to feel better for the moment. It doesn’t replace what they lost of course, but it gives them the chance to feel a little bit normal,” adds Ms. Portugues. 

For Ms. Nahear of Netivot, the biggest concern has been to get her children to forget their fears for a while. “All these activities including the art sessions, the magic shows, and children’s plays, have been wonderful for them,” she said. “Midreshet Ben Gurion has been amazing at giving the kids what to do.” 

“When my kids keep busy, they are not thinking about how scared they are.”