The Bergman Family’s Ongoing Struggle Amid Northern Israel’s Conflict

The Bergman Family’s Journey Amid Conflict

For months, Erez Bergman had been tirelessly advocating for the evacuated residents of northern Israel, particularly those living near the volatile border with Lebanon. His hope was to encourage families to return to their homes, allowing children to resume their education this fall and enabling residents to repair the destruction caused by Hezbollah’s missiles and drones.

Alongside 80,000 other Israelis from the northern regions, Mr. Bergman, 51, his wife Maya, and their three school-age children were forced to leave their home in Kibbutz Snir last October. This evacuation marked a historic moment, as it was the first mass exodus ordered by the Israeli government from this area. The decision stemmed from the increasing tensions along the northern border.

In the aftermath of the Hamas-led attacks on October 7 and Israel’s subsequent bombardment of Gaza, Hezbollah began launching rockets into northern Israel. The Israeli military responded with retaliatory strikes, resulting in a prolonged cycle of violence that affected communities in both southern Lebanon and northern Israel.

In April, the Bergman family made the decision to return to Snir, a cooperative village nestled in the beautiful Galilee Panhandle, a region of Israeli territory that extends upwards along the border. However, in late July, they found themselves compelled to evacuate once more — and this time, the duration of their departure remained uncertain. The escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah had reached alarming heights, leaving Mr. Bergman and other northern residents feeling as though they were facing “another lost year.”

Prior to the recent surge in violence, Mr. Bergman had taken the initiative to lead a project called “Coming Home,” organized through the local council. The objective was to facilitate the return of as many evacuees as possible for the new school year starting on September 1. In mid-July, while seated at his family’s dining table, which offered a sweeping view of southern Lebanon, he expressed his commitment: the reason for their return was rooted in a deep sense of Zionism.

Unfortunately, after more than six months spent in temporary accommodations further south, the Bergman family returned to their house in Kibbutz Snir, only to face yet another evacuation in recent weeks.

Credit: Avishag Shaar-Yashuv for The New York Times