Nancy Diamond is traveling in Israel, on a mission trip sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Greater Fairfield County.
She’s joined by fellow Westporters Sonia Ben Yehuda, Stephanie Gordon, Lisa Hayes, Jeffrey Mayer, Lynn Rabinovici Park and Shirah Sklar.
It’s been both a sobering and inspiring journey. Nancy writes:
Five days into our trip to war-torn Israel we were given unusual access to the sites of the October 7 massacre, when Hamas terrorists conducted a surprise attack on young concert-goers and residents on the border with the Gaza Strip. Most of the areas our group visited are still being treated as crime sites.
Our 18-member group met with residents of two kibbutzim, agricultural settlements that suffered some of the worst brutalities. Families were shot in their homes; women were raped and beheaded; bodies were dismembered and booby trapped with explosives.
In Kibbutz K’far Aza, 63 residents were massacred. Nineteen were kidnapped and taken a few kilometers away to Gaza.
Israeli kibbutz, after the terrorist attack.
Although 14 of the hostages have been returned, a kibbutz resident told us, “Until the rest are back, we cannot move on. We are still at the beginning of the story, and we don’t know where it will go.”
Remembering missing hostages, at a kibbutz.
The scenes at the kibbutzim were horrific: homes pockmarked with bullet holes and burned. Shoes, toys, mattresses and burned appliances strewn about the yards. Red symbols on doorways indicated how many bodies were inside and whether they had been cleared of explosives and terrorists. This process took some 10 days.
Post-attack information — and a sign from a more peaceful time.
We heard first hand descriptions of the ways in which families had sought refuge in safe rooms, some for more than 24 hours. Some fought back, and some lost their lives.
Very few residents have returned to their settlements. Most are refugees in their own country, having been resettled around the country. Several families are housed in our hotel in Tel Aviv, using the lobby as their living room.
As the air shook with the reverberations of Israeli shells exploding a few miles away inside Gaza, the group visited the site of the Supernova music festival where Hamas killed 364 men and women — most in their early 20s — and kidnapped 44.
The festival site has become a spontaneous monument. Pictures of the victims have been propped on steel poles; volunteers placed candles at the foot of the poles, and families have added personal touches including personal notes, flowers, memorabilia, and QR codes for information about the victims. It was heartbreaking to see hundreds of beautiful, young, faces now no longer alive.
The music festival site is now a monument.
Perhaps the most spine-chilling comment we heard came from a kibbutz resident: “This massacre is not an Israeli problem or a Jewish problem. The terrorists have shown us the playbook for their next attack on the West.”
Our group left the Gaza border area exhausted and emotionally drained, but strengthened in our resolve to share these first-hand accounts.
Remembering victims of October 7. (All photos courtesy of Nancy Diamond)
What about the Palestinians? This cannot all be blamed on Hamas. Nor did it all begin on October 7th.
This is genocide.
Your definiton of genocide is warped. A response to a terrorist attack is not genocide. If not Oct 7th, why Oct 7?!
it’s complicated. it’s not black and white clear.
You’re right Richard, it’s not black and white. Simplistic calls of “genocide” aren’t t helpful, whether they’re coming from college campuses or from Congress. I’m looking at you, AOC.
There is a very specific definition of the word “genocide”. When Allied Forces firebombed Dresden in 1945, more than 25,000 people were killed in one night? Was that “genocide”? Of course not. Casualties of war are unfortunate, but it’s not genocide. This was a response to a terrorist attack. And you’re correct – this didn’t begin on October 7th. The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem met with Hitler in 1942 to discuss their common goal of ridding their respective regions of Jews. Aggression against Jews began quite some time ago, and continues to this day, unfortunately.
Thank you for this very important article from the front lines of the October 7th attack on Israel.
I also want to thank the rabbis and The Westport Public Schools for hosting the anti- semitism and biases meeting at Temple Israel.
I want to make it VERY clear that Camilo Raino is LYING to you all when he claims that Westport Public Schools DEIB is teaching kids that Jewish people are the oppressors! That is a flat out LIE meant to harm Westport, Westport Public Schools, and the teachers and administrators of our school system. Our schools are NOT teaching kids that Jews are oppressors! Flat out, NOT! Ask your children! Also, Westport Public Schools DEIB is NOT the same as public or private DEI college organizations funded by Qatar and SJP and other various pro- Hamas terrorism organizations that protest on campuses! How dare Camilo Raino confalte the two VERY different entitities and attempt to drag down Westport Public Schools bc let’s be honest, he hates Westport Public Schools for a plethora of personal reasons whatever he has concocted from his political leanings and writing for a far far right propaganda publication meant to divide.
I am proud of the Westport Public Schools, Howard Baily, Team Westport, and the rabbis of Westport working together to teach kids about the Holocaust and anti- semitism!
God Bless you all. You are all in our prayers.
From South Carolina
Is that the same God, Sallie, that started this war? Or are you referring to another God you know?
Let’s get real – Hamas’s political & governmental mission statement with regard to Gaza and other areas it rules of influences
includes the destruction of Israel and all the Jewish citizens therein. What makes anyone think that it also doesn’t include all Jewish people throughout the world?
In my opinion, it is never ok to kill civilians, women & children, Palestinian or Jewish. Both sides are wrong, and so it is with the world. Who can solve this age old conflict except God Almighty and those inspired to do right and live for peace in this world?
God didn’t solve the Holocaust. Everyone has an opinion. It’s so complicated The world is nuts. The USA is nuts.
