Intel chairman Frank Yeary has been in dramatic talks with senior Trump administration officials as indications are that the chipmaker is likely to be broken up and sold According to "The New York Times," Yeary has met US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and senior executives from rival TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor) about selling control of Intel to the Taiwanese chipmaker "The Wall Street Journal" has reported that Intel could sell its production division to TSMC and its development and design division to US chip developer Broadcom in a deal brokered by the Trump administration there would be the most dramatic ramifications for Israeli industry Intel currently has about 9,500 employees in Israel half of them in development centers in Haifa Petah Tikva and Jerusalem and the remainder in the production plants in Kiryat Gat "The New York Times" reports that even if the talks with TSMC succeed it is by no means certain that the Taiwanese company will want to buy Intel's plants in Ireland and Israel but will focus only on its US activity Concern over Israel's plants being shut down or sold Senior executives in the chip industry estimate that if Intel's manufacturing operations are indeed sold to TSMC there are several options that will dictate the fate of Intel's two chip factories in Kiryat Gat the older "Fab 28" and the newer "Fab 38." If TSMC is not interested in factories outside the US it will be forced to sell the factory to another company or shut it down there is only one company capable of buying such a factory in its entirety as previously reported in "Globes," had been exploring the possibility of commencing manufacturing operations in Israel before the war A second option is the sale of Intel's factories to a company that will be established specifically for the purpose of the sale which would hold the factories for several years as a transition period This would allow TSMC to proceed more cautiously to acquire Intel's factories in time and not wait until its financial collapse continues TSMC would adapt the factories according to the needs of its various customers can benefit from Intel's factories without having to change the production lines and replace machines," says Moshe Tanach CEO and founder of the chip company NeuReality "Broadcom would be happy to add Intel's chip which currently produces $40 billion a year it is possible that some Intel factories will be adapted to TSMC's equipment and technology and others will remain as they are to continue producing the Intel processors that currently dominate the PC market." TSMC already operates in Israel through its European branch which is managed from Amsterdam by senior executives such as EMEA general manager Paul de Bot TSMC sells manufacturing services in Taiwan to Israeli chip companies and a possible acquisition of Intel could allow them to manufacture from Israel in the long term and increase the availability of manufacturing for startups that are sometimes forced to wait in line behind giant companies moving Taiwanese management to Kiryat Gat would mean a greater cultural gap - Taiwanese companies do not have development or manufacturing centers in Israel and the gap between the cultures creates a major management difficulty: While Taiwanese management is hierarchical and requires more obedience horizontal management and challenging the system are valued Senior executives in the manufacturing system such as Danny Ben-Atar and Reda Masarwa have given Israel a prominent position in Intel's global manufacturing system and it is uncertain how much of this will be maintained in the Taiwanese era "Broadcom would bring a different organizational culture" If Broadcom ultimately completes the acquisition of the development division Intel's development centers in the field of computer and server chips will join Broadcom's activity in Israel which revolves mainly around processors for communication switches Broadcom acquired companies in the field of fiber communication chips in Israel but the market was taken over by China's Huawei Senior executives who know Broadcom well describe its organizational culture as the opposite of Intel's rigorously calculates the average revenue per employee There is no way that the number does not range between $1.2 and $1.5 million per employee Broadcom will prefer to hire employees from Intel selectively and extract much more from those employees than Intel which is considered to have an inefficient organizational culture is like a five-pound hammer to the head culturally as it manages employees in an extremely efficient manner Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on February 17 © Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. During development work for the creation of a new neighborhood called Karmey Gat North a Byzantine monastery with an impressive colored mosaic and an inscription in Greek was discovered.  made during excavations by the Israel Antiquities Authority also includes a sophisticated wine press with mosaic floors in the fermentation rooms and traces of red paint on the plastered surfaces and other buildings dating to the Roman and Byzantine periods The central inscription on the mosaic reads “Blessed will you be when you enter and blessed will you be when you leave,” surrounded by lions dating from the 600th to XNUMXth centuries AD is part of a settlement that was active for around XNUMX years According to Shira Lifshitz and Maayan Margulis the site was located at a key intersection connecting the mountainous region with the coastal plain director of the Israel Antiquities Authority’s southern region said that “the discovery highlights the historical richness of Kiryat Gat and its surroundings underlining the region’s centrality in antiquity The mosaic will be moved to an open space in the city and made accessible to the public.” The mosaic will be taken to a specialized workshop for conservation before being exhibited to the public email and website in this browser for the next time you comment This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Aurora Israel News in Spanish Minute by minute on all the events in Israel © Copyright 2024 Aurora Israel. All Rights Reserved. | Site Developed by Codetribe Israel | Contact Us The work was done ahead of the Karmey Gat North neighborhood being established which resulted in "the largest and most significant site discovered in the region from the Romand and Byzantine periods." A winepress and at least 10 buildings were found near the monastery with Deuteronomy 20:6 inscripted on the colorful mosaic floor. "Blessed are you when you come in and blessed are you when you go out," the writing says in Greek The ancient site dates back to the 5th or 6th century built on a location already used during the Roman period and other items suggest an important community lived there The winepress was rebuilt and repaired several times with the flooring displaying blue and white stones "The early settlement is sited on a central road junction connecting the mountain region to the coastal plain," said excavators Shira Lifshitz and Maayan Margulis during the Byzantine period more archaeological finds have been discovered "The discovery of the site highlights the historical richness of Kiryat Gat and its surroundings shedding light on the centrality of the region in antiquity," said Svetlana Talis the Southern Region director at the Israel Antiquities Authority "The mosaic floor will be relocated to an open area in the city and made accessible to the public." "The mosaic discovered in Kiryat Gat is one of the most unique ever found in Israel," said Mark Avrahami head of artistic conservation at the authority "Transferring mosaics is a complex process that requires great skill and precision the ancient mosaic will be moved to the Israel Antiquities Authority's mosaic workshop for preservation before being displayed in the city." (Nasdaq: INTC) has informed a large infrastructure company in Israel to halt work on expansion of the fab in Kiryat Gat Intel has sent letters asking for the work to be postponed The name of the company has not been disclosed Intel confirmed that as the biggest tech employer in Israel it would invest $15 billion more in a new chip plant in Kiryat Gat in addition to the $10 billion it began investing in 2019 As part of the agreement between the Israeli government and the chipmaker Intel will receive a $3.2 billion grant over the years in accordance with meeting various milestones most likely employment targets and reinvestment in Israeli companies and contractors Intel has committed to purchase products and services from Israeli companies worth NIS 60 billion over the next decade This is the highest grant the Israeli government has ever given to a private company and it is estimated at about 12% of the total spending for building and upgrading the new plant "Israel continues to be one of our key global manufacturing and R&D sites and we continue to be committed to the region the scope and pace of Intel's manufacturing expansion at the company's sites around the world depends on a number of changing factors Our decisions are based on business conditions market dynamics and capital management responsibility." Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on June 10 Intel announced that it was closing its RealSense 3D depth camera division based on its acquisition of several Israeli startups and in which most of its employees were in Israel Some employees were laid off but the activity was not shut down but kept on a back burner for several years Last Friday the "Robot Report" website reported that Intel had been nurturing RealSense which is now being spun off as a standalone startup with the aim of realizing its shares in the future Estimates are that the new company RealSense will have 100 employees The shares in the company will be held by Intel Capital currently VP and GM Incubation & Disruptive Innovation at Intel and the founder of the company's computerized vision activity will be responsible for business development The RealSense Division is based on Intel's acquisition of Israeli companies Omek Interactive and Invision Biometrics more than a decade ago when depth vision and 3D cameras were a hot trend in Silicon Valley Those were the years when the tech giants competed in the development of reality glasses and Apple also acquired PrimeSense in Israel which currently serves as the basis for facial recognition on iPhones RealSense began with the development of depth vision and perceptual computing and in 2021 it was asked to focus on the robotics industry and temporarily stopped developing new facial recognition cameras but only in recent years due to market demand RealSense will continue to develop depth cameras for autonomous and non-autonomous robots and unique cameras for the field of physiotherapy The company intends to develop additional systems for the field of robotics such as stereo vision Intel spun off the Israeli company Mobileye after acquiring it and even helped it re-list on the New York Stock Exchange in October 2022 at a valuation of $16 billion The chip giant has a history of "regretting" acquisition of companies and attempting to sell them in 2006 it sold Israeli company DSPC to Marvell Technologies for $600 million after previously acquiring it for $1.6 billion Not all Intel's Israeli acquisitions have had such good fortune the Israeli cloud technology company it had acquired in 2022 for $650 million the spin-off of RealSense is proof that Intel can get a company that is not active in its core areas off its hands without closing it allowing it to take its chances on the open market Intel confirmed the story to "Globes" and said "After ten years of development and nurturing within Intel the time has come to unleash the full potential of Intel RealSense technology for computer vision and artificial intelligence The technology will launch independently as a separate company as part of the Intel Capital Investment Portfolio (ICAP) during the first half of 2025 It is important for us to emphasize that we are committed to a smooth transition for all of our customers and we will continue to provide them with the full support they need throughout the process." Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on January 12 '#' : location.hash;window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUQuery = location.search === '' && location.href.slice(0 location.href.length - window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash.length).indexOf('?') !== -1 '?' : location.search;if (window.history && window.history.replaceState) {var ogU = location.pathname + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUQuery + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash;history.replaceState(null "\/liveblog_entry\/intel-halts-planned-expansion-of-kiryat-gat-factory-project\/?__cf_chl_rt_tk=PqLwc8JWqYIuRtV6kYQYpJz1dlxV7nWmw.pbk26j.JA-1746505588-1.0.1.1-0ai9ILj9hFYM3cOePzkUmv51CSd9Sz6XPHd0v3d.JZA" + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash);cpo.onload = function() {history.replaceState(null ogU);}}document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(cpo);}()); Intel Israel has told several suppliers to halt work on building and expanding the new Fab38 production plant at Kiryat Gat which is planned to be one of Intel's most advanced plants worldwide and the biggest chip-making factory in Israel Channel 12 News reported earlier this week that the US company had informed several contractors in Israel to stop construction work while with other suppliers it has reopened negotiations about the project's budget construction of the plant was meant to be completed in 2028 with the fab operating at full capacity by 2035 even if the plant is completed according to the original plan Intel's suspension of the project has been widely reported in the Arab world and the Lebanese-based Al Mayadeen television channel even attributes the halt in work to the current war But from Intel's reaction to the media and stock exchange announcements it seems that the chip maker is mired in a free cash flow crisis and is seeking financing solutions to realize the dream of its new plants which each cost tens of billions of dollars which makes its efforts to build plants around the world difficult to achieve The company is seeing insufficient growth in sales increasing expenses in financing factories and taking on debt to build them and delays in the approval of EU grants as well as growing competition from Nvidia and AMD Intel's debt raising cost reached an all-time high of $8 billion while free cash flow fell from a positive flow of $21 billion in 2020 to a negative flow of $14.2 billion in 2023 Debt expenditure has jumped from $9 billion investment in equipment and plants in 2016 Intel announced that it is selling 49% of the plant it is building in Ireland in Leixlip to the Apollo Global for $11 billion This is only the second time ever that the company has undertaken a deal of this kind Intel received an investment from Brookfield Capital Management for construction of a new chip plant in Arizona "Intel’s agreement with Apollo gives us additional flexibility to execute our strategy as we invest to create the world’s most resilient and sustainable semiconductor supply chain Our investments in leading-edge capacity in the US and Europe will be critical to meet the growing demand for silicon with the global semiconductor market poised to double over the next five years." and the money received from the deal will be transferred to Intel by the end of this month Then Intel will be able to invest it in other places as well the Intel-Apollo agreement also includes the promise that Intel will give priority to the Irish factory over other factories in choosing where to advance production In fact Intel has seen delays in the construction of most of its production plants around the world The construction of its first factory in Germany firstly due to a lack of skilled workers to build the plant and recently due to a delay in the approval of EU grants and the need remove "black soil," mineral-rich soil used in agriculture Construction of the plant was supposed to begin in the first half of 2023 and will now not begin until at least May 2025 "Reuters" reports that Intel is inclined to cancel building its factories and development centers in Italy and France which were announced with the promise of receiving EU grants in order to invest the resources in building the factory in Germany Building chip factories in Western countries such as Germany the US or Israel is an incredibly expensive business move which requires resources that only cash-rich tech giants possess This is the reason why Intel helped promote the US Chip Law Intel is due to receive $10 billion from the US government to build plants in Arizona and Ohio In all likelihood building the new plant in Israel is being postponed and not canceled despite the generous incentives provided by Israeli taxpayers Intel has not communicated its move clearly or transparently providing vague comments about its future activities in Israel "Israel continues to be one of our key global manufacturing and R&D sites and we remain fully committed to the region often involves adapting to changing timelines market dynamics and responsible capital management." What are the consequences regarding the state grant Intel has not yet received even one shekel of the NIS 11 billion grant agreed for the new plant from the Israel Investment Authority Under the terms of the state's grant agreement with Intel it will receive the government support only and after it demonstrates results and meets targets Intel will only receive milestone payments after significant progress has been made in the construction after employees have been hired and the plant begins operations which could be many years after the plant is built Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on June 13 Some 28,000 Jews have immigrated to Israel since the start of the war according to figures from the Ministry of Aliya and Integration Estimates are that a few more thousand will arrive by the end of 2024 meaning there is a significant decrease from the 46,600 immigrants in 2023 Alongside the immigrants there are foreign residents preparing the ground for the future by buying apartments for investment or the option of moving to Israel at some stage According to the latest survey of housing sales by the Ministry of Finance chief economist in July 2024 there was a 62% increase in apartment purchases in Israel by foreign residents compared with July 2023 This figure was included in the investment purchases section of the survey This sounds like a big increase but overall 174 apartments were purchased by foreign residents in July 2024 - an increase of just 70 over July 2023 The report found that the dominant location for housing purchases by foreign residents is Jerusalem with 55% of purchases in the capital Other popular locations for foreign residents are more surprising including Kiryat Ono and Netanya Another interesting trend that has emerged is the purchase of a cluster of homes by community members who come to Israel to buy together and are even prepared to buy complete projects from developers who for their part invest great efforts in marketing to Jews abroad Kiryat Ono: US Mashhad community bought 42 apartments which is mentioned in the chief economist's survey stems from a large group of US Jews in East Coast cities who belong to Jewish communities originating from Mashhad in Iran The group bought 42 apartments in Kiryat Ono for NIS 190 million in an urban renewal project developed by the Canaan Group in the Levi Eshkol section of the Kiron neighborhood "We met them at the end of 2022 at a sales fair but the war cut things off There were those who registered and agreements which were supposed to be signed after the holidays last October After I returned from reserve duty we renewed talks and re-registration was carried out They purchased 42 and another 12 are in negotiations and with the aim of preserving the community network in which they live "We allowed them exclusivity in the third phase of the project which is not being marketed outside at the moment and we gave them a package that companies don't usually give in terms of legal solutions apartment planning and design." According to Levi the average price for a 5-room apartment in the project is about NIS 4 million and mini-penthouse and penthouse apartments were sold for NIS 6.5-9.5 million." Levi: "Most of them have not opened immigration files but it seems that the frame of mind in the US is that America is in decline from its greatness Most of them do not know if they will immigrate to Israel in the coming years but they are preparing a place for their children and themselves It is difficult to move large families with businesses and this is a very well established community But everyone sees themselves coming to live in Israel at some point." a member of the Mashhad community who bought an apartment in Kiryat Ono says "We work in different ways to reach our goal and build a community in Israel I have four sons-in-law who needed to receive my blessing to marry my daughters I approved them only on condition that when I immigrate to Israel They are waiting for me to move and are preparing their businesses and their future accordingly so that they can come to Israel soon together with the grandchildren." Farshid says that many of the other buyers are elderly and think of coming to visit for periods of 4-5 months a year We are currently building a budget to support them for three years after immigrating We want them to come to the apartments we bought in Kiryat Ono and strengthen the community center there." a real estate agent who organized the sales fair in Great Neck New York and is herself a member of the Mashhad Jewish community so there are more who are interested in investing in Israel - whether for investment or for shelter in the event of an emergency I think that in the coming years there will be many waves of immigration to Israel Many young people are dealing with anti-Semitism in colleges They have a feeling that they are less welcome and it is difficult and it's better for them to live here." Are there benefits for purchasing as a group Dilamani: "We are trying to produce the deal in the 'presale' phase before the project gets underway and before the bank steps in and the discount ranges between 5%-10% of market prices." Beit Shemesh: Most of the project was sold to modern haredim foreign residents have bought homes together Rotshtein's Rotshtein Heights in Ramat Beit Shemesh has mainly been sold to US Jews who have come to Israel CEO and founder of Dara Marketing Real Estate almost all the apartments were sold to "Modern American haredim." "We opened the first phase two months ago and we are currently closing sales of 25-30 apartments to a New Jersey community The population is what is known as 'modern haredi' while maintaining a cohesive and strong community Most of them have the intention of coming to live in Israel but occupancy (of the project) is more than three years away," he says they bought 4-room apartments at a price of NIS 2.5-2.8 million The payment terms are 20/80 and some of them have terms of agreement Jerusalem: "Communities from Central America and the US Demand for Jerusalem never wanes among foreign residents nearly 30 apartments have been sold in the company's Holyland project in the capital to two Jewish communities from abroad Kardan's national sales manager Ariel Turgeman says "The communities came as buyers groups from Central America and the US several individual apartments were also sold to a small group of friends from Europe." The first group contacted the company about two months after the war began through a member of one of the Jewish communities in Central America who lives in Israel "He told us that he was looking for apartments for them for investment purposes and for future living and that the war strengthened their desire to purchase," Turgeman says The group purchased four apartments for NIS 16 million and in the last two months purchased six more apartments for about NIS 25 million All the apartments purchased are large apartments with 4-6 rooms "Some of the buyers came to Israel to see the project and some sent their children or relatives who are in Israel Some did not come at all and relied on the friend and the previous experience of the community members with the company," says Turgeman also arrived through one of its members who has already immigrated and knows the neighborhood Turgeman says that nine families from the community bought apartments in the last six months a project will be built in the Katamonim neighborhood in Jerusalem that will be designed for the Jewish-Syrian community in the US according to developers Isracap Grand and Beit Yerushalmi This is an urban renewal project in which 170 apartments will be demolished on Bar Yochai and Elmaliach Streets and replaced by 600 apartments in four towers Isracap Grand partner Alberto Shemaria tells Globes "The project has been adapted to the requirements and needs of the community from the planning stage." The agreements for the purchase of the apartments is due to be signed after the holidays so we will update the community members on what their requirements are regarding the size of the properties and their layout "Due to the community's desire to settle in one project that is customized it was reduced by about 100 apartments compared with what was approved in the masterplan I don't know who intends to immigrate and who is just buying a property," says Shemaria a conference on the project was held in Deal in which Ari Ajami from the Syrian community said "We went to Israel with the aim of seeing sites where our community could build projects with prestigious apartments that would still be affordable and all of us need to buy apartments in Israel Tel Aviv: Eight apartments bought by French dentists Avrahami Group recently sold 12 apartments to a group of French dentists Avrahami Group VP marketing and sales Yaffa Sadan says that serious interest has been created because of the rise of antisemitism in Europe together bought eight apartments in one project in Tel Aviv and another four apartments in Eilat," she says Ask whether the company