The remains of a house in Kibbutz Kissufim In the early hours of October 7, 2023, Tali Hadad, a 49-year-old kindergarten teacher and mother of six from Ofakim, was thrust into an unimaginable situation As Hamas launched its assault on southern Israel Hadad's maternal instincts and quick thinking led her to become an unexpected hero rescuing her wounded son and other victims amidst intense gunfire Hadad's day began at 6:45 am with the sound of sirens and gunfire signaling an attack far more severe than the typical rocket barrages the region had grown accustomed to over the years immediately grabbed his rifle and ran towards the danger "I ran toward the playground," Hadad told Fox News Digital. "I hid behind a wall and saw a line of terrorists walking with rifles heading in the direction where my son had gone." Moments later he had been shot multiple times – in the stomach Hadad made multiple trips to rescue a total of 13 people driving them to safety at high speeds to avoid terrorist gunfire the terrorists would shoot me," Hadad explained describing her harrowing journey to the local emergency medical station a small city of 50,000 residents located 15 miles from the Gaza border Hadad's street became known as "Death Street" due to the intensity of the violence there continues to grapple with the emotional aftermath of the attack The experience has profoundly changed her life leading her to put her teaching career on hold to care for her recovering son Five of Hadad's six children currently serve in the IDF while her youngest daughter is set to enter the army in a month Ofakim is slowly rebuilding. The community has established a memorial, painted murals, and planted olive trees to symbolize resilience and renewal. However, the psychological scars remain deep, with long waiting lists for trauma counseling and overwhelming available resources In response to the growing need for mental health support the Israel Psychoanalytic Society and the NGO IsraAid have established a multidisciplinary trauma center offering free services to survivors of the massacre the memories of October 7 remain vivid in the community's collective consciousness "We remember how our children ran through the streets barefoot Residents of the Gaza border kibbutz have created a symbolic display in which the Star of David at the center.. family and friends shared an emotional tribute for what would have been her 34th.. former Hamas captive Eliya Cohen returned Sunday for the first time to the bunker from.. Analysis Archaeology Blogpost Business & Finance Culture Exclusive Explainer Environment Features Health In Brief Jewish World Judea and Samaria Lifestyle Cyber & Internet Sports Diplomacy Iran & The Gulf Gaza Strip Politics Shopping Terms of use Privacy Policy Submissions Contact Us The first issue of Israel Hayom appeared on July 30 Israel Hayom was founded on the belief that the Israeli public deserves better more balanced and more accurate journalism [contact-form-7 id=”508379″ html_id=”isrh_form_Newsletter_en” title=”newsletter_subscribe”] '#' : 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 "\/a-scarred-ofakim-neighborhood-grows-into-a-community-after-october-7\/?__cf_chl_rt_tk=_EUGPwTDFyc.9kVylrA.ayR6mqoPl5mXz6dgMW.9uaM-1746488913-1.0.1.1-m1zwtuN7Luh4yQOzUADjxvFPwVv3U8rjyHQlt2mfTas" + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash);cpo.onload = function() {history.replaceState(null ogU);}}document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(cpo);}()); "\/ofakim-a-city-of-lions\/?__cf_chl_rt_tk=VdeA.BO16QcQIUxB7YMpZIkWu4rAFiKfq_aFMwDahGQ-1746488919-1.0.1.1-J.XP157lH4zhl4ZnKkOWU9fbWRrfdhV1oAsa4w8ZZZE" + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash);cpo.onload = function() {history.replaceState(null "\/liveblog_entry\/sderot-ofakim-will-participate-in-oct-7-state-memorial-report\/?__cf_chl_rt_tk=OUXhBENY9654FGoZQLimqxFIt1OrRHd90Max5jL1gJc-1746488925-1.0.1.1-vvjTQnntcCnS6ADCiXZ2tuIhKDoWlYpgQERIM7jZktQ" + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash);cpo.onload = function() {history.replaceState(null Savta Rachel Edri has become a national hero in Israel she saved herself and her husband of 41 years from Hamas by offering the 5 armed terrorists that infiltrated her home cookies and coffee. a batch of fresh-baked Maamoul (date cookies) literally saved their lives. after a siren rang in the southern city of Ofakim Rachel and David ran to a nearby bomb shelter two truckloads of terrorists had entered Ofakim located just 25 kilometers from Gaza. The police immediately launched a search operation as the terrorists began firing at civilians instead of enjoying a quiet Shabbat morning together they were met by armed Hamas terrorists who had entered their home to escape the police Trapped and knowing that attempting to leave could be fatal the couple decided to comply with the terrorists’ demands and even took it a step further is an important mitzvah that I take very seriously I welcomed them like they were simply my guests.” Read more: 10 ways to commemorate the anniversary of October 7 Rachel is known for being an incredibly welcoming and kind member of her community; everyone in the city knew that if they ever needed a meal She has also worked at the canteen of the nearby Tze’elim army base since she was 23 earning her the title