The sports center and gym at the Israel Defense Forces’ Re’im Base reopened on Feb. 24 as part of a comprehensive NIS 23 million ($7.3 million) reconstruction project led by Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) and the Association for Israel’s Soldiers (AFIS) to restore facilities destroyed during the terrorist infiltration at the Gaza Division headquarters base on Oct. 7, 2023.
Supporters, soldiers and commanders gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony, affixing the mezuzah, unveiling a commemorative plaque and an inaugural basketball game marking the return of the sports complex. The center’s initial construction was funded by donors from FIDF’s New York tristate area real estate affinity Group, who, following Oct. 7, came together to spearhead its rebuilding.
The restored facility includes a state-of-the-art fitness gym and indoor basketball arena with seating for spectators. It serves as the centerpiece of a broader rehabilitation project to rebuild the base’s operational, social, welfare and religious infrastructure.
After terrorists infiltrated the base on Oct. 7, they chose the sports center as their own base of operation and fortified position for further attacks on the soldiers and their families there. As IDF special forces closed in as they worked to liberate the base, the terrorists made the gym the site of their final stand. Opting to mitigate the risks to ground troops, an airstrike was called in to eliminate the terrorists, rendering the building utterly destroyed. Overall, the attack left many of the base’s operational, social, welfare and religious centers unusable.
In the months that followed, a large-scale rehabilitation effort was launched to restore the base to full operational capacity. Through funding from FIDF and in partnership with AFIS, damaged facilities across the base were rebuilt and restored.
The project included restoring the synagogue, library, health clinic and other structures. Crews completed electrical, air-conditioning and sealing work, as well as repainting, safety repairs and reconstruction of infrastructure damaged during the attack.
The sports center, which became one of the most visible symbols of the battle, was rebuilt from the ground up. The renovation also included refurbishment of the gym, soldiers’ club, memorial room and additional welfare facilities, aimed at providing Gaza Division soldiers with a fully equipped environment.
“Rehabilitating Re’im base is a true mission, stemming from the inseparable bond between the Jewish community in the United States and IDF soldiers,” said FIDF CEO Maj. Gen. (Res.) Nadav Padan. “Commitment is tested in times of emergency, and our support has grown stronger. It continues throughout the long process of rebuilding, recovery and strengthening morale. The reconstruction of the sports center and other welfare facilities symbolizes the determination to restore routine, stability and a place that enables soldiers to continue their mission with a sense of security and pride. We stand alongside the soldiers of the Gaza Division today and in the future, with full and ongoing commitment.”
“The rehabilitation project at Re’im base is a moving expression of closing the circle,” said Association for Israel’s Soldiers CEO Col. (Res.) Shari Nechmias-Carmel. “The very buildings that were damaged in the fierce battles were originally built through donations from the Friends of the IDF in the United States, and now they are being restored and reopened thanks to the same spirit of partnership and giving.”
Nechmias-Carmel added that “the completion of this rehabilitation project is not only the rebuilding of structures, but also symbolizes the end of a complex period and the beginning of a new path for the soldiers and commanders at Re’im base. It is an expression of life, spirit, and hope returning to the base, and of our commitment to providing those who serve there with a dignified environment that is strengthening and secure.”
Co-chair of the FIDF New York Tristate Real Estate Affinity Group Marty Berger, who participated in the ceremony and inaugural basketball game, reflected on the center’s restoration. “I remember when we first built this gym and facility, and coming back over the years to see how much they meant to you,” he said.
“When we returned in December 2023, just two months after Oct. 7, we saw the damage and the bullet holes throughout the gym and fitness center. It was heartbreaking, but we also saw how the Gaza Division re-emerged ready to defend Israel with strength and determination, and we vowed to rebuild it. To see this place rebuilt and to have played a small part in restoring it is deeply humbling,” Berger shared with soldiers and FIDF supporters in attendance.
