here is another “only in Israel” happening
SNAPSHOTS OF WAR: Spoils of War (names changed for tznius)
Amid all the tragedy, heartbreak and the tears, Israelis remain supportive of each other. This spirit will keep us strong. In that light, I will be posting stories of events and encounters that show our solidarity during this time. These will be stories of unity, hope and resilience to remind
us who we are, why we came to Israel and why we are here to stay. *
*Lucy’s Tale*
It was over two months since Al came home from his *miluim* (reserve duty) in Gaza last Shabbat. He didn’t tell me much while he was away, and our short trip to visit him down south was, well, too short. His infrequent WhatsApp messages were brief, but as long as I heard from him, I knew he was alive.
We all ran to him when he appeared at the door, barely giving him a chance to put down his duffle. He was excited, too, and quickly unzipped his bag. He told us he brought gifts back but let us know that they came with a catch.
One after another he put them on the floor: a small replica of the Eiffel Tower; a filagree bracelet set with blue stones, a souvenir pyramid (probably a paperweight) and a Star Wars action figure.
“Where did you get these?” I asked.
“They were from a house that our unit demolished. They were about to be buried in a ton of rubble, so I rescued them and decided to bring them home with me.”
“Thank you,” I said, “but we can’t take these. They're not ours. ”
“I know,” he said, “I didn’t think you would. I didn’t want to either. But somebody had to leave these behind, and I don’t think they were too happy about it. I also think that if I lost something I would want whoever found it to return it to me. So, I brought these home with me to hold on to until this thing is over. And when it is, we’ll figure out a way to let the owners know and try to get it back to them somehow.”
At first, we didn’t believe it. Then we looked at Al again and saw he was serious. So, we all agreed that we will make sure these ‘spoils of war’ remain untouched until this is over. Then we'll try to find their owners. Who knows? Maybe giving back these trinkets will be the first step on the
path to peace.
Community Relations Coordinator
Tel: +972-052-609-1415
Skype: +1-718-487-9854
Email: sslivko@aliyahpaveway.com
Web:https://www.aliyahpaveway.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment