Anyone who has not been to Sderot and experienced a red color alert will never understand.
We drove to Sderot to draw some strength from the real heroes of our nation, our brothers and sisters who form a buffer between the south and the center.
For the past seven years they have been living under intermittent shelling, and in recent days we have all paid the price for these shellings, this time with the life of a 6-year-old boy.
The gaping hole of the missile in the window of the bomb shelter room looks like a monster's trap. The shrapnel that penetrated the window and killed Ido Avigal brought upon hard feelings of loss of basic personal security in the homes.
To be in Sderot during 'red color' alert is to feel like playing Russian roulette. Despite the pressure and tension, the people of Sderot are hospitable, we were ushered into a security shelter in the building near the site of the house that was hit by a missile the day before. We were generously welcomed and people expressed great appreciation for our visit.
The children enjoyed the attention, the toys and the sweets bought with money donated by amazing donors who strengthen our spirit and activities. The parents thanked us for showing an interest in their lives and how they cope in this difficult time and defined our arrival as coming "from very dangerous places", like Hebron and Gush Etzion.
It was a little strange and even amusing to hear these heroes express appreciation towards us. After all, they are the ones who live in an indescribable reality, the mental stress, the worry for the children who need to stay nearby, the knowledge that at any moment the reality of life can be interrupted by a 'red color' alert and that you only have 8 seconds to make it to run to protected spaces at any moment of the day ...
The head of the yeshiva in Sderot, Rabbi Fendel, who works around the clock to strengthen the spirit of the residents, accompanied us (and also instructed in detail how to behave in case of 'red color' alert , especially while moving from neighborhood to neighborhood ...).
Here is what Rabbi fendel had to say to our camera: https:
We thank Daniel Gabay, former chairman of the Youth Sovereignty, and his lovely wife who gathered the neighborhood children so we could distribute to them the gifts and sweets.
Thank you, heroic people of Sderot , for your steadfastness, for the spirit you inspire in the entire nation, for your strength and determination. You are a model for all of us. The people appreciate your dedication, your perseverance, your willingness to sacrifice in order to improve the situation of the entire nation.
People of Sderot, you are today’s Trumpeldors!
Chazak veEmatz- Be strong and of good courage and may Hashem bless and protect you all!
Yehudit Katsover and Nadia Matar
