On July 24, I was one of 50 participants who had the privilege to take part in the Orthodox Union’s solidarity mission to Israel. The trip was brief but very intense; an opportunity to show support and help strengthen the southern communities affected by Operation Protective Edge.
As I am an American girl who lives a safe and sheltered life in Monsey, NY, this was my first encounter with war.
During the course of Operation Protective Edge, I was obsessed with the news, hoping things in Israel would turn around and that life for Israelis could go back to normal. I spent extra time davening for the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel. However, when I heard that soldiers entered Gaza, I knew I had to do something. I felt too far away, and had a deep urge to go and show my brethren that I care.
Many thought I was crazy for traveling to Israel during such a dangerous time but I was comforted when I saw the number of people on my flight – many of them American tourists. “Mi K’amcha Yisrael,” I thought to myself. This was just the beginning of my life-changing experience.
Our first destination was an Iron Dome installation located just at the edge of Sderot, bordering Gaza. I was overwhelmed with a feeling of unity as I watched young girls and women handing the soldiers freshly-baked challah for Shabbos. It was a calm and quiet atmosphere, very unlike what I expected. Then I heard a gut-wrenching sound. I felt my heart popping out of my chest, as I looked up to the sky and watched a deadly streaking rocket light up the once beautiful sky.
I began to think about the innocent children who live in Sderot and experience this frightening feeling on a daily basis. Unfortunately, dashing for cover has become a routine activity for them. At this point, I was no longer just following the news, I was living it!
Spending Shabbos in Sderot was amazing! Our host was Yeshivas Hesder Sderot; they hosted the OU mission and over 600 IDF soldiers entering and leaving Gaza.
Many of the soldiers arrived from Gaza just a few minutes before Shabbos. They all camped out around the Yeshiva campus. It was a sight I will never forget; hundreds of soldiers filled the area throughout Shabbos, sleeping under the sky. I felt as if I were at a gigantic army base. It gave me a secure feeling. Yet the constant fear of rocket attacks remained with me through my entire trip. With every step I took, I wondered, “Where would I run if I heard a siren?” I found myself continuously scouting out the nearest shelters in the street, planning where I would seek cover. Every noise I heard triggered an instant reaction to dash for cover.
As everyone sang Shalom Aleichem Friday night, the loud thuds from tank fire in Gaza intensified. It was so loud that it sounded as if the battlefield were right next door. I could not enjoy the meal, knowing that there were Jewish boys on our enemy’s territory just two miles away, hoping to survive the night.
Our Shabbos was filled with a tremendous amount of achdus, meaningful davening, beautiful singing and divrei Torah.
I spent a lot of time with the young girls in the community hoping to encourage them and show them that we care and feel their pain. One girl told me, “It really means so much to me that you came to be with us during such a difficult time.” Another added, “We never knew that people in America really care about us.” In reality they were giving me chizuk.