FEBRUARY 8 • 2024 | 9
J
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their search of the premises 
and the family was able to 
hide from them until the 
terrorists finally left many 
hours later. Our guide then 
gave us the punchline: The 
older man and woman 
are his parents, and the 
granddaughter is his 
daughter. 
While walking, we then 
saw an older man outside 
of his ruined home sitting 
on a worn-out chair. When 
someone asked why he still 
lives on the kibbutz, we 
were told that this is still 
his home, and he does not 
want to leave. 
It took the IDF eight 
hours to get to Kibbutz 
Nir Oz. By the time they 
arrived, the carnage 
had been done and the 
terrorists had returned to 
Gaza.
When my friend asked 
the guide how he could 
talk about the devastation, 
his answer was that 
people need to know what 
happened. 
Following the visit to 

Kibbutz Nir Oz, we then 
went to an army base and 
helped make a BBQ for 
the soldiers who were 
thrilled and grateful to eat 
something besides tuna. 
The soldiers enjoyed the 
feast and chatting with 
the young women from a 
seminary who presented 
them with greeting cards. 
We left the BBQ knowing 
that we had to share this 
incredible experience with 
others, especially when 
much of the world view 
is so antagonistic toward 
Israel. 
The next day we heard 
from the organizer of our 
tour to Kibbutz Nir Oz that 
some of those soldiers at 
the BBQ the night before 
were with the group of 
21 soldiers killed in the 
explosion in Gaza. There 
are no words. 

Lea Luger is the former executive 

director of Yad Ezra. She now lives 

in Charleston, S.C., where she is 

a volunteer and does nonprofit 

consulting.

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