Day XVIII – A Journal from the Holy Land

Today is the 18^th day of the war. 18 has a special significance in Judaism as it corresponds to the word “chai” meaning life. We are contemplating our lives and the lives of our neighbors, our friends and all of G-d’s children a great deal lately. I am certain not all cultures value life in the way the One Above meant for it to be valued. Over the past 2 ½ weeks I have seen and heard so many chilling tapes, videos and text messages I wouldn’t know where to begin: The last call a parent ever received from their child, a video of a baby being killed and sent to his parents, a grandmother saying a final farewell before she was taken into Gaza, a note found on a Hamas member calling on him and his fellow terrorists to behead Jews while removing their hearts and livers https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-770086. Some we have to turn off they are so horrendous, others we can get through but not without stopping to take a deep breath and crying for several minutes. We listened to the conversation between two Hamas commanders after their own missile landed on a hospital in Gaza (yes, it was recorded) and watched a video recorded by a terrorist which he sent to a mother in the south of Israel showing her children being tortured, paralyzed with fear. One of the more chilling items I have heard is that of a young Hamas terrorist calling his parents, excited with glee about his killing of Jews. Whether this particular individual actually killed ten people or not is irrelevant. It is his pure intoxication with death, with killing, with torture that has left me speechless. His parents response? Praise. Our hero, our martyr. What glory you have brought to the people of Gaza! I can assure you that no matter how hard you look, no matter how hard you search you will never find a conversation or a recording of an Israeli taking joy at the killing of innocent Palestinians. This entire recording is worth watching, but if you can only hear one part, listen starting at the 1:08 mark. It is chilling. It is depraved. It is disgusting and yes, it is lauded…..in Gaza. Brace yourself: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ewKTrfm03E.

What we have learned in the last few days is beyond comprehension. Four more bodies found today in Kibbutz Be’eri, where more than 130 people were massacred. Why are we still finding bodies more than two weeks after terrorists made a run on this land? A Hamas cell invaded again yesterday, this one coming from a tunnel under Gaza that led to the sea. Equipped with scuba gear they surfaced in the south of the country only to be caught and killed before they massacred yet another town. An elderly woman – Yocheved Lifshitz – in her 80’s taken hostage by Hamas released in exchange for the release of goods into the south of Gaza. Her crime? Prior to being taken as a hostage (along with her husband), she and her husband were peace activists that drove Palestinians from Gaza to be treated in Israeli hospitals. Yet, these acts of kindness and generosity did not save her from this horrible fate. Her husband is still being held in Gaza, whereabouts unknown. Yes, there are hospitals in Gaza but Israel has always been known for its medical care offered to all without hesitation. We are convinced there is much we do not know. We see the body count climbing, the fate of our neighbors unknown, and the rallies at places like SUNY Binghamton where a student yelled out, “If Hamas is worse than ISIS, Israel is worse than the Nazi regime.” Students applauded this statement. I find it terrifying on a level I cannot explain. What Is happening in the world today that such hate continues to fester?

One of my son’s best friends helped to remove bodies from Kibbutz Be’eri. I do not know how he will go on. After seeing scenes like those, how can one shut their eyes at night? Remember Nati, the gentleman I told you about a week into the war? He is still sitting on his deck, overlooking the fields each night until sunrise. I tell him, “Nati, you must get some sleep.” He shrugs me off indicating he must watch the fields in order to protect his family. A son of mine that is voluntarily providing security on Israel’s southern border was told to go home for 24 hours to “get some rest.” He came home, showered and then got in the car to deliver supplies down south. “When,” I asked him, “When will you rest?” “How,” he answered, “How can we rest?”

To those of you that have sent us messages, I have received them. I want to respond to each one, and I feel terrible that I have not been able to keep up. When I get to the next world, I know a stern lecture is waiting for me from my beloved Mother. “How could you not send a thank you note to those that supported you?” Upon second thought, I must get to that. They will just be a little late. To those that have stormed the heavens with prayers, we feel them. G-d is with us. Yes, I have openly wondered about His plan, but I know there is one. To those that have made a donation, it has been put to good use. A few recent examples: There is a young man of 13, celebrating his Bar Mitzvah tomorrow morning in our village. He is from Ashkelon, the largest city on the Gaza border. It is no longer safe to live there so he has come to stay with his family in our village where he resides with another family. We will surprise him with a cake tomorrow on his special day, courtesy of your donations. People for Israel purchased all of the medical kits at a distributor in Tel Aviv today, and we intend to take them down south and up north – tourniquets included – to hand them out. While we could not obtain bullet proof vest, we put our hands on Kevlar vests for our volunteers to wear when in dangerous areas and to assist volunteers in our village working night patrols. We provided a BBQ tonight for 40 people down south and the community next to us is busy preparing 250 Sabbath meals. People for Israel is taking meals to an individual with dietary restrictions on the front line with Lebanon and shuttling a lonely woman to go see her son, many miles away. We have purchased rain suits for those patrolling our border and got a request today from a mother in California to provide a “care package” for her son, stuck down south. Most importantly, there will need to be community rebuilding efforts but first we must heal people and hearts.

I’d like for this to end. I don’t want to be a fundraiser, and I have no desire to run a charitable organization. Yet, the needs are many. Our volunteers are people like you and me – just trying to help others. So as long as this continues, we will do our best to be a part of the solution. My soul aches tonight. For Kibbutz Be’eri, for Israel, for mankind. For all of us. May G-d bless you and may we find peace once and for all.

For more information, to donate or to book one of our volunteers to speak to your group please visit us at: www.peopleforisrael.com

Today’s Pictures: