Today, I am reporting from Eilat, the southernmost city in Israel. During my visit, I encountered some remarkable individuals, unsung heroes of the war. Among them was Dina Houri, who served as principal of the elementary school in Sderot for 25 years. Following Simchat Torah, she embarked on a relentless mission to establish Israel’s largest educational campus for displaced children. Remarkably, she managed to set up a school for 450 students in a parking lot, all in record time!
The Israel Education Ministry had called upon retired teachers from all over to join the effort. She passionately appealed, “I urge everyone who is feeling drained by over three months of displacement to come and contribute to the children’s education. We need help! We have mothers here whose sons are stationed in Gaza. Engaging in this vital work, focusing on nurturing the next generation, is the best therapy for them.”
The struggle to maintain a routine and ensuring regular school days forms a critical aspect of this broader conflict.
A Loss in Battle
Last week, we lost Eyal Mevorach Twito in battle at Khan Yunis. In 2019, Eyal embarked on a year-long mission to Baltimore, driven by his passion to share the Torah from the land of Israel with the Jews of the Diaspora. Matanya, a fellow emissary at the Baltimore school where Eyal served, shared the profound impact of Eyal’s passing on the community. They fondly recalled his time there and the meaningful connections he forged.
In his honor, Jewish schools across Baltimore displayed numerous photos of Eyal, creating a poignant tribute. Accompanying these images were seeds for the children to take home and plant. This act, in honor of Tu B’Shevat, also made them a part of the magnificent Jewish story that transforms tragedy into growth and renewal.
“Eyal’s mission in the U.S. was unfortunately shortened due to COVID, forcing him to return to Israel mid-school year,” Matanya noted. “On the 13th of Shevat, the day he fell in battle, Eyal completed that mission, connecting the Baltimore children to his values in a deeper way than he could have ever imagined.”
May we merit, both in Israel and around the world, to see Eyal’s dreams and values continue to inspire and flourish.