of “the base mother” among many soldiers. As the daughter of two immigrants from Iran Rachel was able to use rudimentary Arabic to communicate with the terrorists. The podcast that makes sense of Israel’s past and present “At one point I even forgot for a moment that they were terrorists,” she recalled. She asked them if they wanted Coca Cola and they responded positively She brought them Cola Zero and they reacted with disgust and asked for regular cola she only had Zero in the house and began to talk to them about their health Rachel realized that the terrorists might be getting hungry — a dangerous situation. she offered to feed them and make them tea “I even made them chicken!” One of the terrorists said “You remind me of my mother,” to which she responded the police had the house surrounded but knew that if they attempted to take control of the situation it could cost Rachel and David their lives One of the police officers at the scene was Rachel and David’s son Rachel bandaged the injured terrorist’s hand and offered him a place to rest telling him he deserved something sweet. and repeatedly asked them to let her go to the bathroom the terrorists were still holding Rachel and David hostage continuing to keep them full and happy in hopes they would continue to let them live On what is now being called Black Saturday she and her husband spent 20 hours held captive by the group of terrorists After a long dance between the police and the terrorists with the help of her police officer son who knew the house well the SWAT team was able to take over and the couple escaped to safety at just around two in the morning The couple’s house was turned into what Rachel calls “the site of a pogrom” and they have moved in with their son Every time I close my eyes I see the terrorists,” Rachel said Netflix hit drama about a hot Jewish serial killer, ‘You,’ is over. Was the ending dead wrong? Jerusalem’s hidden scrolls: The earliest evidence of the Hebrew bible Everything you thought about the Messiah is wrong What is Yom Ha’atzmaut? When and how do we celebrate Israel’s Independence Day? As Israel marks Yom HaZikaron, 59 hostage families still wait for their loved ones to come home Israel’s sacred bond with the Jewish people Each week we bring you a wrap-up of all the best stories from Unpacked Stay in the know and feel smarter about all things Jewish What is Yom Hazikaron? How and when do we commemorate Israel’s Memorial Day? Nathan Fielder was censored for fighting antisemitism with humor. ‘The Rehearsal’ is his response. The ultimate guide to Jewish women’s head coverings Contact Us Masthead About Us Author Bios Pitch Us Careers An OpenDor Media brand © 2025 OpenDor Media The Knesset's Labor and Welfare Committee has approved a compensation package of more than one billion shekels for residents of the Gaza envelope and Ofakim which was reached after lengthy negotiations between the committee's chairman the Ministry of Finance and the National Insurance Institute guarantees significant grants to all residents including those in the haredi neighborhoods residents aged 18 and over will be able to choose between two options: a cash grant of NIS 7,180 or a grant of NIS 5,000 plus a recovery and rehabilitation basket worth NIS 4,800 Children under the age of 18 will receive a grant of 2,000 shekels plus a recovery and rehabilitation basket worth 4,800 shekels the agreement will apply to all residents of Ofakim including yeshiva students and guests who were staying in the city during Simchat Torah "This is an important step for the rehabilitation of the residents and their families," Eichler said emphasizing the crucial contribution of MK Almog Cohen no one would have received anything." MK Cohen expressed his appreciation to the chairman of the committee: "Rabbi Eichler's understanding inclusion and determination led to this wonderful outcome," he said The bill was approved unanimously by the committee The International Bible Contest in 2023 | Photo: Shalev Shalom Israel's Independence Day tradition – the International Bible Contest featuring contestants from all over world – will be held Tuesday at the Jerusalem Theater with 16 youth competing: 12 from the Diaspora and 4 from Israel All will vie for the title of World Bible Champion The final list of contestants was determined through a qualifying exam held during a Bible camp preceding the event It will also feature a performance by children from communities around the Gaza border The judges will include Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana as well Iris Haim (mother of Yotam Haim killed by Israeli fire) and World Zionist Organization Chair Yaakov Hagoel deputy director of the Education Ministry overseeing the event described the preparations in an interview with Israel Hayom: "The quiz will focus on courage and revival this year; this will be reflected in the questions themselves and how they're asked and some questions will be asked by Rachel Edri known colloquially as "Rachel from Ofakim" after she fought off terrorists on Oct a senior reserve officer who teaches at a pre-military academy and a representative of the Druze community Yigal Oshri will sing his song 'Leaving Depression' with children from around Gaza." Rosenblat said all contestants arrived last week from around the world: "Their families showed extraordinary resilience sending their children and expressing full confidence in Israel's ability to protect them." Rosenblat stressed: "The contest will be impactful empowering and unifying – what the country needs now It will be a different kind of Bible contest that preserves the connection to the Bible while reflecting what's happening in Israel Nothing connects the Jewish people in Israel and the Diaspora like this contest." Education Minister Yoav Kisch stated: "Especially in these complex times for Israel we chose to hold the quiz focused on Jewish courage and to host students from the Diaspora for the 76th Independence Day expressing the history and roots of the Jewish people and proving our attachment and settlement in the Land of Israel." You think I'm gonna put up with this sh*t at my bar Newly revealed SS officer tape provides direct evidence of Hitler's explicit command for Jewish extermination A group called "Youth Demand" called on protesters to come to the site The commander of the Ofakim police station recalls the battle against Hamas that saved thousands at the Supernova festival on October 7th and announced to the crowd that the party was over I immediately instructed the police officers to open all the emergency exits and start evacuating the people from the party." the police went through the tents of the partygoers and called them to flee the place "There were 40 minutes here where those who left did not see terrorists We managed to get 2500 people out at the first stage who did not see terrorists." he encountered terrorists and was injured in the shoulder by a grenade "I had enough time to shout to them 'Grenade everyone lie down,' I lay down and got hit by shrapnel." 2023Get email notification for articles from Nir Hasson FollowOct 8 2023The fighting in the southern town of Ofakim which a group of Hamas terrorists from Gaza infiltrated on Saturday but from time to time rumors spread about other terrorists hiding in the city prompting the residents to be told to hole themselves up inside which is about 18 kilometers (11 miles) from the Gaza border but most of its residents were still shuttered inside their homes in fear Asher Hershkowitz, the son of the Shluchim in the southern Israeli city of Ofakim, tragically passed away. Full Story Asher Hershkowitz, the son of the Shluchim in the southern Israeli city of Ofakim, tragically passed away. Full Story the son of the Shluchim in the southern Israeli city of Ofakim Hershkowitz was this past year a kevutza student in the Central Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim Lubavitch – 770 Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights where his parents Rabbi Yisroel and Sara Hershkowitz (nee Donin) have established and lead a growing Chabad community with several institutions Ofakim was one of the locations that Hamas terrorists targeted Rabbi Hershkowitz was widely recognized for his efforts in the aftermath of the attack is sadly the third child in the family who passes away His sister Chaya Mushka Hershkowitz obm dedicated her young life to helping and educating Jews in Ofakim. At age 23, she passed away on Friday His brother Rabbi Shimmy Hershkovitz, a husband and father of a baby who returned to Ofakim to help his father in Shlichus, passed away on Tuesday, 26 Elul, 5783 He was 27 and passed away and battled a terrible illness Sign up for the COLlive Daily News Roundup and never miss a story Δdocument.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()) Δdocument.getElementById("ak_js_2").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()) Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Thirteen women who exhibited extraordinary bravery during the October 7 onslaught by Hamas recently inaugurated “The Path of Heroines” established in their honor The special project, launched by Keren Kaymeth L’Israel-Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF) saw the women each plant a tree along a path at Ofakim Park in Israel’s Negev Desert. allowing visitors to uncover the story of each heroine by scanning the code Each woman has an exceptional story of perseverance and survival. Bukhris, Sultan, Tadgi, Mali and Gur are all in law enforcement. On October 7, they separately fought off terrorists while evacuating wounded civilians in the Gaza border region. Mali and Gur were all badly injured in battles with the terrorists Yahalomi and Tsengauker both have sons who were taken hostage by Hamas on October 7 Dickstein helped the Jewish community in Ukraine following the Russian invasion in 2021. She flew to Israel following the October 7 attacks to volunteer in the Gaza border region. Cohen is a volunteer with ZAKA which helps in search and recovery of human remains following any accident on October 7 after he fell trying to save lives while battling the terrorists. Levi and Hadad both traveled back and forth under fire to evacuate the wounded. Levi helped those hurt at the Supernova music festival near Kibbutz Re’im, and Hadad helped the wounded in Ofakim made the tough choice to make sure her cows were safe when five terrorists descended on her community on October 7 She and her team milked and fed 600 cows while the men of the kibbutz were outside battling the terrorists Medina’s husband was shot and wounded at