Our solidarity trip started off meeting with Amit Musaei, a survivor from the Nova massacre. We met in his apartment and felt his experience, sharing that he lost his best friend and wife. Miraculously he was able to get away with his car and in great confusion, hiding and running for several hours until he was able to get back home miraculously. Today, he has PTSD and hopefully we gave him “chizuk” strength. These visits, he says, help make sure that he’s there for his kids.
From there we went to Ichilov hospital, where many soldiers come to do rehabilitation. Rehabilitation can last for some months or years. We spent time with about 8-9 soldiers and each one has a story of their terrible injury and miraculous survival. One fellow Yishai had a bullet that went right through his jaw. He couldn’t speak and miraculously several months later through surgery and other methods he is able now to start speaking. Every one has a miracle story and have a very positive attitude, despite their challenges. They all are very proud of their service to protect Israel. We went to give them strength and they were giving us tremendous strength in their resolve to move forward. We brought gifts on behalf of the community which they were very appreciative of.
We then went to hear the story of Netiv HaAsara, one of the settlements in the Gaza envelope which saw a tremendous amount of their people murdered or kidnapped and some still unknown what happened to them. Benny shared how their whole life was turned upside down in a few hours, and the story of how those who survived were able to make it. Then we met with the family from Nir Oz, Nir Adar. His grandmother, was taken hostage for 49 days, she is the one in the famous picture of the golf cart. His brother, Tamir didn’t make it, they’re not even sure if he died or if he was kidnapped but he went out of the safety of his home to protect the kibbutz, and it’s known from people who were around him at some point that they were able to kill tens of terrorists. Nir Oz had the worst destruction and lost more of its people and the number of kidnapped was higher than any of the settlements and kibbutzim that are in the Gaza envelope. We heard the story of what they went through, hour by hour. What most people thought was a red alert sirens or many rockets they soon realized that there were terrorists and not one terrorist but an infiltration of hundreds of terrorists. They were followed by civilian looters who also killed etc. It’s incredible how these people are able to continue living their life. We said some Tehillim and recited Kaddish for him. We then met families of other hostages that are still in hostage, including the Avinathan Or family and the Meor Shemtov family. This was very touching to be there and show them that we are all with them and feel their pain.
Then we walked around Kikar HaChatufim the hostage square,the tent where you have all the pictures, and people come just to show support, hug each other and give each other a sense that we’re all in this together. They have a mock up tunnel to give people a feeling what it means to be living in a tunnel. Just walking through gives you a bit of understanding what it means to be in one for months on end.
We ended off the day hosting 15 reserve soldiers from the Givati brigade who spent three months in Gaza in some very serious fighting. They told us about how they held together as a group and fought not knowing who the enemy was and where with the enemy was in. Many times they were in the middle of real danger and how miraculously they were able to overcome and survive, and at the same time inflict very strong damage to the terrorists over there.
A long and impactful day
Good Night,
Rabbi Moshe Krasnanski
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