Dear Friends, the unthinkable happened on Shabbat (Saturday morning) in southern Israel, with a mass surprise attack starting at 6:30 am on Shabbat and our festive holiday of Simchat Torah that were celebrated together this year. As we in the North of the country celebrated, oblivious to what was happening in the South of the country, Jews were killed and kidnapped, sirens sounded in places like Jerusalem and Tel Aviv and rockets fired from Gaza landed in places as far north as Rehovot.
I am so very very sad to report that more than 300 Israelis have been killed, and more than 1,500 wounded. An additional 100 or more civilians have been taken hostage. The wounded and dead resulted from all attacks: the invasion, the rockets, and from a surprise attack on various youth events in open areas. (I just heard that the son of a neighbor was at the festival in the dessert and was able to escape though watched his friends being murdered.) This is the largest number of Israeli casualties, especially civilians, in decades. Suffice it to say the country is now at war and we have been alerted to stay near bomb shelters. (We have one built into our home, as do all homes built in the last 20 or so years.)
Please hug your loved ones tightly and pray for the Jewish people. I just learned that the mother of a friend of mine was sadly killed yesterday morning in Gderot, a truly wonderful woman whom i have met and greatly respected, so so very difficult. And reading the lists of young soldiers killed defending our country is beyond heartbreaking.
