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WEB EXCLUSIVE:
Life on a Kibbutz 3 miles from Gaza border
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By Sandi Friedman
Special to the CJN
I am a former Clevelander living on Kibbutz Sa'ad in Israel, home to approximately 700 permanent residents. In addition we have two youth programs for children from around the country and also rent rooms to students learning at a local college. We are located just 4.7 km. (2.9 miles) from the Gaza border. On a clear day, we can see the Mediterranean Sea from our kibbutz and between us and Gaza city lies an open field.
I live here with my husband Eugene, three children Chana, Dina and Chaim. My married daughter, Rosie, lives in Bruchin, near Ariel. We made aliya in 1993.
All of my family and many, many friends live in the greater Cleveland area and we are grateful for their support and concern during these trying times. We are also receiving many calls and e-mails from other former Clevelanders in Israel who are part of the Cleveland Hometown Association in Israel (CHAI); a wonderful support network.
I attended Brush High School and Notre Dame College and was employed by the Cleveland Public Schools before moving to Israel.
For eight years the Arabs in Gaza have been launching kassam rockets, mortar shells, etc. at our kibbutz and the other towns and kibbutzim in our area. They've even infiltrated and broken through the fence several times.
We have had many miracles over the years, kassam rockets falling on people’s houses, but in different rooms from where the families were sitting at the time; or falling on people’s houses and not exploding. We had one incident of a kassam rocket that fell through a family’s bedroom early in the morning, but no one was killed. We had kassam rockets falling and exploding right next to houses, another few inches and the rocket would have been inside the house, with people home and near the site and could have been killed.
One kassam rocket fell outside my home a year ago. I thought the roof was falling in, the ground always shakes, the windows rattle in the frames. We’ve had plaster fall from the ceiling, cracks develop in the walls; it’s very scary. The kassams not only explode, but they are packed with screws, bolts and other assorted pieces of metal that do a lot of damage. Windows in our homes explode and pulverize and it’s very hard to clean up. But everyone pitches in to help the neighbors.
One of my daughters took a class at the Sapir Community College in the Sha’ar Hanegev region right outside of Sderot. It was extremely difficult to learn and concentrate with kassam rockets falling every single day. There was only one fortified room on each floor of her building and so each day it was another class’s turn to use it. Imagine the terror when a missile fell through the roof. People started running outside and then another rocket fell and killed a man.
Often in the mornings, I would be outside for a walk before work. Now we can’t be outdoors at all. One time, a kassam rocket fell a few minutes before I reached a particular part of the wheat field and where it landed, another miracle. There was a big black circle of burned wheat at the impact site, but the fire didn’t spread since it was early in the morning and the moisture (dew) was still on the ground, preventing a disaster to the entire field. The crop at the time was fully mature and ready for harvesting.
Since the spring of 2008, in addition to the kassam rockets, the Hamas terrorists have been launching mortars at us as well. A member of Kibbutz Kfar Aza, across the street from Kibbutz Sa’ad, died as a result of a direct hit while he was tending his garden. The mortars are smaller than the kassam rockets and don’t show up on the army’s radar system, hence we aren’t given advance warning of any kind and they are very deadly.
Unfortunately, our houses don’t have any fortified rooms so we don’t really have where to hide when we hear the sirens and the “Tzevah Adom” (color red) warnings on the loud speakers that have been installed all around the area. We also have beepers in our houses, provided by the army, that ring loudly any time a rocket is launched at us. Then we have 15 seconds to find a safe place. But, we don’t have a safe place to hide in our home, and we can’t go outside since then we are completely exposed.
The government has been procrastinating for years and hasn’t provided the funding to safeguard the citizens in our area. For a rough estimate of costs, it’s about $25,000 per room.
Within the last two years, the Department of Education has provided our kibbutz with a new kindergarten building – all cement, almost no windows; the entire structure is a bomb shelter. The army has also funded a project to put thick cement roofs supported by steel pylons on top of each classroom and nursery building. This changed the look and feel of our children’s areas from a relaxed, pastoral setting to one of tension and high security.
Current Situation
Starting Dec. 27, we have been at war. A week prior to that with the end of the official cease fire, we were also attacked much more frequently. It’s scary to hear the warning sirens, beepers beeping – but unfortunately we have been getting used to this over the years.
