Meet Serge and Luda

How is it to live in Rocket City?

Serge and Luda moved to Sderot from the Ukraine a little over a year and a half ago. They have an aunt that lives here with her son, so at least they knew someone here, they have family here.

Like every other person that has made Aliyah there are challenges that one needs to overcome, new customs, a different way of life, a new culture, a new language. All these take time to learn and except.

 The biggest challenge for most is learning a new language.
Yes, you can always find someone who speaks your language or in some cases it might take two people speaking two different languages to get what you are trying to say to translate to Hebrew.

Besides the normal challenges Serge and Luda have a few added challenge, the rockets being fired at us from terrorists in Gaza and second, they are both deaf.

 There is a Hebrew sign language for the deaf, special cell phones and there is even a special vibrating pagers that warns of incoming rocket attacks but there have been reports of the pagers going off sometimes as much as a minutes after the rocket has exploded. If they are out of town the pager is of no use to them and they can be left unaware of an incoming rocket.

Finding employment has becomes quite problematic for Serge and Luda. The deaf and hard of hearing population in Israel is around 150,000 people and the opportunities for the deaf is limited. There are organizations like The Institute for the Advancement of Deaf Persons in Israel but to my knowledge there is nothing here in Sderot.

We have been able to help Serge and Luda since they first came to Sderot with food and an occasional utility bill. Luda gave birth to their first daughter Tamara six months ago, who, like her parents is deaf also. Diapers and baby wipes is now on the list of items we help them with as well.

Sometimes they feel like giving up and going back to the Ukraine because life is hard for them here in Israel. We try to encourage them and help them the best we can in every way we can and that has been made possible by you our supporters… THANK YOU… TODA RABA… SPASIBO.