בס''ד

A Respite Shabbat in Gush Etzion

We spent this past Shabbat at our daughter and son-law’s home on their kibbutz on Rosh Tzurim in Gush Etzion. After a week of air raid sirens and booming from the grad missiles and kassams that the terrorists were attacking us with in Netivot, we decided to go away, even if it was only for a Shabbat.

Our son had been at the kibbutz for the entire week. We were going to join him and spend Shabbos with our family. We rented a car and left early Friday morning.

My husband said Tefillah HaDerech [traveler’s prayer]with much kevana and we put our lives in Hashem’s Hands.

Because the rockets were landing all along the regular route that we take to the Kibbutz, we had to take a round about direction. Otherwise we would have had to drive thru Sderot, Ashkelon, Kiryat Gat and Kiryat Malachi.

We had another possible problem area on the trip. Just out side of Gush Etzion is the arab village of Tzurif. These arabs are very pro Hamas and they don't need a reason to riot and throw rocks and boulders at Jewish cars passing by.

When we arrived at the check point, my husband asked the soldiers if it was safe to pass Tzurif. They gave us the okay, but said to not to travel past Tzurif at night. That’s when all the trouble was. Passing Tzurif, we could see all the rocks and boulders on the sides of the road. Fifteen minutes later we arrived safely at the kibbutz.

Coming home Moetzi Shabbat was another story. My son said Tefillah HaDerech and we started the trip home. This time we had to go to from Gush Etzion to Jerusalem in order not to pass Tzurif. This was way out of our way. We had the radio on and heard that during the day, Netivot had three sirens and that there were injuries and a house took a direct hit. We also heard the announcement that our IDF ground troupes had entered Gaza.

I couldn’t wait to get home. Our 1 ¼ hour trip took almost 2 ½ hours but B"H we didn't have any problem on the road and thankfully, we came home safely.

Thank-you dear Soldiers

Thank-you dear soldiers
of the Israel Defense Forces.

Thank-you
for your service
in defending our nation.

Thank-you dear reservist
for answering the call
to serve
so that our country will not fall.

Our prayers are with you
for success and good health.

May the Hand of the One Above
watch over you night and day
and bring you home safely
into the arms of your loved ones.

Please say Tehillim [Psalms] 121 and 142 for our soldiers, 130 for our country.

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