It seemed to be quiet last night and I thank YAH for that. Yesterday’s Kassam attack on us here in Sderot claimed the life a of a female soldier who was guarding our streets and our people; three of her fellow soldiers were injured as well. Although every bus stop is a bomb shelter, they are not fifteen seconds in running distance apart. They were caught with no place to hide. In that kind of situation you just hug the ground. I was once caught in similar situation like that, the Kassam landed nowhere near me; but let me tell you, that is the most naked feeling I have ever experienced.
There has been talk of evacuating all of Sderot.
I don’t want to leave Sderot
There are about 20-24000 of us still here. The Mayor and the government, are encouraging us to go to the Eilat or the Dead Sea but from what I read there are no vacancies now. I listen to this and wonder, is Sderot is going to become another Gush Katif? The scene from Fiddler on The Roof when they are walking away from Anatevka flashes through my mind and it brings me to tears…I don’t want to leave Sderot; Sderot has been my home for past fifteen years!
We have been in contact with friends that have left town. For the most part they all want to come back home but are scared to do so.
One friend is a family of eleven and number twelve is due any day. They stuffed all eleven into their SUV, ignoring “Tseva Adom” alarms and went to her mother’s home in Ashdod. They left so quickly, that all they took were the clothes they had on, no toys for the kids…nothing. Grandma is gracious but with nine young children in a small house with nothing to keep them occupied is adding more stress to the already stressful situation.
Another friend left with her husband and one son. They have been bouncing from one hotel to another, paying for it out of their own pockets. She does not know where they will go next and their money is just about gone.
Abagail’s house was hit by a Kassam so they packed their two children and when to Tel Aviv. They have been in a hotel and paying for it out of their own pocket. Not too many people in Sderot have the kind of money on hand to pay for a hotel for weeks. Their money is gone and they are not sure what they will be doing next.
The government has made some funds available to help but how fast and how much will be given out in still up in the air.
I made a run to our little local market that is just around the corner. I got to see the inside of their bomb shelter, with the other two customers there. I picked up somethings for Shabbat, but no bread. The kid that is there running the store said to come back in one and a half hours. I told him, “If I can, I will. Well, a few more Kassams later I went back to this…
Baruch ata Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, hamotzi lechem min ha’aretz.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has brought forth bread from the earth
Shabbat is just a few hours away and it is time to prepare for it. In the midst of our situation, Shabbat is still a comfort. One of the reasons is, because we recognize YAH as our creator and this Shabbat we need to reconnect or connect with our GOD.
Shabbat is like crawling upon your Father’s or mother’s lap and feeling secure. He is the one who give us Shalom…
Ps 30:11-12 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. יהוה my God, I will give thanks to You forever.
Ps 28:7-9 יהוה is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him. יהוה is their strength, And He is the saving refuge of His anointed. Save Your people, And bless Your inheritance; Shepherd them also, And bear them up forever.
SHABBAT SHALOM