On Thursday, we began a powerful four-day trip to Central Eretz Yisroel. Our first stop was in Sderot, where we visited Chabad of Sderot Where we had a Pizza lunch and heard intense, firsthand accounts of the events of October 7th before Davening Mincha.
From there, we went to Mitzpeh Sderot, a lookout point with a clear view of the Gaza Strip, now lying in ruins. We then visited a haunting car cemetery, where the burned and destroyed vehicles from that tragic day remain — many with the memories of the Yidden who were inside them.
Our next stop was the Sderot municipality, where we watched a gripping video presentation about the October 7th attack on the Sderot police station, giving us a deeper understanding of the heroism and tragedy of that day.
We then traveled to Re’im, the site of the Nova music festival. There, we heard more about what had taken place, and then, with deep emotion, we sang Acheinu and Ani Maamin. In their memory, and with great kavod, we began a lebedike niggun — dancing for those who never got to finish their last dance.
We then continued even closer to Gaza, where we enjoyed an uplifting BBQ together with the brave soldiers currently fighting there. Dancing and singing with them was a powerful reminder of our shared strength and unity.
At the end of the day, we made our way to Yerushalayim, where we rested well, ready to take on the incredible days that lay ahead.