Dear friends,
I was in Israel for 10 days to bear witness to the tragedies perpetrated by Hamas on 10/07. I came to show solidarity and provide Israelis with moral support at these most painful of moments. During this meaningful trip, I came to learn more about Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) so I can better serve as the CEO of Ben-Gurion University Canada (BGU Canada).
While it will take time to fully process everything I saw and heard, I want to share a few thoughts prior to Shabbat.
As a nation, Israel is grieving.
There is a duality to life here, as many Israelis juggle between two alternative universes – one in which they work, learn and occasionally socialize – and the other where they are completely traumatized by the tragedies of 10/07, consumed with worry about a loved one serving in the army, mourning those murdered, and devastated that a friend or family member is still held hostage by Hamas. Everyone is connected. Israel is a nation of citizens who read the news and hope that it is not their loved one who fell in battle and then consumed with grief, understanding that their relief is another family’s horror. It was heartbreaking to watch colleagues try and hide their anguish during a meeting when they heard the news that 3 more young people with deep ties to BGU fell in battle.
During almost every visit, whether it was at Kibbutz Be’eri, meeting with relatives of hostages, spending time with BGU medical and Yazamut 360 Entrepreneurship Center students, there was deep sorrow, and at the same time, unbelievable resilience.
Here are just some of the stories of resilience I heard about in recent days.
Kibbutz Be’eri suffered devastating losses: 95 Kibbutz members were murdered, countless injured and many were taken hostage. Local resident and businessman, Ben, who is CEO of the successful printing company at the Kibbutz, guided us through the charred remains of house after house, as we walked over mounds of debris and twisted metal. He shared heartbreaking stories of entire families murdered by Hamas and he took us to the home of his mother, who was also murdered that day. Yet, already, 70 residents have returned to living on Kibbutz Be’eri, and within days of the tragedy and the unspeakable loss of his own mother, Ben managed to get the factory back up and running. The Kibbutz members are determined to rebuild their paradise and will not allow Hamas to win.
We also met BGU medical students in their final year of study. On the morning of 10/07, they heard rockets and sirens and saw a WhatsApp message indicating that a mass casualty event had taken place and help was desperately needed. With little regard for their own personal safety, they ran to Soroka Medical Center, where they stayed for the next 18 hours and assisted in whatever way they could while witnessing horrific injuries, sights and sounds that can never be erased. Astoundingly, each of the four students we met with – Yuval, Eyal, Dekel and Stav – all emphasized how impressive it was that the medical staff, their teachers, knew how to handle the unimaginable and that it was “well-organized chaos”. They took comfort from the fact that they were able to help patients at the most difficult moment of their young lives. They expressed appreciation for the excellent training they received that without any hyperbole, gave them the tools to save lives.
We met Ariel from the Yazamut 360 Entrepreneurship Center who, after mourning for exactly one day, jumped into action on October 8 and organized a network that has since grown to approximately 500 volunteers all over the country. Together they use their personal 3D printers to make much-needed products for soldiers. Ariel’s team has now developed over 20 different products and produced 35,000 units! Imagine, that the day after Ariel was traumatized by seeing video of terrorists riding through the streets of his childhood town, he used his engineering knowledge and entrepreneurial skill to develop these much-needed products.
While there are so many more stories to share, I will limit myself to one more, and it comes from Moran, the aunt of hostage Yagev Buchshtab. Yagev was 34 when he and his wife were brutally taken captive by Hamas. On January 23, he turned 35 while in captivity. To mark his birthday, Yagev’s mother asked volunteers to bake cakes in his honour. The cakes were carefully packaged, including information about Yagev, and distributed to the needy all over Israel. At this unthinkable time, Yagev’s family wanted to do something sweet for others who are struggling.
This is Israel. Deeply traumatized, mourning new losses every day, and yet resilient.
Let me conclude with a final thought. The BGU community was disproportionately affected by the tragedies of 10/07 and BGU is uniquely positioned to be at the forefront of rebuilding the Negev. Fred Rogers of Mr. Rogers fame said to “look for the helpers” — and the BGU community is replete with helpers. It is part of the university community’s DNA to serve and assist, and it was an honour to meet such an inspiring and courageous group this week.
I now have a responsibility to share more details and stories, so please free to reach out to me [email protected] or my cell 514-833-3856.
Shabbat Shalom,
Andrea
PS – for those looking for a way to help, there are still a few days remaining in The Schulich Foundation’s Matching Challenge. You can click on the link below to learn more or make a donation.
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Mourns
The entire BGU community is stricken by grief and mourning at the loss of our students, staff and faculty who were murdered and killed in the line of duty during the Iron Swords war.
Supporting the Vision
It started with David Ben-Gurion's vision,
and continues today as our mission.
