Another story, sent by Orly’s sister, about some friends of theirs.

Michael (9), Amalia (6), and Abigail (4) are children of Roy and Smadar Idan. They live in Kibbutz Kfar Aza. Roy is a photographer for the news network YNET. When the attack started, Roy grabbed his camera and went to work running towards the danger instead of away. He captured images of terrorists coming in on paragliders. Recognizing how close they were getting to his home, he ran back to gather his family. When he arrived his frantic children, who had escaped the house, ran to him because Smadar had already been shot and killed by terrorists inside. He picked up little Abigail just as the terrorists shot him.

Once again, the children scattered. Michael and Amalia ran in one direction to hide. Abigail ran to her neighbor Avichai’s house. He let her in, which saved her life. After some time, Avichai and other men from the community joined a security detail and went to fight the terrorists, since there were no authorities coming to help. He left Abigail hiding with his wife and three children. The security detail was on their own combing the area with no other plan than to protect their families, whom they left in the safe rooms at home. When Avichai returned home, his entire family had been kidnapped, including little Abigail. At this time, no one has heard anything from them.

Meanwhile, Michael and Amalia had made their way back home and called the police who told them to hide in a closet. Across the country, Roy’s brother Amit had heard that something terrible was happening. He called and called and called with no answer at his brother’s home. Finally, 6-year old Amalia answered and in a calm voice said, “The terrorist killed mom and dad, but don’t worry the army is on the way.” Her innocence stolen. Amit told her to stay in the closet and not to leave. So, from 7:00 am to 9:00 pm they stayed in the closet. Fourteen hours, without food, water, or a bathroom. Fourteen hours they remained silent.

Finally, Amit was able to direct forces to the house by phone. They banged on the door with no answer. They called out, still no answer. Amit told the soldiers to call out his name because the children would be scared to come out unless they knew he had sent them. When the soldiers shouted, “It is Amit!” Michael and Amalia, little heroes, came running. They had survived, but at what cost?

They know their mother is dead, but their father’s body has not been located. They are hopeful he somehow survived being shot and is hiding, even though the chances are higher that he was kidnapped. Little Abigail has not been found. Neither have Avichai’s wife and children.

I have often wondered what I would have done if I had been in Germany during WWII. It is incredulous to me how the 6 million could have been executed with so little outcry. Would I have been in the resistance, or would I have folded to fear and remained silent? Would I have hidden Jews, or walked by as they were slaughtered, pretending not to see? These questions have been purely speculation on my part. Just reflections on what I hope I would have done with no way of knowing for sure.

And then there is the question of why the Jews didn’t fight back. Why walk to the gas chamber under your own power? Why not ban together and resist? Of course, this too is only speculation. The unfolding of the plan and the layers upon layers of fear and torment were not visible in the moment. It is easy to look back and see now what was happening, but then…not so much. The events from the past have been studied, so as not to repeat the same mistakes. So here we are, in the present, with all the 2020 hindsight we need.

This true story I have just shared is not from WWII and the Holocaust. It is from 2023. Now I get to find out what I would do if my Jewish friends were being slaughtered.

In addition to your prayers, for educational resources and ways to help go to:

 www.Bronfman.org

www.americaisraeldemocracy.org