gives a discount on such a group purchase but it depends on the project and sometimes it is a general discount for everyone There are cases where as part of the benefits we furnish and design the apartment for them and depends on the apartment and its price they buy not only for investment purposes but also to live there and they are interested and ask about schools synagogues and becoming part of the community." Kiryat Gat: Joining the existing Jewish community The American immigrant community in Carmei Gat in Kiryat Gat is continuing to expand Dimri VP marketing and sales Amir Cohen tells "Globes" that eight families bought apartments in the company's project in the neighborhood during the war "They will join an existing community in Carmei Gat of national-religious families from the New York area," he says "It is important for foreign residents to join a community They are less likely to purchase independently in an isolated place The proximity of Carmei Gat to Beit Shemesh and Modi'in which have large communities of American Jews These are not the rich foreign residents that you imagine that can buy properties every day of the week but young families for whom price is an important consideration They were looking for apartments at a price of up to $600,000 Karmei Gat is affordable and relatively close to their relatives which was a significant consideration," explains Cohen but through an American broker who did the inspections for them and brought them to see the place in Israel The prices were also the same as for a regular customer and not as a group of buyers They bought in a project that is in an advanced stage and occupancy is already in March 2025 which is also the reason that there is really no special discount The prices range from NIS 2-2.35 million and they purchased 4-5 room apartments." Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on September 13 An ancient Christian monastery has been discovered north of Kiryat Gat the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) announced in a press release “The monastery is dated to the Byzantine period (5th-6th centuries CE) and it is part of an ancient site that already existed during the Roman period and continued for approximately 600 years,” the IAA said the excavation uncovered remains of a wine press a warehouse and several other ancient structures On the floor of the monastery ruins is an intricate mosaic that includes “crosses an amphora (a ceramic maritime shipping jug) At the center of the mosaic is a passage from the Torah written in Greek: “Blessed are you when you come in and blessed are you when you go out” (Deut This verse is one of the blessings that Moses says Israel will receive “if you faithfully obey the voice of the LORD your God” (Deut Excavation managers Shira Lifshitz and Maayan Margulis noted that the location of the monastery “is the largest and most significant site discovered in the region from the Roman and Byzantine periods.” “The findings indicate continuous settlement from the early Roman period through the late Byzantine period.” The IAA is scheduled to display the ancient Christian mosaic in Kiryat Gat the ancient mosaic will be moved to the Israel Antiquities Authority's mosaic workshop for preservation before being displayed in the city,” said Mark Avrahami head of IAA's Artistic Conservation Department Also found at the site were “a great quantity of imported ware The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel 2025 shows artifacts uncovered at an excavation site of a Byzantine-period monastery near Kiryat Gat Israeli archaeologists have uncovered a Byzantine-period monastery with mosaics covering the floor the Israel Antiquities Authority said in a statement on Monday 6 (Xinhua) -- Israeli archaeologists have uncovered a Byzantine-period monastery with mosaics covering the floor The discovery was made during an excavation near the southern Israeli city of Kiryat Gat The floor features intricate mosaics showing crosses with a Greek inscription at its center that reads this monastery is the largest and most significant site in the Roman and Byzantine periods ever discovered in the region The site was strategically located at a central road junction that connected the mountainous region to the coastal plain serving both settlements and travelers passing through the area said excavation directors Shira Lifshitz and Maayan Margulis the remains of at least nine other structures including a winepress with blue and white mosaic flooring in the fermentation rooms and collecting vats indicating an affluent and sophisticated community in the area An employee displays artifacts at an excavation site of a Byzantine-period monastery near Kiryat Gat An employee works at an excavation site of a Byzantine-period monastery near Kiryat Gat 2025 shows mosaics at an excavation site of a Byzantine-period monastery near Kiryat Gat An employee displays an artifact at an excavation site of a Byzantine-period monastery near Kiryat Gat JUF's Partnership Together (P2G) celebrates 25 years of partnership with the Israeli communities of Kiryat Gat thousands of Chicagoans have visited the region while on JUF missions My connection to JUF's Partnership Together region in Israel started when I was in my  third grade Sunday school class at Temple Anshe Sholom in Olympia Fields We learned all about the highlights of course-Tel Aviv But what stands out about that year was our pen pal program we engaged in an exchange with another group of third graders over 6,000 miles away in Kiryat Gat-a city in JUF's partnership region and received Chanukiyot (menorahs) from them it was that experience that introduced me to a great friend and Shafir was in sixth grade when my family and I prepared to visit Israel to get my talit for my bat mitzvah One of the stops on our trip was to visit the Ethiopian Absorption Center in Kiryat Gat it had been arranged for two of my pen pals from that third grade class We all overcame some initial shyness and became fast friends they gave up an afternoon at the mall to spend the rest of the day with me and my family volunteering at an afterschool center for at risk youth I tried so hard to keep in touch and stay connected to my friends and Israel I was accepted into the Diller Teen Fellows program A component of this program is working with the Diller fellows from our Partnership Together region and visiting the region in Israel So I knew I would be going back and reconnecting with the people and places in Kiryat Gat But never in my wildest dreams did I think that Karina or any of my other third grade pen pals would be a part of this program as we prepared for the Israeli fellows to visit us here in Chicago We all received pen pals so we could begin corresponding with the Israeli fellows One of the fellows in my cohort was assigned a girl named Karina Bakalov "Are you doing the Diller program?" She responded yes There was this girl from Israel who I have known for more than half of my life and we both end up as Diller Teen Fellows in the same partnership when we were paired for our home hospitality with the Israelis for their visit to Chicago I think Hashem decided to intervene a little and make sure we stayed together I am so grateful for all of the hard work everyone had done to create opportunities for us to interact both through pen pals and my visit in sixth grade I am also grateful to Diller Teen Fellows for selecting both of us for the program and giving us yet another opportunity to connect in such a meaningful and impactful way I hope to deepen my connection to the region when I work there next summer as a Kefiada camp counselor and continue to find ways to visit and support Kiryat Gat The region is a great place with great people JUF's partnership region of Kiryat Gat, Lachish, and Shafir is home to immigrants from Morocco, Tunisia, India, France, Ethiopia, the former Soviet Union and more. Learn more about this dynamic connection at www.juf.org/p2g Melinda Berman is currently a junior at Homewood Flossmoor High School She is a Diller Teen Fellows Alumna from Cohort 2 and has been to Israel twice This story originally appeared in JUF News JUF celebrates 25 years of partnership with our Israeli Partnership Together region of Kiryat Gat hundreds of people-to-people cultural exchanges have occurred on both sides of the ocean through our many dynamic programs brings American college students to Israel to work as counselors at an English-language summer camp for Israeli children some of the most meaningful connections happen on the tour bus and at the dinner tables of Israeli host families an Israeli host mom-and an American college student she hosted-both share what participating in this program has meant to them  "Kef" in Hebrew means fun-and there is no better explanation of what