We haven’t had a good night’s sleep for such a long time. Every time a rocket is launched, the beeper shrieks, and very often this can be during the night. This is very unsettling and raises the tension levels of everyone.
I feel the government is absolutely doing the right thing! We are behind then 100%. We are so happy that finally, finally something is being done to protect and defend the citizens of the Negev area bordering Gaza, to protect our country from terrorism and defend our right to live in peace and quiet in our homeland. Our politicians are, for the most part, working together and that is very comforting.
Last week, one kibbutz near us sustained a direct hit on their chicken coop by a missile fired from Gaza and lost 35,000 chickens. A kassam rocket hit another kibbutz’s dining hall, and another kassam fell on their tractor shed. These are just a minute sampling of what goes on daily. It’s like living a life of Russian roulette: we never know where, when or where the kassam will land – and basically, we are not in a position to do anything to prevent the damage incurred to property, bodies and souls.
Many individuals and entire communities throughout the country have contacted the communities in the Gaza area with offers to host us for as long as necessary so that those people and families with children who find it too difficult to stay home have a place to go. It is very important psychologically to get away from the shooting and sounds of war and decompress, release our tension even if for a short while.
It is truly heartwarming to see the concern and support from all over.
What is it like living under these conditions?
It is very difficult living under these conditions. From morning until night, 24 hours a day, we hear shooting, we hear planes and helicopters overhead shooting missiles and dropping bombs. The ground under our houses and windows are shaking from the force of explosions (both from the Arabs in Gaza and from the Israeli army). From my back porch I see clouds of black smoke billowing from Gaza.
We see the night sky lit up with flares, with bombs falling, we hear shooting. Hoards of TV reporters & cameramen are camped out in back of our house (which faces the main road) and all along the road from Sa’ad to Sderot. We don’t have regular mail service. We try to get servicemen to come repair appliances or office equipment and they don’t want to come. Bus service is sporadic, plus since we have no protected bus shelters made of cement, we are more or less sitting ducks if we go out to the street to try and catch a bus. It’s scary and unsettling to be exposed and vulnerable.
All non-essential work areas are closed. Many people are sitting home with nothing to do all day. Children have no school, the nurseries are closed as well so parents have to stay home with the children and can’t work. The grocery store is only open four hours a day. Our beautiful kibbutz once lively with children’s voices on the playgrounds and many people coming and going is now like a ghost town.
We have extra social workers and psychologists available to counsel families in distress. Many children are afraid to sleep alone at night and go to their parents’ beds. Children are afraid to stay home alone, and parents are afraid to leave them alone. The dining room looks like something out of a movie. The army moved in huge cement blocks with a crane and also surrounded all the windows with huge bags of sand to protect them from explosions.
It is difficult to sleep, and people experience anxiety attacks. People are afraid to undress and take a shower, one never knows when there will be the call to run to a bomb shelter or a rocket falls and glass shower doors would shatter. Some families with young children have left.
However, in of all the difficulties, most of the population of Kibbutz Sa’ad has stayed here – our family included. We are not leaving our homes. The exception is on Shabbat. For the weekends, mostly everyone leaves to get some quiet and recharge batteries for the coming week. Last weekend, for example, only 100 people remained.
We have the courage to stay here, since we believe in our right to exist and live here.
We all feel that there is a Higher Power looking out for us. If everyone leaves, that is exactly what would make Hamas and the Palestinians happy and they would feel that terrorism is paying off for them. We won’t let that happen.
We worry about our soldiers, but we know they are being as careful as they can be. Their work is important. Before the foot soldiers went into Gaza, the air force was blowing up landmines near the border fence across the street from us and even discovered a tunnel, I was told. That was very scary. Kibbutz members are busy baking cakes and cookies for our troops. This helps keep our mind off the war.
Kibbutz Sa’ad is very organized. I am a member of our emergency committee. We’ve been practicing and having exercises for a while now, so we will be prepared for any emergency situation.
Every person was instructed to prepare an emergency bag with a change of clothes, medicines, a book, a sleeping bag and flashlight – whatever we’d need if we had to spend time in the underground shelters. We also have an emergency evacuation plan that’s been approved by the army.
