Operation Pillar of Defense, Nov. 2012

Hello,
    As the number of rockets from Gaza to Southern Israel increased, in order to protect its citizens, Operation Pillar of Defense was launched.  The number of rockets fired from Gaza have increased since then with over 800 rockets fired in five days, even as Israel responds.  Thankfully, the Iron Dome has knocked down hundreds of rockets heading toward Beersheva, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

    In the beginning of this war, an apartment building in Kiryat Malachi, our partnership community,  was hit directly by a rocket 15 seconds after the Code Red alarm sounded. Two people in an apartment did not have enough time to head to the inner staircase and were killed instantly as was a neighbor who had come to warn them.  Others were hospitalized with injuries.  One of the dead was a pregant mother of 3, on leave from India for a month, where she and her husband were taking over the Chabad center in India where the former couple directing it were murdered several years ago.

     I have been sending our friends and partners in Hof Ashkelon and Kiryat Malachi e-mails of support and have been astounded that they are writing back.  In the midst of the tension, they take the time to write because they very much appreciate support from friends elsewhere.   They write:

"It is really heart warming!" (to hear from you)

תודה רבה על שאת חושבת עלינו,

  thanks for your good thoughta

 Thank you for thinking about us. We hope for better and safer days

 Thank you for your caring. These are pretty rough days in Israel generally and in Kiryat Malachi and the south especially. A mate of mine has been killed together with 2 other citizens. It's hard to realize that a friend that I know for years would never be among us anymore.  Although our lives became abnormal and even hysteric, we fully support our government and IDF. We try to remember every minute of suffering when  this horrible situation became the reality for thousands of Israel citizens, and bombs were sent toward us even before "Pillar of Defense" operation.

So, please take the time and send a message.  Send it to people you know or post a comment on this blog.  It will be most appreciated.

Dina