Craftspeople in Israel

Review

After a pleasant and uneventful journey from Prague, we were “greeted” at Tel Aviv airport by a rocket alarm. It was to be the only alarm we experienced during our trip.

Our first destination took us to the monastery of the Jesus Brotherhood in Latrun, where we were warmly welcomed and accompanied to our quarters in the late evening. We spent the next two days at the monastery doing various jobs. We installed a railing and did some gardening, mainly pruning the trees in the olive grove.

I had been in contact with Avichai from Sderot, and since he was in the area, he spontaneously came to Latrun to visit us. We had a very warm reunion! It was a particularly wonderful experience for me to show him around the monastery and feel his joy and openness.

On Wednesday, we went to Jerusalem, where we walked along the city wall from the Jaffa Gate to the Damascus Gate and enjoyed the ever-changing views of the city. Afterwards, our path took us through the Old City to the Western Wall. Since we were there during the Passover celebrations, we experienced a lively bustle at and in front of the Western Wall. In the late afternoon, we had the opportunity to meet Mirjam Holmer from Israelnetz and have an interesting conversation with her.

The following Thursday, the time had come – we drove to the soup kitchen in Sderot. There we were welcomed by Avichai, who happily told us about the activities in the soup kitchen. However, it was closed during the Passover celebrations. For this reason, we were also unable to carry out the craft work we had planned. As expected, there is a lot to do. For example, there are large cracks in the ceiling of the new soup kitchen building. Part of the substructure needs to be replaced and then re-plastered, filled, and painted. The toilets need new tiles and a fresh coat of paint. There are also larger and smaller cracks in the drywall in the old building. Outside, parts of the roof box need to be replaced. Some boards are rotten and need to be replaced. There are also cracks and holes in the exterior facade. In my opinion, the substructure would also need to be partially replaced here. The cracks would need to be filled with fabric and new plaster applied. Various electrical work is also pending. The work to be done is documented in the attached photos. We need approximately €2,000 for this work, and donations are welcome. I have received several requests from tradespeople in my circle of friends and acquaintances who would like to support the soup kitchen. We should discuss specific plans and possibilities together.

After visiting the soup kitchen, we were invited to Avichai's home for a snack. He showed us his workshop, where he pursues his actual craft as a Torah scribe. However, he did not enter the room himself because of the holidays. He told us how he had experienced October 7, 2023. Afterwards, Avichai took us to the newly erected memorial for the victims of October 7 in Sderot. It was built on the site of the former police station in Sderot. There is a memorial plaque for each victim with a picture and a few sentences about the person. Avichai knew many of the victims and was friends with some of them... It was very emotional!

After saying goodbye to Avichai, we drove on to the Nova Festival memorial site!

We spent the evening in Latrun again. On Good Friday morning, we said goodbye to the siblings of the Jesus Brotherhood, visited the nearby tank museum, and drove on to Arad, where we were met by Paula, a Dutch woman who is currently looking after Rick and Dafna's property while they are away. It was a special and profound experience to see the “fountain of tears” on Good Friday. Paula, who speaks several languages, explained the artwork and Rick's journey to it in very impressive words. Arad was a very good starting point for trips to the Dead Sea, Masada, and the Ramon Crater. We also spent a day doing various odd jobs in and around Rick and Dafna's house. It turned out that a general overhaul of the electrical system in Rick's studio would be a good idea. I was able to discuss this with him in person just a few days after our return to Germany, as he was in the Ore Mountains with Dafna for a short time.

From Arad, we continued to Tiberias, where we were able to stay in Christa Behr's vacation apartment. In the north, in addition to a small excursion program around the Sea of Galilee, we also had the opportunity to do some manual work. Our renovation work in Hadera for a 90-year-old Holocaust survivor on Yom HaShoah was particularly impressive.

With great gratitude for all the protection and for many wonderful experiences, impressions, and encounters, we began our journey back to Germany after about two weeks.

Praise, thanks, and all glory be to our Heavenly Father!

Just a few days after our return, we learned that much of the outdoor area of the Jesus Brotherhood in Latrun had been destroyed by devastating forest fires. Some areas where we had been working just a short time before no longer exist! Thank God, all the residents were evacuated in time, so no one was injured.

According to my current information, the destroyed buildings, or at least parts of them, are to be rebuilt! To do this, we need craftsmen and helpers.