Aviya's Farm
A place of healing and growth, created in memory of Aviya — to carry her light forward and turn grief into purpose.
Aviya, our eldest daughter, was murdered at the Nova party near Kibbutz Re’em, on the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah on Oct. 7, 2023.
Aviya was a ray of light. She had the ability to love others and live both simply and fully. She was blessed with the ability to observe her surroundings with positivity, depth and sensitivity.
She made people happy and made them feel loved, beautiful and powerful. She knew how to give unconditional love and she connected people and different worlds in a special way.
AVIYA’S DREAM
Aviya dreamed of studying psychology and helping people develop and grow. She believed that each person experiences the world in a unique way, and she had the rare ability to walk alongside them with empathy and presence. Aviya carried a deep belief in the power of repair, renewal, and personal growth.
CARRYING AVIYA’S LIGHT FORWARD
We hope to perpetuate Aviya’s goodness. Despite our encounter with grief and loss, we want to shine Aviya’s light on as many people as possible, especially those who are dealing with challenges. In Aviya’s memory, we plan to build an agricultural center that will serve as a nurturing space for healing and growth.
Elad, Avia’s father, now shares her story across Israel and abroad. Through his words, her voice continues to echo—calling for resilience, unity, and the courage to choose life in the face of loss. His mission is to remind us all of the human spirit’s power to transform grief into purpose.
Contact CFOIC Heartland if you would like to schedule Elad to share with your congregation, synagogue, small group, home meeting or other event.
More About Aviya's Farm and the Funds they Need
On October 7th, 2023, Elad Ganut’s entire world turned completely upside down. That day, his precious daughter and first-born child Aviya was attending the Nova festival, one of many sites targeted by the swarm of Hamas terrorists. That evening, without any certainty regarding Aviya’s fate, Elad and his family embarked on a search for Aviya near the location of the Nova festival, hoping and praying against all odds that she was still alive and in hiding. Sadly, one week later, Aviya’s family’s worst nightmare became a reality, when the IDF confirmed that their dear Aviya had been murdered.
Devastated and heartbroken, Elad could not move forward without preserving a remnant of Aviya’s spirit in the world. Never forgetting that Aviya always displayed an unwavering commitment to uplift everyone around her, Elad envisioned establishing a farm in Aviya’s memory that would provide comfort and peace for survivors of the terrorist attacks on October 7, 2023 as well as for bereaved family members of victims.
From a very isolated spot in the Jordan Valley, east of the community of Mechora, at a location completely disconnected from any infrastructure, Elad took the very first steps in making his dream a reality. With nothing more than a small stand and several sheep, Elad founded the farm, which would be named after his late daughter Aviya. Soon thereafter, he recruited a number of volunteers. Elad is now determined to bring his dream to fruition by acquiring the most basic needs for his farm including two tractors, yurts and tents to accommodate guests and a solar energy system that will enable all the farm’s machinery and utilities to function. But Elad cannot complete these vital goals without your help!