New Memorial Wall Dedicated to 466 Kibbutz Members Lost in Conflict

A new memorial wall was unveiled this week at the national Memorial to Fallen Kibbutz Members in Mishmar HaEmek, honoring 466 kibbutz residents who were killed during the October 7 Hamas massacre and in the ongoing Israel-Hamas War.

This solemn addition to the site, located in the Megiddo Regional Council, represents one of the most significant updates to the memorial since its founding. Previously, four stone walls bore the names of 3,067 fallen kibbutzniks who gave their lives in Israel’s wars and in acts of terror. The newly inaugurated fifth wall adds 391 names from October 7 and 75 more from the months since, standing as a powerful reminder of the kibbutz movement’s enduring sacrifice for the Jewish state.

The project was made possible through the Kibbutz Movement Rehabilitation Fund, which has played a key role in supporting grieving families and rebuilding devastated communities in the wake of the attacks. Though the wall was unveiled in the lead-up to Israel’s Memorial Day, it will be officially inaugurated during the Kibbutz Movement’s separate ceremony next month.

Adding to the emotional weight of the site is a new monument commemorating a painful coincidence on the eve of the October 7 attacks, kibbutzim belonging to the historic "11 Points" were marking the anniversary of the kibbutz movement’s founding a moment meant to celebrate life, interrupted by unimaginable loss.

“As many communities continue to grieve their losses and kibbutzim work to rebuild their homes, it is crucial to pause and honor their memory,” said Neri Shotan, CEO of the Kibbutz Movement Rehabilitation Fund. “The work of rehabilitation continues amidst great uncertainty, and we stand with them in remembrance and solidarity.”

The kibbutz movement, rooted in ideals of mutual responsibility and pioneering spirit, has long played a central role in defending Israel’s borders and cultivating its land. This new wall, etched with the names of farmers, soldiers, teachers, and children alike, testifies to that legacy and to the price that has been paid to preserve the promise of Jewish life in the land of Israel.

Visitors are welcome at the memorial, which continues to serve not only as a place of national mourning but also as a living tribute to the courage, sacrifice, and enduring hope of Israel’s kibbutz communities.

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