It seems that some aspects of the news never changes here in Sderot. It also seems that certain aspects of life in Sderot does not change as well. Kassams and mortars are still being launched from terrorists in Gaza at innocent men, woman, and children here in Sderot and neighboring cities.

With all praise and glory to G-D most of the rockets have not injured us physically or killed us. Psychologically however, the fear of the next possible attack never ends. Like I said some aspects of life never change.

As Hamas celebrated its 23rd anniversary a large crowd of Palestinians cheered as Hamas leader’s pledge never to recognize Israel. Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said to a group of some 250,000 at the celebration, “We said it five years ago and we say it now … we will never, we will never, we will never recognize Israel,” some aspects of life never change.

Bomb shelters are still being built by the hundreds here in Sderot. The goal: to have a bomb shelter attached to each dwelling in all of Sderot. As the equipment rips up yards, trees being removed to make way for this new way of life, the city looks like a war zone. They were building bomb shelters when I first moved here two and a half years ago and their still building today, some aspects of life never change.

Unemployment is still at 25%, the commercial employers that left when the Kassams started falling have not returned, social services are pushed to the limits of their ability to help people, the city fathers are still building beautiful parks throughout the town in hopes to change the image of this town. The reality is: it is what it is; All the new parks which are void bomb shelters will never change the fact that there is a terrorist organization just three miles away that wants to see us all dead, some aspects of life never change.

We are assisting 280 families a week with food. They are not getting full with what we are able to give them but every bit helps. There is still a waiting list for people who hope to get on the weekly distribution list and we still have to turn people away.
In a few weeks a new year will begin; a new beginning, full of new hopes and some new expectations, but when it comes to peace here in Sderot, for things to return to how they were before the Kassam rockets began to fall, unfortunately, some aspects of life never change.