My trip to Sderot

A few weeks ago I posted a letter that my sister wrote after her visit to Sderot. Today, I was finally able to join her on a trip there. My little sister raised $10,000 from her shul and the people of Los Angeles to buy things for the people of Sderot and she told them that she'd personally deliver it. Zach, one of the sons of the major donor is in Israel studying for the year so he wanted to go also. Amy drove Aliza, my mother, Zach and me down to Sderot.

We stopped at a toy store and bought lots of games and some stereos to bring to an elementary school. Aliza had plans for the rest of the money but we didn't personally deliver those things. The school was very appreciative and the principal was kind enough to give us a tour.

The school has a protective cover over it so that when a qassam rocket comes it will hit the cover and not hurt anyone in the school.

So they're safe when they're in school. The problem is that you can't expect the kids to stay inside all the time. The principal said that during the peak, they had to keep the kids indoors for three consecutive weeks and everyone was going crazy. The problem is that when they're outside and the siren goes off they all have to run inside as quickly as they can. There is a shelter (decorated by the kids) near the playground but the kids are instructed to go inside the school building.

A few weeks ago a rocket landed about 100 feet from the school building. Here is the hole that is left and some holes in the railing from the shrapnel.

Nobody was hurt by it but the kids were very scared. Three kids had to go to the hospital. The principal said that the whole building shook and they were all sure that it hit the building.

It was very interesting to go there and amazing to see these people who live in this kind of danger every day.