A north-west London synagogue has partnered with a small village in Israel’s Gaza envelope to help the community rebuild after the October 7 massacre.

South Hampstead Synagogue has linked up with Moshav Pri Gan, a village of about 70 families just three miles from the Gaza border, through a global initiative called Bridge of Hope, established after October 7 to bring together communities affected by the attacks and supporters around the world.

“We’re fundraising for Pri Gan’s security and helping them build a children’s playground, but we’re also making a connection and creating a deeper relationship with the community to understand who they are and put real people behind this horrible situation,” said Rachel Roberts, one of the community organisers at South Hampstead Synagogue. "Like the name, our aim is to build bridges.”

Rabbi Shlomo Levin of South Hampstead Synagogue visiting Moshav Pri Gan in the Gaza envelope (Photo: Gary Sheldon)

On the morning of October 7, Pri Gan was invaded by around 10 Hamas terrorists, who severely damaged two homes and would have likely killed members of the community had it not been for the heroic efforts of volunteers from the neighbouring village of Shlomit.

“They volunteered to come - they were even told not to come because they're supposed to stay and guard their own place,” said Hadar Fadida, a resident of Moshav Pri Gan. “But they came anyway, and four of them were killed.”

“No one was killed from our moshav, and no one was taken hostage because the people from Shlomit saved us.”

Even so, the small village was evacuated after the attacks, and its displaced residents, traumatised by their near brush with death, have been wary of returning.

Hadar, who is originally from Nottingham and moved to Israel in 1985, hopes the partnership with South Hampstead Synagogue will lessen their fear, “We're trying to, first of all, attract back the people who were very traumatised,” she said. “They thought they were going to die - they said goodbye to each other. So, we need to give them a sense of safety again.”

To this end, the moshav plans to install a security camera system which, in the case of a security breach, would set off alarms to give those in the community time to "defend ourselves better”, said Hadar.

Members of South Hampstead Synagogue are shown round Moshav Pri Gan during a solidarity trip to Israel after October 7 (Photo: Gary Sheldon)

South Hampstead Synagogue has set up a fundraiser to fetch the £80,000 necessary to install the new security system and playground for the children of Pri Gan, which will hopefully encourage community members to feel safe enough to return home. They are inviting people who aren’t members of the congregation to contribute.

Several members of the synagogue, including Rabbi Shlomo Levin, visited Moshav Pri Gan as part of a solidarity mission earlier this year.

Gary Sheldon from South Hampstead Synagogue (left) meeting Hadar Fadida at Moshav Pri Gan on a solidarity mission to Israel (Photo: Gary Sheldon)

Synagogue member Gary Sheldon, who was among the visitors, said: “I went to Pri Gan with a fear that I would be seen by the residents as a voyeur and a tourist. Nothing could have been further from the truth. Our group were made to feel so welcome and we felt we were there to help ease their suffering by enabling them to share their painful experience.

“The horror of defending themselves against an unknown number of attackers for what seemed like an eternity was made real, not only by their stories but also by witnessing the carnage of destroyed homes with bullet holes literally from floor to ceiling,” said Gary.

“We left after some two hours, feeling we truly are one family, so much so that we have an active WhatsApp group with Pri Gan that we have named ‘United Together with Love’.”

Hadar said the partnership with the London synagogue “gave me a glimmer of hope” during a time when she and others from the moshav felt “paralysed”.

She added that she hoped to see a lasting relationship develop, especially between the children of the moshav and the London synagogue, so that they can see “that we’re all the same”.

“There's this financial part of it, so that we can get the camera system, but also the mental part, knowing that there's someone on our side and that the world hasn't gone completely mad,” said Hadar. 

Anyone interested in supporting the moshav can donate via UJIA here