Every day, I make phone calls to kibbutz members to make sure if they are on the kibbutz or have left, so we always know who needs to be accounted for in case of emergency. We have a staff to take care of adults and children with special needs, suffering from anxiety or assist with depression. We are all working together as one and all essential services are being provided.
We can’t wait to get our normal lives back and we are confident that in the end everything will be OK “yeheyeh beseder”.
I live here with my husband Eugene, three children Chana, Dina and Chaim. My married daughter, Rosie, lives in Bruchin, near Ariel. We made aliya in 1993.
All of my family and many, many friends live in the greater Cleveland area and we are grateful for their support and concern during these trying times. We are also receiving many calls and e-mails from other former Clevelanders in Israel who are part of the Cleveland Hometown Association in Israel (CHAI); a wonderful support network.
I attended Brush High School and Notre Dame College and was employed by the Cleveland Public Schools before moving to Israel.
For eight years the Arabs in Gaza have been launching kassam rockets, mortar shells, etc. at our kibbutz and the other towns and kibbutzim in our area. They've even infiltrated and broken through the fence several times.
We have had many miracles over the years, kassam rockets falling on people’s houses, but in different rooms from where the families were sitting at the time; or falling on people’s houses and not exploding. We had one incident of a kassam rocket that fell through a family’s bedroom early in the morning, but no one was killed. We had kassam rockets falling and exploding right next to houses, another few inches and the rocket would have been inside the house, with people home and near the site and could have been killed.
One kassam rocket fell outside my home a year ago. I thought the roof was falling in, the ground always shakes, the windows rattle in the frames. We’ve had plaster fall from the ceiling, cracks develop in the walls; it’s very scary. The kassams not only explode, but they are packed with screws, bolts and other assorted pieces of metal that do a lot of damage. Windows in our homes explode and pulverize and it’s very hard to clean up. But everyone pitches in to help the neighbors.
One of my daughters took a class at the Sapir Community College in the Sha’ar Hanegev region right outside of Sderot. It was extremely difficult to learn and concentrate with kassam rockets falling every single day. There was only one fortified room on each floor of her building and so each day it was another class’s turn to use it. Imagine the terror when a missile fell through the roof. People started running outside and then another rocket fell and killed a man.
Often in the mornings, I would be outside for a walk before work. Now we can’t be outdoors at all. One time, a kassam rocket fell a few minutes before I reached a particular part of the wheat field and where it landed, another miracle. There was a big black circle of burned wheat at the impact site, but the fire didn’t spread since it was early in the morning and the moisture (dew) was still on the ground, preventing a disaster to the entire field. The crop at the time was fully mature and ready for harvesting.
Since the spring of 2008, in addition to the kassam rockets, the Hamas terrorists have been launching mortars at us as well. A member of Kibbutz Kfar Aza, across the street from Kibbutz Sa’ad, died as a result of a direct hit while he was tending his garden. The mortars are smaller than the kassam rockets and don’t show up on the army’s radar system, hence we aren’t given advance warning of any kind and they are very deadly.
Unfortunately, our houses don’t have any fortified rooms so we don’t really have where to hide when we hear the sirens and the “Tzevah Adom” (color red) warnings on the loud speakers that have been installed all around the area. We also have beepers in our houses, provided by the army, that ring loudly any time a rocket is launched at us. Then we have 15 seconds to find a safe place. But, we don’t have a safe place to hide in our home, and we can’t go outside since then we are completely exposed.
The government has been procrastinating for years and hasn’t provided the funding to safeguard the citizens in our area. For a rough estimate of costs, it’s about $25,000 per room.
Within the last two years, the Department of Education has provided our kibbutz with a new kindergarten building – all cement, almost no windows; the entire structure is a bomb shelter. The army has also funded a project to put thick cement roofs supported by steel pylons on top of each classroom and nursery building. This changed the look and feel of our children’s areas from a relaxed, pastoral setting to one of tension and high security.
Current Situation
Starting Dec. 27, we have been at war. A week prior to that with the end of the official cease fire, we were also attacked much more frequently. It’s scary to hear the warning sirens, beepers beeping – but unfortunately we have been getting used to this over the years.
We haven’t had a good night’s sleep for such a long time. Every time a rocket is launched, the beeper shrieks, and very often this can be during the night. This is very unsettling and raises the tension levels of everyone.
