From his Minnesota home, 25-year-old Ben Rivnik watched in horror as news broke of the surprise attack on Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak on October 7. Just months before, this had been his home while serving in the IDF.
Having joined through the Garin Tzabar lone soldier program, Rivnik lived in the kibbutz throughout his service. "I couldn't stay in the U.S. for another minute," he recalls. "I booked a flight and returned to Israel."
Rivnik, a dedicated fighter in the Golani Brigade, volunteered for a month of reserve duty. The attack on Nir Yitzhak, where he had lived with his adoptive family, the Donanas, claimed the lives of eight of his friends.
Additionally, three others were kidnapped and murdered in captivity, including the kibbutz's military security coordinator, Yaron Shahar. Ben has now stepped into his role as the tiny community's new security coordinator.
Rivnik's journey to Israel began in 2017 when he enrolled to study business administration in Herzliya. His parents and twin brother remained in Minnesota. Later, he joined the Garin Tzabar program and was assigned to live in Nir Yitzhak. He moved to the kibbutz in August 2020 and enlisted in the Golani Brigade in November. Last week, he returned to the kibbutz, now residing in the home of his adoptive family, who have since been evacuated.
When Hamas struck, Rivnik was in the United States, contemplating his next steps in life. "I fell in love with the kibbutz, just like that," Ben reminisces.
"I had wonderful years there, but I wasn't really thinking of coming back. After October 7, it was clear to me that I had to return. I wanted to help rebuild the place that had been my home. When I saw they were looking for a new security coordinator, I jumped at the opportunity. It's a great honor for me. The events at the kibbutz pained me deeply. I took it very hard, but it's the restoration that matters most."
The residents of Nir Yitzhak are currently evacuated to Kibbutz Eilot in the deep south, far from Gaza. They are expected to return home in the coming summer or by the start of the next school year.
"I hope everyone will come back and that peace will return to the area," Rivnik said. "We in the kibbutz are waiting for them, preserving what we have. My parents worry about me, but I stay in touch with them constantly. As American Jews, they understand my need to take part in the restoration and protection of the kibbutz. Besides, they’ll be visiting me soon."