You may be even more familiar with expressions like Sababa or Yofi after a trip to…
Itay Mevorach loved growing up in Jerusalem in the late nineties. His childhood was one of simple joys like playing soccer in the streets, and walking freely through neighborhoods shared by Jews, Christians, and Muslims. To Itay, Jerusalem felt like a little kibbutz—comfortable and safe. “It was a place where everyone knew everyone,” he said. “You felt at home wherever you went.”
But on May 18, 2003, everything changed. Itay was 15. He ran to catch a bus, but it pulled away. Minutes later, that bus exploded in one of Jerusalem’s deadliest suicide bombings, killing dozens, including his close friend Matan—they had just been to the movies together the day before. “I was 30 seconds away from being on that bus,” Itay remembered. “At the time, I couldn’t even process it. I didn’t understand how something so hateful could happen in the city where I felt so safe.”
The tragedy shattered the innocence of Itay’s childhood. He now saw armed guards everywhere and grew accustomed to constant fear and vigilance. When he joined the Navy, he became a training commander, guiding soldiers through their first experiences aboard naval ships. It was during this time that he first participated in Birthright Israel as part of the Mifgash. Itay was initially skeptical of these young Jews from around the world; he wondered what preconceived notions about Israel they brought with them. But he was quickly won over by their warmth and passion. “I love Israel, and I will never leave. But I couldn’t believe that people wanted to come to Israel, despite everything they saw on the news. They weren’t here to see war—they came to see the beauty, the people, and the culture.”
After completing his military service, Itay settled in Kibbutz Nir Am in southern Israel—next to Sderot, on the Gaza border. The kibbutz reminded him of the Jerusalem of his childhood, with its tightknit community and connection to the land. At the kibbutz, he walked around barefoot. “It was a magical place—the sunsets, the fruit gardens, the people. It felt like home,” he said. Itay met his wife Shany there and they had a son, Yonatan.
Determined to strengthen the community, Itay took over the kibbutz’s Green Pub, transforming it into a vibrant cultural hub. Over the years, the pub grew from a modest 60-square-meter space to a sprawling 400-square-meter venue that hosted performances and events for people throughout the region. The pub became more than just someplace to have a beer—it was a place where friendships were made, where people fell in love, and where the community came together. By Itay’s count, 73 married couples met at the pub.
On October 6th, 2023, the Green Pub hosted one of its most joyous events: a birthday party for Yuval Salomon, a beloved resident of nearby Kibbutz Kfar Aza, who was like a little brother to Itay. The next morning, joy turned to horror. Hamas terrorists infiltrated Kfar Aza in a brutal attack and murdered, injured, or kidnapped most of the party’s attendees. Tragically, Yuval was killed.
Itay, Shany and four-year-old Yonatan narrowly escaped the fate of many of their closest friends, sheltering in a safe room for thirteen hours before being rescued. “We had no idea what was happening,” he said. “We thought maybe a few terrorists had entered, not thousands.” When they were finally evacuated, the devastation was impossible to comprehend. “Driving out, we saw bodies, cars destroyed, and everything we knew in ruins.”
Displaced and living in a cramped Tel Aviv hotel with other survivors, Itay felt the weight of grief and responsibility. “We lost everything—our homes, our community, our sense of security,” he said. Around this time, Birthright Israel launched its Volunteer Program and sent volunteers to contribute to the recovery effort. Itay was contacted by Eliran Cohen, an old friend from his Birthright Israel experience years ago. Now VP of Operations and Business Development for Birthright Israel Onward, Eliran asked Itay whether Nir Am could use some help from volunteers—and Itay gratefully agreed.
Birthright Israel volunteers cleaned and restored the kibbutz’s kindergarten and other communal spaces, bringing a renewed sense of hope to the heartbroken community. Without the volunteers’ help, Nir Am residents couldn’t have returned to their homes in time for their children to begin the new school year. There was too much work to do, and they could not have faced it alone. “It wasn’t just their labor—it was the spirit they brought with them,” said Itay. “They reminded us that we weren’t alone.”
Today, the kibbutz is slowly rebuilding, with the help of Birthright Israel volunteers, though the scars of October 7th remain. When the Green Pub reopened, its first event was a memorial for Itay’s friend Yuval. The pub has been restored as a place to gather, mourn, and rebuild. In the past year, Itay has attended 42 funerals of friends and employees from the pub. But for him, the path forward is clear. “We’ve been through something that’s bigger than life. But we’re stronger now. Our community is closer, and we know we can overcome anything together.”
As he reflects on his journey—from narrowly evading a bombing in Jerusalem, to surviving the worst terrorist attack in Israeli history, to rebuilding a shattered kibbutz—Itay’s message is one of hope and community. “You can’t buy strength or energy with money. It comes from people, from their willingness to stand with you when you’re at your lowest. That’s what keeps us going.”
