Several kibbutz communities in the Gaza envelope celebrated the harvest holiday of Shavuot at home this year, marking the first time since the Hamas terrorist attack of October 7, 2023, that there were no hostages held captive in Gaza.

Israel’s kibbutz communities have long celebrated Shavuot with ceremonies welcoming the harvest holiday in dance and song, mimicking scythes cutting wheat or farmers bearing baskets full of new fruit.

This year’s celebrations of the holiday that fell last week Thursday evening and Friday, were particularly poignant.

Kibbutz Nir Oz, the community hardest hit on October 7, with nearly a quarter of its residents killed or taken captive, held their celebration in two locations, in the urban neighborhood of Carmei Gat, where most of the surviving residents are living, and at home on the kibbutz, on the following day.

Their evening event included the traditional ceremony introducing babies born to the kibbutz in the past year, and a cheesecake competition, with dairy products a traditional staple of the holiday.

(The winning dessert was mini cheesecake loaves formed to look like haystacks.)

Kibbutz member Yamit Avital, whose brother-in-law was killed in battle on October 7, said in a speech that Nir Oz is celebrating Shavuot with........

© The Times of Israel