Shalom all,

Inspite of the difficult times we are experiencing thesedays, I would like to update you regarding the very special last three days that we've had. On Monday evening 8 members of the Metro West community from the TBA Congregation arrived to Ofakim and Merhavim.  The delegation led by Gary Aidekman and Rabbi Kulwin came as a demonstration of support and partnership between the communities. They arrived on Monday directly from the airport and after a short welcome and security briefing they went to their hosting families, to refresh from the flight and to get some rest.
On Tuesday morning they met the Mayor of Ofakim, Zvika Greengold at the Emergency Situation Room that has opened due to the missiles attacks on Ofakim.

The delegation heard about the security situation and about the emergency organization of the different departments of the municipality, especially the formal and informal education systems. There is no school in Ofakim for the past 2 weeks and the department of education, together with the community center, are  operating programs conducted by volunteers and by soldiers of the IDF home front command. These activities take place in bomb shelters in order to make sure the children are safe and that their parents can go to work.

After the briefing we went with the volunteers of the community center to paint mobile bomb shelters around the city. Since many citizens in Ofakim do not have a shielded room or a near by bomb shelter, the IDF brought the mobile bomb shelters (which look like huge concrete sewage pipes) to the neighborhoods and to other public areas.

We were very lucky and didn't have any alarms during the day. The delegation worked until noon and then, after a quick lunch, went to work with the Nahal soldiers who are stationed in the city and operate the kids in the bomb shelters. The delegation's members played with the kids in 3 bomb shelters and gave them games and toys that were brought from Metro West. Later on the delegation went shopping in Ofakim. It warmed our hearts to see them walking and buying in the empty commercial center.

The day ended with a dinner hosted by the ethnic empowerment women group. In addition to the delegation members, the participants were the Nahal soldiers, volunteers from Gush Azion who came to help, Avi Bitan, the head of the education department, Ran yul, the Matnas director,  the Mayor of Ofakim an the Mayor of Merhavim.  A special guest was the commander of the IDF Southern Home Front unit who came to greet the delegation and praised them for their courage and sense of duty. The dinner was amazing not only because of the tasty food but especially because of the feeling of true solidarity that is above all. It was a long and fruitful day.

On Wednesday morning we went to visit Eli Peretz, the principal of Merhavim high school, and gave him letters of support from the SSDSEU. Eli explained of how the school staff is making sure students continue with their studies even if they are not physically at school. During our visit the 11th grade had a national exam so they came to school and took the test in a sheilded building. The sight of IDF home front soldiers walking in the school making sure everyone knows what they should due in case of alarm and guarding the doorways so the kids will not wander outside, was definetly something to remember.
From Merhavim the delegation left the Ofakim-Merchavim region to visit Sderot and Kibbus Erez.
I would like you to know it was a real pleasure to host such dear and amazing people in Ofakim and Merchavim, who despite of the danger and the uncertainty arrived and showed us they care.

We thank you all and truly feel like one family.
We hope for more peaceful times.
Tal Morag