3 Short Stories from the Evacuees’ Hotel by Racheli Frenkel
[Racheli is a university student volunteering at a Dead-Sea hotel with survivors of the massacre at Kibbutz Beeri, where 10% of the kibbutz members were murdered. By the way, my 18-year-old daughter, Moriya, is a national service girl volunteering at the same hotel.]
Here’s a few short stories told by citizens who were evacuated from Kibbutz Be’eri:
1. Today we spent all our time sorting and organizing incoming donations.
On the first day we sat on the floor and organized baby clothing. We were a small group of women: a secular student, a few Seminary girls from the settlement Shevut-Rachel, a small improvised clinic of Physicians for Human Rights, snacks and refreshments made by Gerrer Chassidic women, a station of cotton candy at the entrance being run by an amazing woman that came through the left-wing organization “Achim LaNeshek” (Brothers in Arms).
All of us working for the same goal, with the same passion.
I am not sugar coating anything. The conflicts between us are deep and significant, and even at the hotel we got a few surprised glances, but that’s how it was.
2. In the meantime I spoke with a girl, such a sweetheart. And I’m standing before her in awe, half paralyzed, thinking about all the heroines, like her, that saved and were saved.
She is about to be drafted, it is obvious to her that she will join the army, will begin this special new chapter in her life even in this unimaginable reality. She didn’t have clothes or shoes for basic training so we collected everything she needed from the donations, that’s how she’ll show up on her first day of the IDF. My Rabbanit.
3. In the middle of some task Efrat stopped me and said “Racheli, drop everything. We need to organize equipment for a newborn that’s about to arrive here. A woman was rescued while in labor and just gave birth.”
I collected together everything I possibly could and almost hugged the box.
A new life is beginning now. Literally.
A baby was born after the Simchat Torah.
There is a kibbutz member from Be’eri who didn’t experience the massacre.
What does that mean?
I don’t know. But a box of baby clothing and diapers is waiting for her, and she’s on the way right now.
Follow Racheli on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100026212891368&mibextid=ZbWKwL