Smadar in Sderot
As the situation here in the south of israel is escalating, I would like to bring you some of my experience from Sderot, Israel. I arrived to Israel 2 weeks ago, shortly after the war started so there wasn’t too much time to enjoy. After a search, I decided to join to organizations that works together to provide whatever is needed in the south region for kids and adults as one.
Needless to say that Sderot is my home town, that’s where I was born and my mom still lives here and refuses to leave town despite the fact that a kassam rocket fell in our backyard. The organizations I joined are “Lev Echad” and “Bekavod”, which provides mainly food, toys and everything that is needed to provide while people are stranded in shelters for so many days.
This past week was in particular intense and stressfull as the counts of Kassam Rockets was between 40-60 rockets a day in Sderot and the area.
Despite the risk we went to Sderot (about 40 ppl and soldiers), and prepared and displayed hundreds of boxes filled with food, creative art, toys and over 500 boxes of food for the soldiers serving in the line of fire. As we moved from Shelter to shelter we devided the time to hear the kids stories then singing for them then we moved to the next shelter, and that’s how the day went.
Despite the horror, the people of Sderot and the area are in good spirit and keeping up the faith, which is so incredible. Seeing this people with such a positive spirit made me so proud that I belong to this little town that brought Israel’s best talent and personalities.
I spent most of one of the days with four soldiers and got to see much more then I expected, we actually got into a closed area (for residents) near Nahal Oz,and then I saw hundreds of soldiers who were about to go in to Gaza, a moment after we saw a kassam rocket being fired to Ashkelon.
I did not expect to have seen any of that, but seeing it made me sad and torn.
Only peace and understanding and a fair leadership will create unity and harmony with our neighbors.
Tomorrow, we will go, myself and other great musicians and we will play music from shelter to shelter and hope that life will go back to normality and peace will arrive very soon.
More updates soon.
Peace on Earth.
Smadar Levi
