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A Close Call Report from Israel by Barbara Silverman (See Gertie & Jack tab on the Resnik Family Tree)
Dear Family & Friends: This morning,
when I went to the mailbox, I found a pile of letters of encouragement and checks. How wonderful! I thought this would be a day like the other days have been since we began the "Package from Home" project.
However, that was not to be. Marvin and I were on our way to the Machane Yehuda Shuk (open-air market) to purchase large quantities of anti-fungal stockings at a discount. The stockings were to be included in the
packages for the soldiers. We stopped to park in the City Tower Building, about two blocks from the Shuk market. Suddenly, we heard an enormous explosion! We ran outside and saw billowing clouds of black
smoke shooting up from the area of the Shuk. Within 3 minutes, ambulances came screeching in that direction. The police cordoned off the streets surrounding the Shuk. People came streaming out of buildings and
shops! Most of them were dialing on their cell phones to check on their loved ones. A woman came staggering along, and two men were holding her up. She was shaking uncontrollably. Luckily she had not been
injured, but she was in shock. Other people were forming groups around portable radios to get more details about what had happened. The terrorist who had the bomb in his car was headed toward the inner part of
the Shuk where most of the people were shopping in preparation for Shabbat. However, the security people saw him driving the wrong way up a one-way street. That alarmed them, and the security people approached
him. He quickly drove up the narrow street adjoining the Shuk, exited his car, and ran away. Moments later the bomb inside the car exploded. Two people were killed, and at least nine were injured. Had the
blast occurred on the main street, there would have been many more casualties. Since the police had stopped all entrance of pedestrians into the Shuk area, we were unable to find out if the storekeeper had been injured
in the blast. When we got home, we called and discovered that she had not been injured. However, as you can imagine, she was somewhat distressed. Tomorrow morning we will go back to the Shuk to purchase the
stockings so that we can complete the packages to be sent to our soldiers. While this experience is a frightening one, it is not the first time, nor will it be the last time, that some terrorist feels the need to kill
Jews. However stressful this is, we are a very stubborn lot. Hashem promised this land to the Jewish people, and we are not moving. Were you aware that the Palestinian Authority pays the families of the
young children who are injured in the rioting the sum of $400, and $1,000 if they are killed? Additionally, terrorists who go out on these kinds of missions are promised that if they die in the blast, they will end up in
Heaven surrounded by virgins, and that their families will be provided for. Unbelievable, isn't it I had intended this letter to be an update on the "Package from Home" project. But this latest bombing
distracted me. Suffice it to say that the response from all of you has been spectacular. The packages are going out on a regular basis. In addition, I received a package of more than 100 letters of encouragement
and support from the students of the Associated Hebrew Day School in Toronto, Canada. We included a letter from one of the students with each package together with our usual note of appreciation. On behalf of the
soldiers who are receiving the packages, I extend my thanks to all of you who have responded so quickly and so generously. Yours, Barbara Silverman
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