Be’ersheva, a Southern Israeli city, is known to readers of the Bible in connection with Abraham the Patriarch and his pact with Abimelech, Isaac built an altar in Beersheba (Genesis 26:23–33), and Jacob had his dream about a stairway to heaven after leaving Beersheba (Genesis 28:10–15 and 46:1–7), as well as more than a half of dozen other references. Unfortunately, its modern historical significance is being one of the heavily targeted cities by Hamas terrorist firing rockets from Gaza into civilian populations. As a result, citizens are having to spend their summer in bomb shelters thousands of rockets have targeted their cities, according to Maya Kadosh, Deputy Consul of Israel to the Southwest.
“These rockets are aimed at communities - civilians who simply are trying to live their day-to-day lives,” Kadosh said.
For the children of the community it means much-anticipated summer camps and outdoor play is replaced with a traumatic nightmare.
Rinat Alatin is a Houston resident and native of Be’ersheva who just returned from Israel with her three daughters. All of children there are “scared and crying all the time. The local school teacher was compelled to take action. She reached out to Be’ersheva officials about raising money in Houston to pay for a special outdoor event for the children once it is deemed safe. Officials welcomed the support and the Israeli children were excited that Americans thought of them, according to Alatin.
Alatin and the Mitchabrim Houston, an Israeli-American organization, are asking Houstonians to give these children a slice of their childhood back by buying a slice of pie or cake.
Opportunities to do so are 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thurs., July 24 and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, July 25 at one of the following locations:
· My Pita: 9804 Hillcroft Avenue 77096
· New York Bagel: 9720 Hillcroft Avenue 77096
· Jewish Community Center: 5601 S. Braeswood Blvd. 77096