News from the Soup kitchen in Sderot

Review

Avichai Amusi's secretary writes: There is no quiet moment in Sderot. We hear the activity in Gaza throughout the day. Hamas still manages to fire rockets into Sderot.
Despite all this, we continue to come to the Chesed (Mercy) Center every day and try to return to all normal activities. At the moment, soldiers are being provided with food through the soup kitchen, but we are also resuming regular service for the needy.

Since the brutal and criminal attack by Palestinian terrorists on October 7, 2003, much has changed in Israel, probably nothing is as it used to be!
With these thoughts in mind, we traveled to Israel in the spring of 2024. After a short stay in Jerusalem, we continued on to our actual destination – Sderot – the city in Israel that has been the most frequent target of terrorist and rocket attacks by Hamas and its supporters since Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in 2005.
For many years, we have had good contacts with Sderot, which have been strengthened since 2017 by our help in renovating and expanding the local soup kitchen. I have had a very close and warm friendship with Avichai Amusi, the director of the soup kitchen, for years. What will my first personal encounter with him be like after October 7, 2023? Especially in view of the knowledge that he has witnessed unspeakable suffering and unimaginably horrific crimes. Avichai, who is a Torah scribe by profession, is also involved in the organization “Zaka”, which provides assistance in the recovery and identification of victims after terrorist attacks. Our reunion was characterized by an incredible warmth – we hugged for a long time and I felt how important and valuable it is just to be there – here in Sderot, here with the people who have experienced so much suffering and long for peace so much. We were also warmly welcomed by the staff.
They were full of joy as they showed us how they continue to run the soup kitchen. Additional helpers had just arrived from Jerusalem and the surrounding area, including mothers whose sons were fighting in Gaza. They had come to help prepare meals for the IDF soldiers – over 1,000 portions that day. We were able to make ourselves useful in the kitchen and with technical repairs. It was a wonderful experience, and we also enjoyed meeting the soldiers who came to pick up the food. It showed us how close the people stand together in this war situation!
The soup kitchen also includes a clothing store for people in need. There you can get good used clothing for “little” money. Further ideas for expanding and improving the help for socially disadvantaged people are currently being examined.
That God has blessed and continues to bless the work of Avichai and his helpers was also shown by the fact that in a rocket attack from the Gaza Strip at the beginning of the year, the Kassam rocket did not hit the soup kitchen, but about two to three meters beside it. Splinters damaged the facade and also hit a window. Avichai was standing right next to the window at his office at the time. Praise and thanks be to God for keeping him safe!
Avichai was very keen to tell us about his work at Zaka. So we went with him and his secretary Daniel to various places in Sderot where dramatic and horrific scenes had taken place on October 7, 2001. Avichai reported in detail on the events and the individual stories associated with them. We sensed how important it is for him to share with us what he has experienced and seen. It did him good to speak about what he had experienced and to get it off his chest!
There are currently thoughts of reopening the soup kitchen to people in need so that they can meet again and eat meals in each other's company. At the moment, the food is delivered to the needy.
Israel and especially the sorely afflicted people of Sderot need our ongoing support!