a junction near the kibbutz while her children hid in the community bomb shelter because their home had no protected room. The Path of Heroines project was initiated by KKL-JNF Chairwoman Ifat Ovadia Luski and unveiled at a ceremony hosted by former Miss World Linor Abargil Abargil has been actively advocating for the female victims of the Hamas assault. She has appeared at the United Nations, lamenting the organization’s lack of condemnation of sexual violence committed by the terrorists against Israeli women. Ovadia Luski told the attendees at the ceremony that instead of “placing a statue or a silent stone in salute to these heroines Because the heroism of October 7 is part of a long journey that begins long before us – and will continue long after us.” Foreign Minister Eli Cohen visited the southern Israeli city of Ofakim on Wednesday together with British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly The two spoke with locals who were held for hours by Hamas terrorists during the group’s attack on Israel this past Saturday Among the victims of the Hamas attack were also British citizens including one dead and seven who are missing "The stories we heard from the parents of abducted soldier Ron Sherman and the story of heroism we heard at the home of Rachel and David Edri were painful and heartbreaking Citizens who faced the danger of death here while murderous terrorists knocked on their doors with the goal of murdering as many people as possible without any distinction," said Minister Cohen for the visit of support and solidarity and for coming to the south in order to show the people of Israel Britain and the entire world that Britain stands with the people of Israel and supports our right to protect our citizens against the Hamas terrorist organization These visits of solidarity strengthen the international support for Israel and expose the visitors to the atrocities committed by the Hamas terrorists." sirens were sounded in Ofakim due to a rocket attack from Gaza The Foreign Secretary commented on this in a post on X “Today I’ve seen a glimpse of what millions experience every day The threat of Hamas rockets lingers over every Israeli man This is why we are standing shoulder to shoulder with Israel.” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is scheduled to arrive in Israel on Thursday on behalf of US President Joe Biden אופקים pic.twitter.com/SO85j5E00W the Gaza War Presents Special ChallengesThere are 1.2 million Russian speakers in Israel but some of the elderly among them struggle with Hebrew A committed group of volunteers is endeavoring to help them recover from the trauma of October 7 and ensure that they receive the state benefits they are due 2023Get email notification for articles from Anastasia Shub FollowDec 29 Dina Kogan rushed to the front door of her apartment as the first sirens started wailing in Ofakim some 20 kilometers (12 miles) from the Gaza border Terrorists in Gaza driving a stolen IDF jeep | Photo: AFP especially residents of the Gaza periphery as many spent the day locked inside their homes for hours fearing for their lives as Hamas terrorists roamed the streets Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram who hid 24 hours indoors in their home in Ofakim said they chose not to go to the shelter because it was more dangerous Video: Israeli parents in a desperate search for their missing children "I saw the terrorists running down the street "It took the security forces around 40 minutes to arrive," says Philip as he stands in the street full of blood stains from slain residents Locals were divided into two: either feeling fortunate to have survived or feeling angry that help arrived so late "It's a disgrace what's happening here," Anya said the only thing we did was take pictures and report to the neighbors A woman who lives near me is still at home and refuses to open the door to me I told her several times that everything was fine and she could come outside I told her to not even think about going outside and all of a sudden we heard a terrible explosion And the ringing in the ears and awful headache I crawled to call for help because we were told to lock the doors Herzl Shaubi is hospitalized after being shot in the chest outside a synagogue in Sderot where I began preparations for Simchat Torah It was strange for me to hear those sounds I was standing at the entrance to the synagogue and was hit by a bullet I immediately understood that it was a sniper who hit me They stood on rooftops and shot at everyone who passed by on the street there was a car at the synagogue and my friend took me to the hospital." Yom Tov Chassid has been going from hospital to hospital with a picture of his 23-year-old son who was at the peace festival on Saturday that was targeted by Hamas terrorists "He called us when the shots started and we heard them over the phone I've been through all the hospitals looking for missing persons Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories each frontline operative now receives about $61 monthly The Wall Street Journal reports the terror organization was mainly dependent on humanitarian aid sold for cash The Lebanese President announced that in 2025 weapons would be concentrated exclusively in state hands maintaining that Hezbollah's disarmament "will..