Mandy Damari plans to move back to Kibbutz Kfar Aza in 2027, despite objections from her daughter Emily, who was kidnapped from the community on October 7th and spent 471 days in Hamas captivity.
Speaking to The Sunday Times, the British-born mother described her wish to reclaim her home in the community where she has lived for 35 years. Repairs to the house remain unfinished, and its water and electricity supplies have yet to be restored.
When Mandy shared her decision with Emily, her daughter responded: “You’re mad. They’re going to come back."
According to Mandy, Emily repeatedly heard her captors threaten further attacks against Israelis. Mandy acknowledged that Hamas still has weapons.
During the massacre, Mandy sheltered alone for hours without light. There are gaps in her recollection of that day, including the death of an injured Israeli soldier in her house. Hamas terrorists killed 64 Kfar Aza residents and kidnapped another 19.
Despite years of rocket fire, she remembered her earlier life there as “95 per cent heaven". The kindergarten where she worked as a teacher underwent successive rounds of reinforcement as protection against rockets increased.
The community’s recovery remains limited. Around 50 of the 350 families who lived there before the attack have returned after three years. Bereaved families and parents of young children are among those hesitant to move back. Children can now receive psychological support and speech therapy at a newly built kindergarten.
Mandy and Emily also opposed a decision by kibbutz members to reconstruct Emily’s ruined apartment instead of keeping it as a memorial. Mandy recalled residents saying they “didn’t want to live in Auschwitz".
Mandy has not resolved her own doubts about returning. She intends to see how it feels to live there again, uncertain whether she will find an empty community or be overwhelmed by memories of neighbors who were murdered.
“The terrorists took so much. I don’t want them to take any more."