No. 46: Alon Futterman, Alon Davidi, Inbal Rabin-Liberman: The heroes of Israel's South

Alon Futterman - Director Kfar Azza Foundation

Alon Futterman is the director of the Kfar Azza Foundation, created after the massacre of October 7, when Hamas attacked Israeli towns and killed 1,200 people. Kfar Azza lost 64 residents, and 19 of the 240 kidnapped individuals are from the community. The foundation supports those impacted by this tragedy and helps them rebuild their lives.

The displaced southern community now faces challenges in rebuilding, planning for the future, and securing economic and social stability. The foundation aims to form partnerships, provide professional assistance, and establish flexible funding to meet the community’s needs, supplementing government support.

Alon advises other communities affected by the October 7 massacre and raised millions of dollars globally to support survivors. He has held prominent roles, such as CEO of Keren Hayesod – UIA. He also founded TALMA, an educational leadership program. He has received numerous awards for his public service and is an advocate for social change.

Alon lectures on educational leadership and hosts the Kfar Azza Talk podcast, highlighting stories from the Gaza Envelope. He lives in Ben Shemen Youth Village with his wife, Meital, and their two children.

Alon Davidi - Sderot’s heroic and resilient mayor

Sderot Mayor Alon Davidi is one of the many regional and municipal leaders who fought on their own on October 7 when Hamas terrorists invaded from Gaza, wreaking havoc, murdering 1,200 people, and taking more than 200 hostages.

Some of the very first images the Israeli public saw of the massacres taking place across Israel’s South came from Sderot. Footage of trucks carrying terrorists quickly spread online, igniting many Israelis’ worst fears. Over 50 civilians were brutally murdered in the city, as well as 20 police officers, who died in a gunfight with Hamas terrorists while defending their station, which was burned to the ground.

Davidi remained vocal as the fighting in his city continued. The battle of Sderot lasted two more days, ending only on October 9. Davidi spoke to anyone who would listen, calling on the government to help the municipality evacuate the city’s residents.

After the gunfight ended, Davidi toured the war-torn areas of his city. Echoing the residents’ fears, he said, “They’ve lived here for over 20 years. This place is not safe; it is too dangerous for them here. We have a strong community, but their pockets are being emptied.”

His calls were eventually heeded, and by the end of October, more than 80% of the city’s residents were evacuated. Many of them have gradually returned to their homes since February, but that hasn’t stopped Davidi from speaking out about what he views as injustices done to southern Israelis over the course of the last year.

Speaking about his own experience as a Sderot resident on October 7, Davidi told 103FM in May, “Do you know how difficult it is for us? We are always under stress; some southern communities have yet to return.

“I keep hearing about our forces being too lax...but we have to show strength and understand that while it won’t be easy, we will emerge victorious.”

Davidi’s resilience as mayor of southern Israel’s most beleaguered city epitomizes the strength of Israel’s southern residents at large, elevating him to one of the world’s most influential Jews today.

Inbal Rabin-Liberman - The regular civilian who rose to the occasion

On October 7, Inbal Rabin-Liberman, a 25-year-old resident of Kibbutz Nir Am, demonstrated extraordinary bravery and quick thinking that saved her community from the brutal Hamas assault that the collective Jewish world is reeling from until today.

As Hamas terrorists launched a surprise assault on Israeli border communities, Rabin-Liberman was among the first to recognize the imminent threat. She swiftly organized the kibbutz’s defense, distributing weapons and coordinating the kibbutz’s response team of 12 residents.

Rabin-Liberman’s decisive actions and leadership were pivotal in preventing the terrorists from breaching the kibbutz. She ran between houses, setting up ambushes and ensuring that her community was prepared to defend itself.

Her efforts not only protected the lives of residents of the kibbutz but also defenseless agricultural workers who were in the area when Hamas began its brutal assault.