fun is than Kefiada-an English-speaking camp in JUF's Israel Partnership Together region of Kiryat Gat As we pulled up to the house in Israel that would become my home for the summer I worked as a counselor The thought of living with a host family sounded cool-but what if they weren't nice Those feelings instantly vanished when I walked into the most welcoming home Noa and Hila-immediately made me feel comfortable and at home one of my favorite memories was going to a family barbecue that first week-I barely knew any Hebrew and some of the family didn't know a lot of English but when a group of people are enjoying a beautiful day After a fun week of orientation with more falafel Every day at camp was different-we had swimming days and so many more unique and fun ways that incorporated learning English and pride that the people I worked with had Our Israeli co-counselors made sure that we had a great time We took jeep rides through central Israel we spent a night cooking poyke (Israeli stew) on the beach together and we even traveled through the Golan These people became my best friends and the constant support that truly helped shape the summer that I had I was hoping to meet some interesting people Kefiada helped strengthen my relationship with an amazing country and multiplied the connections and friendships that I have here Although I worked in the Kefiada program for six weeks on a volunteer basis I feel like I was overpaid because what I gained that summer helped to shape who I am and who I hope to become has expanded on her summer teaching English as a Kefiada counselor and is now teaching English for 10 months in Rishon LeZion as an Israel Teaching Fellow The chance to get to know someone very well and the opportunity to make someone part of the family to get to know and to experience the students who stay with us through Kefiada to prepare good food and to make sure that everything is comfortable and pleasant We usually try to invite everyone for a shakshuka evening - it's a sort of tradition we have hosted nine students and they were all special and charming We struck up wonderful relationships while they were with us and our girls always gained a temporary big sister for the summer-which is an amazing cultural experience for them and of course helps cement their English skills far beyond what they are learning at camp Sometimes the relationship develops into something much deeper and real celebrated her bat mitzvah recently and we received good wishes from almost all of the girls who have stayed with us I consider everyone we have hosted to be my adopted daughters and am so happy to have had the opportunity to be a part of this program I know my family has been a big winner from participating Merav Lipik was born and raised in Kiryat Gat In addition to having been a host mom to nine Kefiada counselors she is married and the mother of three daughters Here are a few of the ways JUF helps out-of-the-box thinkers sustainably address social issues in our Partnership Together region of Kiryat Gat SAHI is a social contribution project in which at-risk teens -- many with histories of violence and vandalism -- covertly deliver weekly food packages to needy families in their area teens participate in the program willingly encouraging their friends to join the gang of altruistic "spies" and help identify people in need in their neighborhoods teens in one group will secretly deliver food packages to the families of teens in another group and to understand-and not ignore," said staff member Yohay Bohbot The SAHI program has been proven to reduce school dropouts and the number of youth involved in vandalism-as well as increasing the number of teens successfully matriculating into the Israel Defense Forces This program was a local innovation and today not only serves 120 teens in the Kiryat Gat but has spread to 18 groups throughout Israel The resulting network is now known as Israel Children's Zone (ICZ)-and is the country's flagship educational intervention program "It's a holistic approach," said Amir Ellenberg "We are essentially creating a round table around each school and each student ICZ incorporates three key existing national programs which provide a variety of interventions based on the specific needs of the students: Revadim a school reform plan that assesses individual student difficulties and offers tailored solutions; Youth Futures an intensive intervention program using young adult mentors who build relationships with at-risk students and families; and Etgarim which offers outdoor adventure training and therapy to students with special needs community organizers in Kiryat Gat found they had a problem The city had established a senior center aimed at engaging older Ethiopian immigrants-who make up a sizable part of the community-but no one was coming "The programs weren't appealing culturally," explained Hineni staff member Rabbi Azaria Ftegu "You have to engage people where they are."  the Shorashim (roots) program was born-a self-sustaining experiential agricultural center where Ethiopian elders work the land growing produce and constructing traditional mud huts ( gojos ) The center provides food for the community and helps participants find a renewed sense of purpose while sharing a wealth of cultural knowledge with the larger community through guided tours and workshops When I joined Hineni -- and finally could feel the land of Israel after years of living here with no direction-it was a dream Hineni also works to meet the needs of Ethiopian-Israeli women and teens through continually evolving grassroots programming Named after a favorite candy treat in Israel that is so delicate each one needs to be wrapped by hand Krembo Wings is national youth movement in Israel for children with mild to severe special needs Through individual care and partnership with the local community each child in the program is given "wings" to experience life alongside their peers kids aged 7-21 who have special needs meet with typically developing teen volunteers who receive special training to guide their partner in games In addition to the teen counselors who work directly with special needs participants adult volunteer branch managers assist in guiding the program and implementing weekly activity plans "There's something magical and special at Krembo Wings," said Alon I feel open… Everyone there is my friend."  When school-based foreign language classes let out for the summer it can be tricky to maintain newly learned language skills That's just one of many reasons Kefiada-an English-speaking American-style day camp for Israeli 4 th -6 th graders was born In addition to helping students practice their English and gain fluency Kefiada also serves as a bridge between Israeli students from Kiryat Gat and Shafir and Chicago college students who volunteer to staff the program as counselors American staff stay with host families and gain a first-hand experience of Israeli life all while lending their native English skills to the kids in the program as well as Israeli junior counselors and on-site staff "My Kefiada experience solidified my connection to Israel," said Roxie Zeller a Skokie native who volunteered as a counselor through Kefiada "I now have a second home waiting for me anytime Throughout the year we will be sharing stories about the impact of our Partnership. If you have a story or a picture to share, or would like to get involved, please e-mail partnership@juf.org This story originally appeared in JUF News We have so much to celebrate! Over the past 25 years there have been hundreds of connections made between Chicago-Kiryat Gat-Lachish-Shafir. Read More connections between Chicago-Kiryat Gat-Lachish-Shafir 30 S. Wells Street | Chicago, IL 60606 | 312-357-4737 | Contact Us JUF amplifies our collective strength to make the world a better place — for everyone we consider the totality of local and global Jewish needs and how to address them we help people connect to Jewish life and values enduring community that comes together for good that means JavaScript has been disabled on your browser Please enable JavaScript to make this website work Home » Ancient Monastery and Winery Discovered at Kiryat Gat Site A significant archaeological discovery was made by the Israel Antiquities Authority(IAA) during development work for the new “Karmey Gat North” neighborhood The findings include a Byzantine monastery featuring a colorful mosaic floor with a Greek inscription Archaeological dig north of Kiryat Gat (Photo courtesy IAA) which archaeologists describe as “the largest and most significant site discovered in the region from the Roman and Byzantine periods,” contains at least ten buildings Dating back to the Byzantine period (5th-6th centuries CE) the monastery was part of a settlement that existed