Part 4: Wartime Solidarity Trip to Israel February 15, 2024, to February 22, 2024 Kathleen Rusnak and Claire Pace

DAY 4 - February 21, 2024:

We began our fourth day volunteering at the packing plant owned by Onot Israel.

They have a farm associated with a packing plant. Because of the rain we were not able to work in the fields, but staff needed help with packing.

Prior to the war many Palestinians were employed at the farm. After 10/7 they were no longer allowed to enter Israel for security reasons.  The shortage of employees was devastating to the many farm communities throughout Israel. People also normally came from Thailand to work, but again after 10/7 the government of Thailand paid to have all their citizens come home. Now employees are natives of Cambodia and there are still not enough people to do the work.

Asian Employees

We spent the morning packaging various vegetables- cucumbers, basil and lettuce into small containers for sale at local grocery stores.

After our work at the farm, we met with Caroline Barmatz the Director of hydrotherapy.

Caroline Barmatz the Director of hydrotherapy

Sheba is a world leader in hydrotherapy- using water and pools to facilitate physical rehabilitation. All pools are warm and the injured work with a physical or occupational therapist to regain strength and mobility. There are exercise machines in the water. Sheba is awaiting the delivery of an underwater treadmill. These cost $400,000.

We then met recovering soldiers in the rehabilitation center and who were hospitalized.

Hydrotherapy Pool

Wounded Israeli soldier

Key points

• The first soldier lost a leg below the knee due to friendly fire. His best friend died in the same battle. He was shot in four places and also had severe injuries to his neck and back.

• He feels that Israel is fighting for its survival and for the survival of all non-Arab countries.

• One soldier was an American Jew who went to Israel because of 10/7.

• We went to the room of two soldiers. One was severely wounded and has been in hospital for several weeks. His mother was with him as well as three of his friends who were in full military garb including their guns.   This soldier stated that he wants to go back to Gaza. His mother shook her head-no.

• The other soldier in the room had a large banner with pictures of his unit. Two soldiers in his unit have died-- one that morning. He was also shot in four places.

• The fifth soldier had an arm/hand injury.

Overall impression/Notes

• Israelis are concerned that they are very much alone in this existential war.

• The war in Gaza's goal is to destroy Hamas whose charter is the destruction of Israel.

• Hamas represents Islamists who are of the same mindset as ISIS.

• Hamas's goal and that of many Arabs in the Middle East is that all lands where there is a Muslim presence must be ruled by Muslims under Sharia law.

• Health care/medicine holds the model of cooperation, compassion, and care that can lead to healing.

• The Abraham Accords hold promise of a political model that could end the cycle of violence with all peoples- Jews, and Arabs, recognizing that our ancestor Abraham connects us.

• October 7 was a watershed event for Israel.

• This was an incarnational experience for us.

We were not able to stay February 22 for day 5, because the only flight we were able to arrange left at 1:00 am 2/23/34.

Leaving Israel for home display of hostages.

Submitted respectfully,

Claire Pace

Kathleen Rusnak