Funny Chicken Artshelter ~ Kibbutz Karmia ~ Marc Plonskier & Heni Koenigsberg

Kibbutz Karmia is located in the south of Israel between Ashkelon and Gaza. In 1972 the kibbutz began manufacturing quality blankets and “Karmia Blankets” became a very well-known brand. Although the factory was sold, over the years the community has continued to provide a warm and welcoming “blanket” to groups in need of support. Kibbutz Karmia was mercifully spared the atrocities of other Western Negev communities. On the Friday evening before the attack, an activity was held in the kibbutz for which many of the residents slept on the central lawn of the kibbutz. So when the surprise attack began on that fateful Saturday morning, they quickly gathered to a shelter together in the safe rooms of the children’s home, which was guarded by their security chief Alexis Hass and the civil defense team. Haas received constant updates on what was happening in nearby communities such as Netiv Ha’asara, Zikim and Yad Mordechai, and prepared for combat. Fortunately, the Hamas terrorists were arrested in Zikim and at the Yad Mordechai intersection before reaching Kibbutz Karmia. The residents stayed in the protected areas for many hours until they received permission from the IDF to evacuate in the afternoon.