during the Roman period and flourished for approximately 600 years The monastery’s most striking feature is its mosaic floor which displays various decorative elements At its center lies a Greek inscription quoting Deuteronomy 28:6: “Blessed are you when you come in and blessed are you when you go out.” The mosaic’s intricate design incorporates tiny stones to emphasize its cross-shaped decorations Mosaic depicting an amphora (Photo courtesy IAA) The excavation yielded numerous artifacts indicating a wealthy community archaeologists uncovered a sophisticated winepress that underwent multiple repairs and renovations throughout its use The winepress features distinctive blue and white stone mosaic flooring in its fermentation rooms and collecting vat with traces of red paint still visible on the plastered surfaces remain visible on some of the northern collecting vat floor slabs According to excavation managers Shira Lifshitz and Maayan Margulis “The early settlement is sited on a central road junction connecting the mountain region to the coastal plain It served the area’s smaller settlements and travelers passing by.” The site shows continuous habitation from the first century CE through the late sixth century CE with significant expansion during the Byzantine period The settlement also appears to have been a center for pottery production and unique vessels specific to this location Director of the Southern Region at the Israel Antiquities Authority emphasized the discovery’s significance in highlighting “the historical richness of Kiryat Gat and its surroundings shedding light on the centrality of the region in antiquity.” in southern Israel near the border with Judah was one of the five major cities of the Philistines.  It was one of the last refuges of the Anakim (literally ‘giants’)  in front of the conquering Israelites under Joshua (Joshua 11:22) Gath was either subdued during the days of the prophet Samuel although the first book of Kings (2:39) states that in the time of King Solomon it was still ruled by a Philistine king named Achish (1 Samuel 27:1–7) The narrative in the first book of Chronicles (1 Chronicles 7:21) relates that Ezer and Elead were killed by men who were natives of Gath because “they came down to take their livestock” Gath is named as one of 15 cities fortified by King Rehoboam Kiryat Gat” means “the place of the winepress” Head of Artistic Conservation at the Israel Antiquities Authority noted that “The mosaic discovered in Kiryat Gat is one of the most unique ever found in Israel.” The mosaic will undergo a complex transfer process to the authority’s workshop for preservation before being displayed publicly in the city Director of the Israel Antiquities Authority highlighted how urban expansion projects provide opportunities to explore ancient history: “Together we strive to present these findings as part of a policy aimed at connecting residents to the historical narratives near their homes.” which funds salvage excavations nationwide views this discovery as symbolic of the connection between past and future the authority “invests tens of millions of shekels annually in salvage excavations for various projects across the country aimed at uncovering and documenting the rich history and archaeology beneath the neighborhoods of the future.” © ISRAEL365NEWS 2025 Privacy Policy Prophecy from the Bible is revealing itself as we speak Israel365 News is the only media outlet reporting on it Sign up to our free daily newsletter today to get all the most important stories directly to your inbox See how the latest updates in Jerusalem and the world are connected to the prophecies we read in the Bible Three men were killed on Friday evening in a collision between two vehicles on Highway 6 are believed to have been foreign nationals Magen David Adom paramedics who were called to the scene pronounced them dead were evacuated to hospital via an Israel Air Force helicopter Magen David Adom paramedics who arrived at the scene said each of which had three passengers trapped inside were trapped in one of the vehicles; they were unconscious.” "We gave them treatment while extricating them from the vehicle and performed CPR In the end we had to pronounce the three passengers of the vehicle dead Three young men in their 20s were trapped in the other vehicle We gave them life-saving medical treatment and transferred them to a helicopter that landed nearby and evacuated them to hospital The patients are in moderate condition." (Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles Intel is planning to invest NIS 40 million ($11 billion) in constructing a new fab in Kiryat Gat and has asked the state for a grant amounting to 10% of the investment sources inform "Globes." If the plan materializes it will be the chipmaker's largest ever investment in Israel This amount would be in addition to the NIS 18 billion investment in Kiryat Gat and NIS 3 billion grant approved last year.  Discussions on the investment between Intel and the Ministry of Finance began a number of weeks ago led by Ministry of Finance director general Shai Babad on behalf of his ministry Minister of Finance Moshe Kahlon is not directly involved in the talks and is giving Babad a free hand to conduct them which was deeply involved in contacts with Intel in the past has so far not taken a significant part in the negotiations The Ministry of Finance and Intel declined to answer questions from "Globes" on the subject Intel's global management has not yet made a final decision about the investment in Israel Intel says that the fab will probably be built in Ireland Sources inform "Globes" that in dealing with the request the Ministry of Finance chief economist unit has prepared an opinion stating that the investment fulfills the requirements for assistance from the state it is not clear whether the opinion refers to macroeconomic considerations beyond the significant figures for the investment including how such a major increase in Intel's presence will affect the Israeli economy's dependence on the US company are already significantly affected by Intel's activity in the speech on the occasion of the most recent Bank of Israel interest rate decision Governor of the Bank of Israel Amir Yaron said that the investment picture in Israel was likely to improve "following an investment in a fab." Babad also hinted that a global company was likely to soon announce a dramatic investment in Israel In addition to its unprecedented size in absolute numbers the grant requested by Intel is relatively higher than the previous grants from the state to the company grants to Intel were 5% of the investment in building a plant The company's proposal does not ask for a change in the current tax arrangement applying to it called "the strategic track," in which Intel pays a reduced 5% tax rate This is already significantly greater than the benefit stipulated in the Law for the Encouragement of Capital Investment which is granted to companies exporting at least one quarter of their output Companies operating in outlying areas under the law pay 7.5% corporate tax and companies that do not receive the benefit pay 23% Sources following the talks between the government and Intel say that the amounts are not infinite The sources added that the agreement with the government also includes an exemption from the tender obligation with Israel Land Administration and that Intel has already begun preparing physical infrastructure for building the new fab in Kiryat Gat The sources also said that despite Intel's statements that it has not yet decided where to locate the fab the company is preparing to invest simultaneously in two new fabs: in Ireland and in Israel Investment on this scale is unusual even for a huge company like Intel which has never before built two fabs at the same time Intel is also building a fab in Portland in the US where most of its research and development for chips will be conducted - another indication of the great demand anticipated by Intel The technology that Intel plans to develop and then manufacture in the new fabs improves three aspects of chip performance: performance This 10-nanometer technology facilitates greater density of electronic components at low electrical output Intel is coming late to this technology; its competitors - the TSMC fab and Samsung - are already producing 7-nanometer chips whose performance is similar to the technology being pursued by Intel Intel's global management approved an NIS 18 billion investment in expanding the existing Kiryat Gat fab and undertook more than NIS 3 billion in additional procurement and hiring 250 employees in the outlying areas the government approved a NIS 700 million grant for the company contingent on a strategic investment by Intel in a substantial technological upgrade