An Unforgettable Shabbat
by Adeena
Several months ago I went to Gush Katif, to a town called Neve Dkalim, for a Shabbat organized by many different youth groups across Israel. I cannot even begin to tell you how scared I was to go or how many times I thought to myself that this might be a bad idea, and yet I still went because somehow I knew I wouldn't regret it. From the moment I stepped off the bus, I fell in love with that amazing town. It was just so beautiful, there's no other way to describe it! All around me there was soft glistening sand, and in the distance there was an incredible view of the beach. I could smell the ocean in the air. Even the grass looked greener, and the palm trees added that finishing touch. And the sky, once I looked up I almost couldn't look back down! It was like my own little fairytale, the kind of place you only read about in books.
That night my friend and I went to shul. We were assigned to have meals with a local family because hundreds of families in Gush Katif offered to take in visitors for Shabbat. After shul ended, we looked for the person in charge who could tell us where to eat, however we couldn't find her and we had no idea where to go. Someone then directed us to a nearby town called Gadid, where we would be able to find our hosts. My friend and I, two fourteen year olds, were left to find our way through a strange town on our own, in the dark. When we finally managed to make it to Gadid there was nobody in sight. We were planning on turning back, to the school where we would be sleeping. We didn't really have much food, just a few snacks. It would have been enough for one night, but not much of a Shabbat meal, and not a very good experience. Just then we saw two girls walking towards us. We asked them if there was any way they could help us. Without hesitation they invited us to their home for the meal. The only problem, they said, was that they felt bad for the family that was supposed to host us. I hope this can give you some picture of the kindness that I found in the people living in Gush Katif.
When we got to our new host's house, the parents greeted us with smiles. "Make yourselves at home," they said to us. They didn't only ask us to feel at home, but they made us feel at home! With their friendly chatter and conversations, I couldn't help but feel comfortable, and the food tasted just like home! At the end of the meal, the mother wouldn't let us leave without taking extra coats because of the cold weather. Before we left, she asked where we were sleeping, if we had enough blankets, pillows, etc. When we told her we were sleeping in a school on the floor of a classroom, she told us to come and sleep at their house! "There is plenty of room!" I was astounded by the kindness of this family; they gave us food, coats, a place to sleep, and even invited us again for the meal the next day, without expecting anything in return.
Their two twelve-year-old daughters walked us back to our friends, in order to make sure we that we could find our way back. After we found our friends and walked around for a while, we felt that it would be too late to go back to our new friends' home (even though they said the door is unlocked for us until 1:30 a.m.). We walked around for a while longer when suddenly, we started hearing explosions. Palestinians were launching mortars at us! My friend and I were terrified by what was going on, but the locals kept talking to each other as if nothing unusual had happened. All through the night we could hear the mortars and rockets falling and the IDF responding with gunfire. I didn't sleep very much that night.
When I woke up in the morning I somehow didn't feel tired at all. It must have been because of my excitement for a new day in Gush Katif, another chance to go outside and look at the beauty of the nature there. It also must have had to do with my anticipation of meeting more of these kind people who live in Gush Katif. My friend and I used the chance we had to make the best of our visit. All morning we walked around outside, sinking our feet into the sand and looking out into the ocean, trying to fit every little detail into our memories. I still can't believe how different it was there at night compared to the peacefulness and beauty of the day.
After another fantastic meal with this wonderful family, we said our thank yous and good byes and we knew that we would never forget them.
I found it astonishing that despite all the mortars and rockets that fell that Shabbat and all the shooting that went on that weekend, nobody got hurt. I can't help but think that Hashem has been watching over Gush Katif, and the people living there, all this time. My friend said to me that the family that took us in were like angels that were watching over us.
Write to Adeena at write@ttt.org.il
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