It is interesting that tzaros bring out the best in the Jewish Nation. The political climate in Israel was breaking us asunder. With the unexpected attacks and murder of hundreds of men, women, and children by Arab terrorists from Gaza on Simchas Torah, Israel was forced to enter a full-fledged war. No soldier or reserve soldier refused the call-up because other soldiers in his unit hold different political views than him. Suddenly, political views seem so unimportant. Israeli civilians have galvanized to create many and diverse projects to help soldiers, their families, and anyone who is need of help.
The outstanding trait of a Jew is doing acts of chesed, lovingkindness. In fact, it is said that if a Jew doesn’t do acts of chesed, one should check his lineage to see if he is really Jewish! Avraham Avinu was known for his outstanding attribute of chesed. Despite his being in immense pain from having performed circumcision upon himself, he went out of his and Sarah’s tent and into the blazing desert sun, to seek tired and hungry travelers. His faithful wife Sarah joined Avraham in this life mission. Rus, who had been a Moabite princess, and chose to convert to Judaism, performed enormous acts of lovingkindness for her elderly and destitute mother Naomi.
Our community has well-oiled wheels when it comes to helping people out. I would say that helping people is our trademark. During Simchas Torah, many of the men, most of them with their own families, were called up to return to the army or to go to their reserve duty units. Neighbors started helping each other out immediately by inviting the wives and children over or knocking on their doors to see if they needed help.
Our community, like all the communities in our area, has a “kitat konenut,” a “preparedness emergency squad,” which is a group of armed volunteers that helps in times of security events, such as someone making a breach in our security fence. Two of them guarded us as we davened on our street. (That morning in shul, we heard booms in the distance, but that is not unusual, because in our area we do hear from time to time the sonic booms of planes overhead. We were about to take three steps back and begin the Amidah, when my son-in-law Tzvi, who is the head of security in Rosh Tzurim, ascended the bimah and told everyone that many terrorists had stormed into southern Israel. He told us to go home and make sure that one phone in the house was turned on for security alerts even though it was Shabbat/Chag).
I davened the Amidah and Hallel at home. One of our sons came home and said that a street minyan was taking place across from our daughter’s apartment, reminiscent of Covid days. We were interrupted repeatedly by sirens and had to rush to a safe room each time. Two rockets fell in the distance, and we could see the billowing smoke. From time to time, a car with local army reservists would drive by.
Once Shabbos/Simchas Torah ended on Motzaei Shabbos, more volunteer projects popped up like poppies after the rain. Each single or family was contacted by WhatsApp or by a phone call to see how they are doing. A local catering business made lunch on Sunday for each family whose husband had been called to the army. Teens helped pack the food and deliver it. Seniors in high school took down the sukkos of families, singles, elderly, etc. who could not do it on their own. To help the mothers keep the children busy, activities such as storytelling were organized in the library. There was even an option for volunteers to pick up the children from their homes and afterwards to bring them home. They were instructed as to which bomb shelter to go to if needed.
We have very active WhatsApp groups, and there have been hundreds of messages daily, such as someone needing to obtain a certain medicine for his elderly parent, someone needing to bring back the car of a reserve soldier who went up North, wives needing to send basic necessities to their husbands in the army, etc. In addition, there is a constant offer to help out in all sorts of ways.
We have approximately 70 reserve soldiers sleeping in the community hall and kibbutz apartment who need us to make them breakfast and dinner on a daily basis. Our son-in-law Tzvi shlepped over some of our mattresses, as did our son Yisrael Meir later on in the middle of the night when he couldn’t sleep. He checked his phone and saw that more mattresses were needed. Funds have been set up to send care packages to soldiers. Another one was set up to make a barbecue (organized by the teens) for the soldiers. The soldiers need showers after a long and intense day, and so the community signed up to help with this, as well.
One of the original kibbutz members stood with some of his grandchildren by the exit gate of our community, armed with a bucket of Israeli flags to distribute to drivers in order to raise morale. While writing this article, there was a knock on our door. Three fifth-graders had come to deliver cake to us, since we have sons who were called up to the army – one to Gaza and one up North. A third son is waiting to see if he can volunteer in the tank corps (He recently finished yeshivah and had not been assigned to any reserve unit). The cake was still warm, and it certainly warmed the heart. Perhaps I will serve it to the soldiers who will probably be coming to shower at our house. (We eat healthfully!)
Several nationwide projects have been established to allow Israelis from the South to move temporarily to host homes all over the country. In addition, people with hotels or wedding halls, and even schools, for instance, have volunteered their premises. But meanwhile, most people in the South fear to leave their homes due to possible terrorist attacks on them. Reminiscent of 1948, when most women and all of the children were evacuated from the beleaguered Kfar Etzion to Yerushalayim, with most of the children becoming orphaned of their fathers, Israelis are being rescued from towns like Sderot and Ofakim. Fifty-four families were taken to Kibbutz Kfar Etzion, which is a few minutes away from us. A request was made for warm clothing, since our temperatures are much cooler than in the South.
Many groups have been set up throughout the country to recite T’hilim, learn Torah, and do acts of chesed for the recovery of the wounded, for the success of our soldiers and security personnel, for the safe release of all the hostages who were kidnapped and brought into Aza [Gaza], and for the holy neshamos of those murdered.
All sorts of free counseling are being offered. There are Zoom sessions for parents who don’t know what to say to their children regarding the war. A new book, about how to talk to children when faced with adversity such as war, was released for free online. Someone put together a spread sheet of individual people or organizations that are helping in the war effort: underwear for soldiers, volunteers in hospitals, rides, home renovation, obtaining equipment for soldiers…the list goes on and on.
The “Pinah Chamah” or “Warm Corner for Soldiers” at the Gush Etzion junction was established more than two decades ago by the widow of Dr. Shemuel Gillis and by the widow of Tzachi Sasson, both murdered in terrorist attacks in 2001, while they were driving home to their families. It is run solely by volunteers and is usually open from Sunday through Fridays to give refreshments and a warm place to hang out for soldiers from all over the country who either serve in the area, or who are on their way to a different destination. It was closed on Sunday due to army instruction, but refreshments were put outside for soldiers to take. It re-opened on Monday for soldiers to come inside and relax, read a paper, listen to music, eat refreshments, and talk to the “dodot” who volunteer there. (There are some male volunteers early in the morning.)
In non-war times, our people tend to do much chesed, but it grows exponentially in times of crisis. May Hashem shower us with His chesed, and may we soon see peace in Israel and throughout the world. May Hashem comfort all of the mourners and heal the wounded. May it truly be a war to end all wars.
By Adina Hershberg