and extended Intel's tax benefit until 2030 Senior Intel executives said at the time that further investments in chip production in Kiryat Gat would follow Intel VP and manufacturing and operations general manager Dr Ann Kelleher said at the time that the company was gradually changing its focus from PCs to the data industry in order "to satisfy the market's enormous appetite" for solutions that process she says that the company is competing in the silicon products market "We are facing the biggest market opportunity in Intel's history and are taking the necessary measures to prepare our global production network for being flexible and able to respond quickly to changes in demand," Kelleher says "We are now planning an expansion of our production sites in Oregon we will hold discussions with governments and communities to obtain the necessary approvals and licenses." The advanced technologies are still remote Intel has widespread development in Israel in almost all of the company's global activity Intel's most advanced for business and personal computers Activity in autonomous vehicles is based on Intel's acquisition of Jerusalem-based Mobileye and 5G mobile communications with WiGig technology There is also an artificial intelligence (AI) center in Haifa developing Inference Intel is developing its RealSense 3D cameras technology and its advanced sports broadcasting technology The company also previously developed a virtual reality helmet the advanced technologies on which Intel is working are not yet having a substantial effect on the company's performance It is believed that it will take two or three years Mobileye is a good example: the Israeli company acquired by Intel accounts for only $200 million of Intel's $70 billion in sales with the advent of an active multi-billion dollar market in automatic vehicles before Mobileye brings Intel substantial revenue Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on January 28 © Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd Archaeologists with the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) have discovered the ruins of a Byzantine-period monastery with a colorful mosaic floor and a Greek inscription, an ancient wine press and other buildings at Kiryat Gat IAA archaeologists cleaning the ancient mosaic of a Byzantine-period monastery at Kiryat Gat “This is the largest and most significant site discovered in the region from the Roman and Byzantine periods,” IAA archaeologists Shira Lifshitz and Maayan Margulis said in a statement “‘Blessed are you when you come in and blessed are you when you go out (Deuteronomy 20:6).’ This is what was written on a colorful monastery floor uncovered in a large excavation conducted prior to establishing a new neighborhood north of the modern city of Kiryat Gat.” The researchers uncovered the remains of at least ten buildings the wine press and a large warehouse building and it is part of an ancient site that already existed during the Roman period and continued for approximately 600 years,” they said “The monastery and its environs included a great quantity of imported ware all attesting to the rich and significant community living here.” “The monastery’s mosaic floor features crosses The team also uncovered a sophisticated winepress which was built and repaired several times over the years The mosaic flooring of the fermentation rooms and the collecting vat integrated blue and white stones The northern collecting vat floor is built of slabs upon some of which can be still be seen Greek letters which served as masonry marks for the winepress builders All of these features indicate that building and developing this winery involved significant financial resources and a range of professional work and effort “The early settlement is sited on a central road junction connecting the mountain region to the coastal plain,” the scientists said “It apparently served the area’s smaller settlements as well as travelers passing by.” “This is the largest and most significant Roman and Byzantine period site uncovered in this area.” “The findings indicate a succession of settlement starting from the early Roman period (1st century CE) and through until the end of the Byzantine period (end of the 6th century CE).” Intel Israel announced that it will invest a further $15 billion in its new manufacturing facility in Kiryat Gat over and above the investment of $10 billion announced in 2019 The company has thus confirmed the announcement of the investment six months ago by the Israeli government Intel says that the agreement with the government is for investment totaling $25 billion for the upgrading and expansion of the Kiryat Gat fab the government will award Intel a grant of $3.2 billion over several years presumably targets for employment reciprocal investment in Israeli companies and contractors Israel has undertaken to buy products and services from Israeli companies to the tune of $60 billion over the next decade This is the highest grant that the Israeli government has ever awarded a private-sector company It is estimated to cover 12.8% of the total costs of construction and upgrade of the fab is expected to start production within four to five years It will use an ultra-violet lithography production process unique to Intel Special machines for this purpose have already been ordered from Netherlands company ASML The new facility will be headed by Meirav Ben-Hamu Krief Intel opened its first center in Israel in Haifa in 1974 it is the largest private-sector employer in the country Intel says that the investment in the new fab will bring its aggregate investment in Israel in its 50 years of operating in the country to some $50 billion Intel Corporation CEO Pat Gelsinger said in an interview with Fox Business in the US about the company’s operations in Israel: "We have 20,000 souls I consider myself as responsible for there between our direct employees and contractors and construction and about 17% of them are on reserve duty today We’ve lost several in the conflict from the family and some of our members have lost their children We’ve supported our teams financially emotionally… But the Israeli people are the most resilient people on earth They have not missed a single wafer commitment or product commitment despite the conflict That’s why we believe so deeply in them." "We’ve also supported humanitarian efforts across the region as well We pray for peace to come quickly to the region and for a more permanent solution… but we are deeply committed to our operations there." Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on December 26 Archaeologists in southern Israel have uncovered a 1,500-year-old Byzantine monastery near Kiryat Gat complete with a stunning mosaic floor and remnants of daily life features a biblical quote from Deuteronomy: “Blessed are you when you come in and blessed are you when you go out.” This suggests the monastery’s role as both a spiritual and communal center indicating that the site was an economic hub part of a settlement active from the Roman to the Byzantine period offers rare insights into early Christian monastic life in the region The Israel Antiquities Authority plans to conserve the artifacts which will be displayed publicly in Kiryat Gat The discovery sheds light on southern Israel’s vibrant history and the intersection of faith Enter your information below to receive our weekly newsletters with the latest insights opinion pieces and current events straight to your inbox Israel Antiquities Authority | With Permission workers have been digging the site of a new development in the city of Kiryat Gat in the south of Israel historical artifacts and relics started to surface spurring an official excavation by the Israel Antiquities Authority.  the excavations revealed a hidden cultural treasure and roots were the remains of a previously unknown Byzantine monastery dating to the period between the 1st and the 5th centuries with a perfectly preserved biblical inscription archaeologists revealed the remains of at least 10 buildings This suggests that the site was once an important urban settlement.  excavation managers on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority the monastery was built at an important crossroad between the mountains and the coast serving both travelers and local inhabitants.  “This is the largest and most significant Roman and Byzantine period site uncovered in this area,” the researchers explained in a press release “The findings indicate a succession of settlements starting from the early Roman period (1st century) and through until the end of the Byzantine period (end of the 6th century).” The monastery's mosaic floor, decorated with elaborate geometric patterns, floral motifs, and symbolic imagery such as crosses, lions, doves, and amphorae, was carved with the biblical inscription: “Blessed are you when you come in and blessed are you when you go out” (Deuteronomy 20:6) the newly discovered mosaic is “one of the most notable ever found in Israel."  