These claims of rape, beheadings, dismemberment are all been proven false by more than one outlet. Even the rag NYT is having a revolt over publishing IDF propaganda. As far as WW11 what happened in Dresden could be classified as a genocidal assault. This could end in 5 minutes if the US had any backbone but it doesn’t. It’s complicit.
Or it could end if Hamas leadership decided it would rather spare the people it governs instead of its own terrorists.
Dresden? Hiroshima/Nagasaki? Guess you should be thanking our government for these “genocides,” as they’ve given you the freedom to defend terrorists half a world away, while you’re perched comfortably in your ivory tower free from the kind of threats Israel and its citizens face every single day.
Please do not respond to Dermont’s gaslighting and ignorance. We will have Nova and Bear Witness along with all the recordings by Hamas played in every school, town, church, synagogue, movie theatre and news outlet across America. He is just a Sandy Hook Alex Jones denier who does not deserve a response directed to him.
Hamas raped and beheaded Israelis on October 7. These sickening acts are well documented. To attempt to rewrite this tragic history is both antisemitic and evil.
What is your reaction to the USA voting “abstain” in the UN resolution to demand an immediate ceasefire?
An important piece by David Brooks in yesterday’s NYT , WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE ISRAEL DO TO DEFEND ITSELF can be found on YouTube and goes a long way toward helping them that is questioning or thinking about this war.
yes. It’s a great article. The article did not address why a Israel /Netenyahu paid huge sums of money to Hamas for years The Trump administration was aware of Netenyahu Israel right wing government payments to Hamas. Do you know what Trump said about Israel payments to Hamas ? Nothing. Where was the Israeli right wing government on Oct 7? What took the right wing Netenyahu government so long to respond to the barbaric Hamas terror attack ? The Netenyahu regime to overthrow the Israeli judiciary system to keep him out of jail had hajf the country divided and much of the military on protest. Netenyahu and his right wing regime have not answered to any of the concerns in my comments. Netenyahu and Trump are very similar and very dangerous. Trump Jan 6. Netenyahu Oct 7. Wake up.
And please add that at an interview at Mar a Largo this weekend, Trump said to the interviewer it is time for Israel to wrap things up! Fox and other right wing “news” outlets will not report this along with the Lev Parnass eyewitness account at the fake impeachent hearing. Trump said cease fire without saying cease fire.
I want Netenyahu held accountable too for the biggest breach of security in Israeli history. How did that happen? How did Hamas steal Israeli army artillery? How was there a breach in intel?
I still support Israel going after Hamas. We need our hostages back, NOW!
I was hoping our local Federation would have Asked. Let’s not forget Trumps failure to call out Holocaust Denier and Mar largo Trump friend Kanye West. Let’s not forget Trumps failures to call out anti semitic groups Proud Boys and Oath Keepers. Trump has no morality other then money into his pocket. He will massage and lie to anyone to get more money and power. The USA needs. the loudest shofer call in history
All you ever do is blame everything on Trump.
In 3 1/2 years Biden has made the the US weak and the world is at war.
Get out of your rich white liberal town of Westport and see what a mess this administration has done to this country.
You all say how Dangerous Trump is. He was president for 4 years and NO country would walk over us like they are under Biden.
Democrats are WEAK!!
And for 3 1/2 years Trump has continued to lie to the American people that the 2020 election was stolen, and then orchestrated an attack on the peaceful transfer of power. Talk about weak.
Was 2020 election stolen?
It’s sad that we are still printing the proven lies of beheaded and raped women. It’s even more disturbing that you have only been taught throughout your upbringing one version of the story and are too blinded to really open your eyes to what’s been happening. Do you ever stop and ask yourself why there is a resistance? It’s unfortunate what happened on Oct 7th but with illegal occupation there wouldn’t need to be such resistance. This unfortunately has been going on since 1948 with the Nakba which was horrific then 1967. Everyone is entitled to believe as they wish but know the full history. What’s happening now is disgusting and disturbing and if you’re okay with that that’s speaks volumes about you.
Mr Gains is going to gain a lot of knowledge from Hamas who recorded all the beheadings, rapes, and burning of people alive. In the meantime, I will send him an invite to Alex Jone’s party of denials.
hi Steph. I suggest that the best comment to that is silence
Proven lies? An anti-Israel congressman just said this: “The UN confirmed that Hamas committed rape and sexual violence, a reprehensible fact that I condemn entirely.” https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/03/26/congress/bowman-house-israel-october-7-sexual-assault-hamas-00148426
I love how pro-Palestinian viewpoints always point back to 1948. Why stop there? How about 1942 when the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem met with Hitler in 1942 to discuss their common goal of ridding their respective regions of Jews (as mentioned above)? Or even 1938 when a British partition plan which would have given Palestinians the majority of the land and was rejected by Arabs.
If you want to talk about 1948, make sure to include the part about Israel being attacked by all of its Arab neighbors and then winning the war. Funny thing about war – there are consequences for attacking someone and then losing. Had the Arabs won, would the pro-Palestinian side have been advocating for giving a portion of the land back to the Jews?
Staying on 1948: How about the Jews that were kicked out of their homes in Arab countries (which were greater in number than Palestinians who were forced from their homes in present-day Israel)? If we’re going to talk about right of return for Palestinians, feels like we should be talking about right of return for everyone.
Finally, you’re a sad coward for not using your full name, but maybe that’s what you gotta do when you excuse, defend and glorify terrorism.
Ms. Frankel you are sorely mistaken. Ilan Pappe , Miko Peled, Max Blumenthal, all Jews, are the people who are telling the truth about facts on the ground. Starving children will not reap any sympathy.