Devastation after a kassam hit

A large number of concerned citizens departed from Netanya on January 30 to drive by coach (kindly sponsored by Diesenhaus Travel & Tours) to Kibbutz Nir-Am and Sderot to support the many brave families living there. This all came about after Eddie Scott received an email which was entitled “Miracle of Hannuka” from a lady living in Nir-Am (see page…..). This story was so moving, that Hadassah Birnbaum contacted us to ask what could we do. Wheels went into action, hence this trip.

The weather was stormy but it did not prevent this happy band of people singing wonderful Israeli songs all the way. After arriving at the kibbutz which is mainly agricultural, situated between Gaza and Sderot, Uzi, the manager of the factory on the kibbutz (which makes beautiful pots, pans and sells cutlery and kitchenware), boarded the coach and gave us an informative explanation of what had been happening there since the bombing started. When a rocket is fired everyone has 5-10 seconds to run for cover. The kibbutz has built a number of small, three-sided, three feet high concrete shelters and when the alarm sounds people run towards these and crouch down for protection. The children mostly sleep with their parents at night. Uzi said how disappointed they all were with the Israeli Government for not providing shelters and protection. We also saw the fence separating Gaza just one kilometer away from the kibbutz. Uzi was born on the kibbutz and as a boy helped look after the cows. In those days there was no fence and the Arab boys helping the shepherd from Gaza used to sit down with the boys from Nir-Am and eat their lunch together. The bond was formed and when they all grew older and married, the families were always invited to one another’s celebrations. They all still keep in touch and remain lifelong friends.

At the factory we were shown a small display of their goods and the tills started ringing. Uzi was overwhelmed at how much was spent in such a short time. After leaving our money behind we all ran with large bags in the pouring rain back to the coach. On then to the privately owned restaurant on the kibbutz for a tasty lunch. It was quite a party with so many eating together.

Onwards to Sderot just a few kilometers away. Our coach driver was a wonderful guy and related many stories about the area when he used to bring tourists down many years ago. We parked near the municipality and as arranged by Hadassah, Shalom Halevy, the Deputy Mayor and retired principal of the high school, boarded the coach. He told us that in the last two years 3,000 people have left Sderot. It is a fact that between 70-90% of the children in Sderot suffer from PTS – Post Traumatic Stress symptoms. The government, he said, is not helping with security. Nearly 20,000 people are living there as they have no finances to leave and set up elsewhere in the country. They also feel proud to be Israelis trying to lead normal lives in Sderot even if they are in despair of the situation. Many citizens of Gaza, Halevy told us, are also not happy with the situation.

Sderot is a beautiful city with many architecturally designed homes and a small modern shopping center. We all shopped as much as possible in the little shops and the shopkeepers were surprised to see new faces and grateful that we had come to visit. Halevy took us to the police station where the remnants of hundreds of fallen katushas are piled up, each with the date when sent. It was frightening to see so many and also the damage done to people’s homes. As many as 50 katushas can fall a day. They are usually fired when the children are walking to school and have nowhere to run for protection as there are very few shelters. They also arrive in the evenings and at midnight when people are at home. The rockets are mainly launched from the roofs of schools and hospitals and if the IDF retaliates it would mean killing the children and the sick.

It was a very long day for all of us but we felt good to have made the journey. Whoever reads this article, please think deeply about the conditions these people are experiencing and try and arrange busloads to visit the areas. They were so delighted to see us and could not thank us enough.