JNF UK organised a day trip to Sderot, allowing those visiting Israel over Pesach to show their solidarity with the Sderot community.
The group first visited Beit Ha’Chessed soup kitchen, a crucial organisation that JNF UK supports, which provides food to those in need. They toured the city, hearing firsthand accounts of the devastating attacks on Sderot on October 7. A local policeman, who was injured in the attacks, recounted the infiltration of the police station by Hamas terrorists which was subsequently destroyed. Rabbi Avichay, a volunteer with Zakah, Israel’s leading non-governmental rescue organisation, shared his experiences of that tragic day and the horrific sights he had to witness. After a kosher for Pesach lunch, the trip travelled to Nir Am, a kibbutz situated just 2km from Gaza, where they met volunteers working to strengthen the community. The day ended at Nova Re’im Park, now a memorial site for the Nova Festival massacre.
Dan Shapira, JNF UK Project Manager in Israel, called the day extremely emotional. He expressed that participants were profoundly grateful for the chance to visit key sites, meet inspiring individuals, and demonstrate their support for the citizens of Sderot.
