The community of Kfar Aza has decided to evacuate the “young generation" neighborhood within the kibbutz and relocate part of it to an adjacent area, where an open memorial and heritage center will be established for visitors - without leaving preserved “testimonial houses" inside the kibbutz itself.
The decision was approved today (Wednesday) in a vote among 300 kibbutz members, with 70% supporting the move.
The neighborhood is one of the starkest remaining sites from the October 7 massacre. Of the 37 residents who were in the neighborhood that Saturday, 11 were murdered, including Alon Shamriz, and seven were abducted, including Emily Damari, and Gali and Ziv Berman.
One member, Shamriz, said: “Our heart is torn between bereaved parents who want to preserve every piece of memory and friends who want to live in a place that does not resemble a concentration camp."