Here Lived
I came to Nir Oz with my family in 1991. Previously, we had lived in the city with our three children and didn’t like it very much. Some friends suggested that we might like kibbutz life, so we decided to give it a try.
We came to the kibbutz with Kirill, Angela, and Liza (ages 9, 6, and 3). The kibbutz felt very welcoming, with its sprawling lawns, trees, open spaces, and many children of all ages, and we decided to stay.
The children and I loved the kibbutz. Four years after our arrival, Eran was born. I worked on the kibbutz in various jobs – in the kibbutz kitchen, in the preschools and kibbutz offices, and later on I studied nursing.
I completed my studies, went through a divorce, and worked in medical centers and clinics. The children grew up and left the kibbutz to study, while Eran remained with me.
October 7th
On October 7, I was at home alone, with my partly charged cellphone. Eran was at his own home. He was part of the kibbutz first-response squad and told me to hold tight to the door handle of the safe room and not let go because there were many terrorists on the kibbutz.
Never before in my life had I’d been so terrified. With one hand I grabbed the door handle, and with the other I held my cellphone, which was nearly dead, and in it Eran’s messages that calmed me and gave me strength. He saved me, kept me from falling apart. The terrorists were inside my home, loudly smashing everything in sight and shooting. In my head I kept talking to my children , “I will survive. Eran will survive. We’ll meet again.” This went on for ten hours.
When it was over – or so I thought because of the silence – I didn’t open the door until Eran arrived.He came with soldiers and we embraced, as though infusing life into each other. I told him I would always follow him and find a way to see him.
On October 8, we were evacuated to Eilat without any of our belongings, just move away, just flee. At Tlalim Junction, we stopped for a break, and there, led by my son Kirill, was a group of our young people, who brought us a huge supply of food, clothes, and shoes. It was an emotional moment and I could barely let go of Kirill. The group traveled with us and remained with us for weeks, helping in every way.
When we arrived in Eilat on the evening of October 8 and I saw everybody’s faces, I pulled myself together and took charge of the medical needs of our community. For the first time, I was the nurse of Nir Oz. This gave me strength to continue, not to fall. I solved so many problems, and that gave me great satisfaction.
What Happened Since
We’ve been living in Kiryat Gat for a couple of years now. I like living here, it’s comfortable and suits me well. I work and volunteer. There is a gym, and my son is nearby. The great difficulty that remains is where to go from here. The house in Nir Oz will always remain home, but I am unable to go back there, at least as of today.
