Implemented through a dedicated professional directorate within KKL-JNF, this initiative marks one of the most comprehensive efforts since the outbreak of the war to strengthen Israel’s periphery and encourage the return of residents and businesses to frontier regions.
The plan, approved by KKL-JNF’s Board of Directors, responds to an extensive range of needs identified on the ground — from restoring public infrastructure and private residences to economic revitalization, demographic growth, and strategic investment in education, innovation, and community resilience. Upholding its historic role as a leader in Israel’s development, KKL-JNF is transitioning from immediate emergency assistance toward a sustainable, long-term rehabilitation framework designed to secure a stronger and safer future for these affected regions.
As part of this initiative, Kibbutz Nir Oz has been designated a special primary aid focus, receiving a dedicated budget of NIS 75 million. On October 7, Nir Oz endured unprecedented devastation, losing roughly a quarter of its residents in the massacre and kidnappings, and seeing about 95% of its public buildings destroyed — the most severe damage sustained by any community in the Gaza Envelope. The rehabilitation plan for Nir Oz includes rebuilding infrastructure and public facilities, strengthening the community, and supporting the absorption of a new youth group of over 50 members — a powerful statement of resilience and renewal.
The special budget will be distributed across several core areas:
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Community rehabilitation and expansion – Returning evacuated residents to their homes while welcoming new populations, including professionals in high-demand fields, mission-driven groups, and educators.
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Economic revitalization – Establishing employment hubs and providing incentives for sustainable economic growth, leveraging regional strengths.
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Education and community investment – Constructing and renovating educational and communal facilities, supporting youth movements, pre-military academies, yeshivot hesder, and student villages.
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Innovation and trauma recovery – Establishing innovation centers in agriculture and environmental technology, and supporting treatment facilities for post-trauma victims.
Assistance will also be provided to northern and southern municipalities that have hosted evacuees from the affected regions. In addition, KKL-JNF will establish community centers (“KKL-JNF Houses”) in Gaza Envelope towns to foster leadership and excellence among the next generation.
“KKL-JNF stands shoulder to shoulder with the residents of northern Israel and the western Negev,” said KKL-JNF Chairwoman Ifat Ovadia-Luski. “This NIS 750 million investment reflects our deep commitment not only to the rapid restoration of what was lost, but to building a strong, secure, and thriving future — an essential part of Israel’s national renewal after the war. The people of Israel have endured crises before, and we have always risen from them. We are here to restore hope and stability.”
KKL-JNF emphasized that the program’s ultimate goal is not only to restore what existed before, but to create new engines of growth to ensure the long-term prosperity of towns and cities, while maintaining the continuity of communities along Israel’s borders. The organization will work closely with government ministries, local authorities, and the communities themselves to ensure that funds are invested effectively to meet real needs on the ground.