Operation Cast Lead

33 Hours In Israel

Federation leadership mission yields sobering experiences.

T

hree weeks ago, I took a United
Jewish Communities Solidarity
Mission to Israel in the midst
of Israel's military response in Gaza
against Hamas militants, who have
harassed southern Israel for the past
eight years, firing more than 10,000
rockets and mis-
siles into Israel
from the Gaza
territory.
After a 17-
hour trip to
Israel, we arrived
at Ben-Gurion
Airport around
4:15 in the
afternoon. After
clearing cus-
toms, we were
taken to a Tel
Aviv hotel where, after a quick dinner
and a briefing by an Israeli official, we
were taken to an Air Force base where
we met an Israeli pilot, a commander of
an F-15 squadron. He briefed us on the
then-current situation of the fighting in
Gaza.
He then opened the session for ques-
tions. He said he was proud to be an
Israeli and felt that what he was doing
was necessary to protect the citizens
of his country who have been under
constant attack for the last eight years.
When asked about the Palestinian civil-
ians, who were also being killed and
injured by this action, his demeanor
changed and the emotion in his
response was palpable. He said that,
of course, we care about the civilians
and loss of life and then he showed us
several pieces of film where missiles
fired at Hamas targets, and already in
the air, were, at the last minute, diverted
into empty fields because those targets
(trucks) were driven into civilian areas
that put innocents at risk.
He showed film of a house that was
a target for attack, and after the Israelis
called and warned the inhabitants
to leave, Hamas instead marched the
inhabitants onto the roof of the house.
The Israelis fired a small non-lethal
explosive onto the roof, away from the
people, to scare them off the roof. The
Israelis waited for the house's inhabit-
ants to clear; only then did the Israelis

bomb the target. The film showed the
initial explosion, then three delayed sec-
ondary explosions obviously caused by
the weapons stored in that house.

Off To Ashkelon
That night, we were allowed five hours'
sleep, then we were off again for a brief-
ing on the political situation regarding
this military operation. Before leaving
for the south of Israel, we had a drill
on what to do if an alarm, Code Red,
occurred while we were on the road.
Our first stop was in Ashkelon, a fre-
quent target of Graad missiles over the
previous several weeks, since the six-
month cease-fire was not renewed by
Hamas. In Ashkelon during a briefing in
a municipal building, the alarm sound-
ed and our group was calmly directed
down two flights of stairs to a secure
area in the basement, where we stayed
until we heard the sound of the missile
exploding — a total of 45 seconds from
the sounding of the alarm until the
exploding of the missile. We later found
out that the missile hit a house about
a mile away; fortunately there were no
injuries because the five children who
were in the house (no school) went to
safety in a shelter as they had to do
many times every day over the last year.
During our stay in Ashkelon, we vis-
ited a family in which there was a man
who was blind and disabled and unable
to go to the shelter in the 45 seconds
allotted to reach safety after the warn-
ing sounded. We agonized with him
over his fear each time an alarm went
off. We also learned of what the corn-
munity was doing to help individuals
like this cope with this untenable situa-
tion. There are more than 25,000 people
with disabilities within range of Hamas
rockets.

On To Sderot
Next, on to Sderot and Shaar Hanegev,
communities only 6 kilometers from the
Gaza border, that have taken the brunt
of the Hamas missile fire over the last
eight years. We were briefed by Shaar
Hanegev officials sitting in a bunker,
where these people do their community
work daily. We visited a community
center with rehab facilities and pools
that could not be used because people

could not get out of the pool and into a
shelter in the allotted 15 seconds that
they have to seek safety when the Code
Red sounds. These are needed services
for thousands of people in this area that
can no longer be given.
In Sderot, we met with children who
have spent their whole life worrying
about the next Code Red, who plan their
route to their friends' houses to play
so as always to be within 15 seconds
of a shelter and safety. We heard of the
respite programs funded in part by our
Detroit Jewish Federation, through the
UJC, for 23,000 children at risk. Day
trips, away from danger,"... that let me
live a normal day without fear:' a 9-year-
old boy told us.
We heard of the difficult decision
described by a single mother who had
to leave her 8- and 10-year-old children
home alone in Sderot as school was
closed due to the military action, and
she had to work in Ashkelon to feed her
family. She eventually had to send her
children away to safety in Holon, near
Tel Aviv, to relatives because her daugh-
ter was traumatized and unable to cope
with the situation in Sderot.
These are the real victims of Hamas
terrorism — children who have lost
their childhood.
We returned to Tel Aviv, a quick din-
ner and debriefing and then back to
Ben-Gurion for an 11:30 p.m. flight and
a 20-hour journey home. Was the trip
worthwhile? Absolutely.
As I spoke to my many Israeli friends
and the many other Israelis we met over
the 33 hours we were in Israel, their
loud and clear message was "Thanks!"
Thanks for coming, for supporting us
and for caring.
Israel was very united behind this
action and Israelis appreciate the sup-
port of the world Jewish community in
this time of turmoil. E

Dr. Richard Krugel of Bloomfield Township is
an orthopaedic surgeon, practicing with the
Wayne State University Physicians Group. He

is a vice president of the Jewish Federation
of Metropolitan Detroit and serves on the
board and executive committee of the New

York-based United Jewish Communities.

More Israel coverage: JNonline.us

Bankruptcy attorney Stan Bershad
has seen the economic changes in
our community in real time. An
Honorary Life Member of the Hebrew
Free Loan Board, Stan estimates he
has participated in hundreds of client
interviews over the years.
'When I first joined the Board of HFL
18 years ago, we were considered a
sleepy little organization, whose major-
ity of clients were seeking used car
loans, money for simchas or for unex-
pected household or medical expens-
es," Stan says. "Now our client list has
exploded, and it often strikes me that
what were considered the neediest sit-
uations back then would be consid-
ered basic needs today. When you see
clients involved in home foreclosures,
job losses, unforseen health issues and
their kids leaving town after graduation,
you know how much HFL is needed."
Stan emphasizes HFL's flexibility. 'We
are there for people, and if their needs
are real and reasonable, we may be able
to help. We've developed unique pro-
grams over the years to deal with unique
circumstances. I used to think that I had
heard it all, but then another client comes
in with a different need for our help."

Donate to Hebrew Free Loan
and help us meet the unique
needs of our community.

Hebrew Free Loan provides interest-
free loans for living expenses,
medical fees and many other
needs: small business start-up
costs, tuition assistance, summer
camp, training, and much more. If

you or someone you know needs
help, please click or call.

www.hfldetroit.org
248.723.8184

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Iljj Jewish
Federation

WERE PART OF THE TWA

1475590.

January 29 » 2009

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