On July 24th, I was one of 50 participants who had the privilege of joining the Orthodox Union on their solidarity mission to Israel. The trip was a brief yet intense trip to show support and strengthen the southern communities who were affected by Operation Protective Edge. I would like to share with you my experience and the lessons I took away from this trip.
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 Israeli life would go back to normal. I spent extra time daavening for the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel. However, when I heard that the soldiers entered Gaza, I could not bear to think about all the families anxiously waiting for their brother, sons, and husbands to return home safely. I felt too far away, and had a deep urge to go and show them that I care.
Many people 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. Could it really be that so many people would fly to a country that is in the middle of a serious war? “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, a rocket defense system, 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 who 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 a follower of the Israeli news, but I was living it!
Spending Shabbos in Sderot was amazing! Our host was Yeshivas Hesder Sderot. They not only hosted the OU mission participants, but 600 IDF soldiers as well. During this Shabbos, Sderot turned into the base of hundreds of soldiers who were fighting in 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 battle field was 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 daavening filled with Kavana, beautiful singing and Divrei Torah as well.
I spent a lot of time with the young girls of 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 woman added “we never knew that people in America really care about us.” In reality they were giving me Chizuk.
After this uplifting Shabbos in Sderot, I gained a new level of respect and connection with the Sderot community. I had a little taste of life under rocket fire.
From Monsey, NY to Sderot, Israel every step of the way was accompanied by a strong feeling of Achdus that I want to share with you. I felt a strong bond between Jews all over the country.
The administrator of Soroka Hospital, located in Beer Sheva, told me that there was constant flow of all types of people coming to visit wounded soldiers that they didn’t even know. She was overwhelmed with emotion by the way they were showering the soldiers with presents and words of encouragement. She continued to explain to me how inspired she was by observing the Achdus of the Jewish nation during this challenging time.
I witnessed the true strength of Am Yisrael during this trip.
There were groups of people flocking to the Kosel through all hours of the night to daaven for the safety of our soldiers fighting in Gaza. People were pouring their hearts out with prayer for the wellbeing of others they had never even met, yet they cared about them like their own children.
This is the true strength of Am Yisrael—Ahavas Yisrael.
Unfortunately, over the summer, Klal Yisrael has gone through a very difficult time. Hopefully, we are strengthening ourselves by uniting as “Am Echad B’lev Echad”-“one nation with one heart”. As the summer ebbs away, let us grasp this intense feeling of Achdus and continue it during the good times as well.
May Hashem grant that Am Yisrael and Eretz Yisrael will be blessed with Shalom and that we will all see the coming of Moshiach speedily in our days.
BATYA RESNICK – MONSEY, NY
NOTE: The views expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of YWN
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One Response
So so lucky!
I also wanted to join the OU Solidarity Mission, the resounding agreement was it was a trip to remember and that you brought such chizuk, ahavah and rayus to all those you met.