Resilient Israelis: A Day in the Negev

Yesterday, after an informative time learning about Tel Aviv's history and the history of the State, Bus 562 headed south to the Negev, specifically to Netiv Ha'asarah where we were able to meet with a member of this Moshav, which only lies a few meters from Gaza.

I was moved by this woman's stories of the difficulties she faces during wartime and was humbled by the strength she exhibited in spite of dealing with constant imminent danger. She showed us, as she puts it, "her collection" of qassam rockets and pieces of the Iron Dome. She jokes. saying that "here, every family has their own connection." What a thing to say! That statement touched me. It was incredible to hear, see, and get a sense of the conditions that these people live under. The Moshav is beautiful with nice houses, playgrounds for the children, and magnificent murals along the wall, but, beneath the surface lies a vastly different tale that only now I can begin to understand.

We then made our way to the only city in the Negev that has experienced constant rocket fire from Gaza, Sderot. The city is impoverished and run down, but amidst such destruction lies a colorful building seemingly out of place. This building, donated and built by the JNF, is a multi-colored indoor playground that also acts as a bomb shelter. Due to the danger children in Sderot experience daily, and the speed in which it is necessary for residents to get to bomb shelters, children often times are confined to their homes for fear that they won't have enough time to get to a bomb shelter. This playground acts as a beacon of hope for this community and for the families within it. Parents can feel safe sending their kids there and children can have fun and be able to laugh and play freely. It is a shame that such things are necessary for this community, but a blessing that it exists.

Both of these communities that we visited live through a situation that is unimaginable for me. The strength that these people exhibit in the face of such fear and bloodshed is to me miraculous. I hope that the conflict will be resolved and that these people will no longer need to be so strong and finally be able to experience security within their community.