I feel the government is absolutely doing the right thing! We are behind then 100%. We are so happy that finally, finally something is being done to protect and defend the citizens of the Negev area bordering Gaza, to protect our country from terrorism and defend our right to live in peace and quiet in our homeland. Our politicians are, for the most part, working together and that is very comforting.
Last week, one kibbutz near us sustained a direct hit on their chicken coop by a missile fired from Gaza and lost 35,000 chickens. A kassam rocket hit another kibbutz’s dining hall, and another kassam fell on their tractor shed. These are just a minute sampling of what goes on daily. It’s like living a life of Russian roulette: we never know where, when or where the kassam will land – and basically, we are not in a position to do anything to prevent the damage incurred to property, bodies and souls.
Many individuals and entire communities throughout the country have contacted the communities in the Gaza area with offers to host us for as long as necessary so that those people and families with children who find it too difficult to stay home have a place to go. It is very important psychologically to get away from the shooting and sounds of war and decompress, release our tension even if for a short while.
It is truly heartwarming to see the concern and support from all over.
What is it like living under these conditions?
It is very difficult living under these conditions. From morning until night, 24 hours a day, we hear shooting, we hear planes and helicopters overhead shooting missiles and dropping bombs. The ground under our houses and windows are shaking from the force of explosions (both from the Arabs in Gaza and from the Israeli army). From my back porch I see clouds of black smoke billowing from Gaza.
We see the night sky lit up with flares, with bombs falling, we hear shooting. Hoards of TV reporters & cameramen are camped out in back of our house (which faces the main road) and all along the road from Sa’ad to Sderot. We don’t have regular mail service. We try to get servicemen to come repair appliances or office equipment and they don’t want to come. Bus service is sporadic, plus since we have no protected bus shelters made of cement, we are more or less sitting ducks if we go out to the street to try and catch a bus. It’s scary and unsettling to be exposed and vulnerable.
All non-essential work areas are closed. Many people are sitting home with nothing to do all day. Children have no school, the nurseries are closed as well so parents have to stay home with the children and can’t work. The grocery store is only open four hours a day. Our beautiful kibbutz once lively with children’s voices on the playgrounds and many people coming and going is now like a ghost town.
We have extra social workers and psychologists available to counsel families in distress. Many children are afraid to sleep alone at night and go to their parents’ beds. Children are afraid to stay home alone, and parents are afraid to leave them alone. The dining room looks like something out of a movie. The army moved in huge cement blocks with a crane and also surrounded all the windows with huge bags of sand to protect them from explosions.
It is difficult to sleep, and people experience anxiety attacks. People are afraid to undress and take a shower, one never knows when there will be the call to run to a bomb shelter or a rocket falls and glass shower doors would shatter. Some families with young children have left.
However, in of all the difficulties, most of the population of Kibbutz Sa’ad has stayed here – our family included. We are not leaving our homes. The exception is on Shabbat. For the weekends, mostly everyone leaves to get some quiet and recharge batteries for the coming week. Last weekend, for example, only 100 people remained.
We have the courage to stay here, since we believe in our right to exist and live here.
We all feel that there is a Higher Power looking out for us. If everyone leaves, that is exactly what would make Hamas and the Palestinians happy and they would feel that terrorism is paying off for them. We won’t let that happen.
We worry about our soldiers, but we know they are being as careful as they can be. Their work is important. Before the foot soldiers went into Gaza, the air force was blowing up landmines near the border fence across the street from us and even discovered a tunnel, I was told. That was very scary. Kibbutz members are busy baking cakes and cookies for our troops. This helps keep our mind off the war.
Kibbutz Sa’ad is very organized. I am a member of our emergency committee. We’ve been practicing and having exercises for a while now, so we will be prepared for any emergency situation.
Every person was instructed to prepare an emergency bag with a change of clothes, medicines, a book, a sleeping bag and flashlight – whatever we’d need if we had to spend time in the underground shelters. We also have an emergency evacuation plan that’s been approved by the army.
Every day, I make phone calls to kibbutz members to make sure if they are on the kibbutz or have left, so we always know who needs to be accounted for in case of emergency. We have a staff to take care of adults and children with special needs, suffering from anxiety or assist with depression. We are all working together as one and all essential services are being provided.
We can’t wait to get our normal lives back and we are confident that in the end everything will be OK “yeheyeh beseder”.
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