Building a New Home for Evacuees with Disabilities

Six years ago, a group of young women with intellectual and developmental disabilities, excitedly embarked on their adult lives in the warm embracing surroundings of a unique community housing unit on kibbutz Alumim in the Gaza perimeter – it was intended to be their life-long home. They quickly began to thrive, feeling a valued and equal part of kibbutz life. On Oct. 7, Hamas terrorists attacked the kibbutz and their entire world came crashing down. The young women were wrenched under traumatic circumstances from everything they knew and loved. The trauma, uncerctaintly and lack of permanence has since taken a significant toll on their lives and it is now crucial to return them to a familiar nuturing kibbutz environment - the only adult life they have ever known. Moshav Mausu’ot Yitzhak, an idealistic co-operative farming moshav, located near Ashkelon, has offered these vulnerable young evacuees a permanent home and fresh opportunity for a meaningful fulfilling life. The community is known for its' warmth and inclusivity and has already proven an embracing home to a group of women with similar disabilities. A new specially designed housing complex is now planned to meet the needs of 12 young women with intellectual, developmental and sensory disabilities. It will be located at the heart of the moshav, a place where the young women can live full, rewarding lives. From the appalling destruction of the only adult home environment these young evacuees ever knew, this project will finally close the harrowing circle of trauma and instability and allow these young women, with the nurturing support of the community around them, to step forward and restart their lives with courage, vitality and confidence.  Partial funding has already been committed by the Israel National Insurance Institute, while land has been officially allocated for the project by Moshav Masu'ot Yitzhak and the Shafir regional council. $100,000 is now needed to launch this vital project.