Residents to gather in Kibbutz Kfar Aza for tree planting

Around 200 kibbutz members are expected to congregate today at Kibbutz Kfar Aza for the first time since the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023, to plant dozens of trees with donors.

Alon Futterman, a former CEO of Keren Hayesod-UIA, who today heads the Kfar Aza Foundation, says the event is being held to honor the many donors, organizations, communities, congregations and businesses that have stood by the kibbutz since terrorists murdered 64 out of 787 residents, and abducted 19 to the Gaza Strip.

“Every representative of a foundation, company or congregation will be escorted by members of the community to plant 56 trees together,” he says, adding that the number is random, and that the aim is eventually to plant 100 saplings. “After that, everyone will come together in the center of the kibbutz for a special ceremony in the donors’ honor.”

Futterman says the kibbutz members are arriving from their temporary homes in Kibbutz Ruhama in southern Israel and Kibbutz Shefayim in the center. He adds that the aim was to plant close to Tu B’Shvat, Israel’s holiday for trees (which this year took place from February 1 to 2), and to take advantage of the presence of so many donors from overseas who are attending a gathering of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.