Archaeologists are now at work to transfer the mosaic made with a varied color palette including some remarkable shades of blue to an open area to make it available to the public.  the discovery of the site highlights the historical richness of the city of Kiryat Gat and its surroundings evidence that the region played a central role in antiquity.  Articles like these are sponsored free for every Catholic through the support of generous readers just like you Please make a tax-deductible donation today Help us continue to bring the Gospel to people everywhere through uplifting Catholic news The National Planning and Building Commission subcommittee has approved changes to the Kiryat Gat district outline plan The new plan allows for the zoning of an additional 1,600 dunam (400 acres) for industrial purposes and provides Intel with the option to expand in the city The giant US chip maker currently has one operational fab in Kiryat Gat (Fab 28) and is in the process of constructing another (Fab 38) at an investment of $10 billion Intel is looking for places to construct more fabs and Israel is one option under consideration according to information presented recently by Intel Israel representatives and the planning authorities before the National Subcommittee on Planning Matters of Principle despite the changes in the Kiryat Gat district outline plan being approved there is no certainty that Intel will decide to build a third plant in Israel the outline plan also allows for construction of 51,250 housing units in Kiryat Gat which could increase the population of the city from 60,000 today to 250,000 and park and recreation areas along the Lachish river basin Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on August 11 2022 The Southern Planning and Building Committee has approved a plan for the construction of a new neighborhood in Kiryat Gat including 2,100 small apartments and 600 sheltered housing homes has been initiated by the Israel Land Authority and will be built south of the old city center The plan also includes 525,000 square meters of public buildings and 180,000 square meters of office space alongside the Tel Aviv - Beersheva railway line There will also be 370 dunams (92.5 acres) of open spaces The land for the new neighborhood is currently under the jurisdiction of the Shafir Regional Council The plan has been prepared by a team of architects and coordinated by Ari Cohen architects Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on December 12 Intel revealed it would scale up its investment in the chip manufacturing plant with plans to inject an additional USD 15 billion into the site, This would bring the total to USD 25 billion the Israeli financial news website Calcalist has reported that the project is on hold there was immediate speculation that this is related to the Gaza war saying: “Israel continues to be one of our key global manufacturing and R&D sites and we remain fully committed to the region." Intel currently operates a manufacturing plant at the Kiryat Gat location that produces Intel 7 technology and employs 12,000 people When the firm revealed its plant to spend USD 25 billion on a new factory last year Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it the largest-ever international investment in the country The factory in Kiryat Gat is due to open in 2027 As Israel marks the one-year anniversary of the devastating Hamas attack the survivors of Kibbutz Nir Oz — one of the communities hardest hit on 22 Tishrei — are in greater need of support than ever nestled near the Gaza border in the Western Negev was a symbol of resilience for nearly seven decades known for its agricultural prosperity and tight-knit families Nir Oz suffered unimaginable losses — one-quarter of its residents were killed or abducted 80% of its infrastructure was destroyed and the survivors were forced to flee their homes representing one-third of the Israeli hostages still held in Gaza The effort to rebuild Nir Oz is monumental It is about much more than restoring homes and farmland — it involves helping survivors rebuild their lives and maintain their community ties preserving their community connections and healing from the psychological scars left by the attack and now is the time for Americans to extend a hand Israel Fuguemann/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images Relatives of people killed in the attack on Kibbutz Nir Oz hug each other in the community's dining hall on Nov In response to this immense challenge, the American Friends of Nir Oz (AFNO) has launched as a U.S.-based nonprofit organization AFNO’s mission is to unite American donors and supporters to help rebuild the kibbutz restore the physical and emotional well-being of the survivors and sustain the community during their temporary displacement This effort involves both financial support and ongoing programs to keep the community intact while in Kiryat Gat and to help survivors cope with the trauma they have endured AFNO is not only committed to helping rebuild physical structures; it seeks to nurture the emotional well-being of the survivors and restore the sense of community that has defined Nir Oz for decades AFNO’s support will ensure the community not only survives but thrives in the years ahead both in their temporary home and once they return to the rebuilt kibbutz This commitment includes providing financial resources for displaced families sustaining their livelihoods and helping residents heal from the profound psychological scars left by the attack AFNO organized a retreat for 43 members of the kibbutz in Montgomery County providing kibbutz members with an opportunity to rest and connect with the Washington AFNO organized a visit by a family from Nir Oz to speak at two synagogues and a Jewish day school in Maryland sharing their story of survival and resilience.  AFNO is led by individuals with personal ties to the kibbutz whose family has been part of Nir Oz since its founding Her family suffered immensely during the attack — two members were killed Her personal connection underscores the urgency and importance of AFNO’s mission At a time when the world often feels divided AFNO is a powerful reminder that communities can come together to rebuild and heal and ensure that the legacy of this extraordinary community endures.  but it will also be a powerful statement: even in the face of unimaginable adversity We want AFNO supporters to become part of a global network committed to ensuring that hope and unity triumph over destruction Amit Natanzon is a Maryland resident and member of the board of the American Friends of Nir Oz Copyright © 2025 · eJewishPhilanthropy · All Rights Reserved The philanthropy news you need to stay up to date Enter your email to gain access to our exclusive contentDon’t worry if you are already subscribed you won’t receive our newsletters twice "\/liveblog_entry\/hamas-hostage-amit-buskila-laid-to-rest-in-kiryat-gat-you-were-killed-for-being-jewish\/?__cf_chl_rt_tk=srSP48z3eRlM9jp5g3IBrRD0uDEijOG7yoVL7kykxws-1746505737-1.0.1.1-xl35ux21NBvnooN2CfMuKCyvrMciDc5uw.l4WtxfbfQ" + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash);cpo.onload = function() {history.replaceState(null company did not indicate whether it plans to halt the project; 'Israel continues to be one of our key global manufacturing and R&D sites,' the company said 2024Intel Corp is halting plans for a $25-billion factory in Israel Israeli financial news website Calcalist said on Monday in a report that the chipmaker did not confirm or deny The U.S. company, asked about the report, cited the need to adapt big projects to changing timelines "Israel continues to be one of our key global manufacturing and R&D sites and we remain fully committed to the region," Intel said in a statement market dynamics and responsible capital management," it said Open gallery viewA simulation of the Kiryat Gat plant.Simulation: Image courtesy of INTELIntel has previously said that the factory proposed for its Kiryat Gat site was an "important part of Intel's efforts to foster a more resilient global supply chain" alongside the company's investments in Europe and the United States Intel operates four development and production sites in Israel including its manufacturing plant in Kiryat Gat called Fab 28 The planned Fab 38 plant was due to open in 2028 and operate through 2035 Intel employs nearly 12,000 people in Israel The plane is named after Kiryat Gat, a Jewish settlement built on the remains of two ethnically cleansed Palestinian villages, Iraq al-Manshiyya and al-Faluja. https://t.co/VjRpJSM2QF