Destruction of the Federman Farm

Sometimes things happen in Israel that bring great anguish and anger. It can be a pigua (terrorist attack) or some other tragedy. We are such a small country and we are so interconnected with one another that when something happens to one family or individual, it is if it happened to the rest of of us. Unfortunately, this is not necessarily true if that tragedy happens to Jews in Judea and Samaria...and more and more lately, so many tragedies are perpetrated by our own government against our own people.

The media has done such a successful job of demonizing the settlers who are our pioneers that often other Israelis are either unaware of the event because the media neglected to even cover the story, or they cover it with such hatred and bias towards the settlers that the general population is left confused. Confused and feeling guilty. Confused because they see the travesty done to these families yet they are told not to care. Feeling guilty because they know in their own hearts that these brave pioneers are the backbone of this country, the courageous ones, and they (the general population) have done nothing to protest.

Saturday night, Oct.25, after Shabbat, at 1 am., our Defense Minister (who is supposed to be defending us against our enemies) ordered an unannounced middle of the night raid to destroy two of the homes of it's own citizens, tearing terrified young children from their beds, and taking a year old baby away from her mother. Unbelievably, children were beaten and even arrested and the homes and all the belongings of 2 families were totally obliterated.

Why? Because Jews dared to settle their own Land. What happened that night was a statement by a departing prime minister that even though he personally is fading from view, lovers of Eretz Israel need to take notice... they (we) won't be tolerated. (Please visit my parallel site Today in Israel, where I discuss this and other events more fully)

We went to the Federman Farm in Kiryat Arba where this tragedy occurred. Their story is almost beyond description. Because the homes and belongings of the Federmans (9 children) and Tors (4 children) were completely destroyed we brought a truckload of food, clothing, furniture, household and personal items they no longer have. It will be a beginning of rebuilding, but as we all know, there are so many personal things that can never be replaced. We went as a team to show support, solidarity, and bring chizuk (to strengthen). As always in these situations, we were the ones who left strengthened and amazed because of the extraordinary emunah (faith) of these remarkable people.

More on this later...........