Adat – Meet Shlomit

We are all in awe of how the Jewish people have united behind Israel since October 7th. So many organizations and individuals, including our own, have done so much good to help Israel in its war effort and to relieve the burden on those who have been affected. 

While these efforts are amazing, there is still so much that can be done. So many are rightly focused on the needs of some of the worst-hit communities like K’far Aza and Beeri.  We, as the Adat community, want to do something to help another community to reinforce its spirit in building the future of Israel. We were fortunate to be introduced to the extraordinary community of Shlomit, a village that sits two kilometers from the Gaza border with Rafah, and virtually on the Egyptian border with the Sinai. Adat is a small community on the southwestern border of the United States, striving to create a relationship with Shlomit, a small community in the southwestern corner of Israel.
 
Theirs is a story of resilience and courage, going all the way back to its very beginnings. Many of Shlomit’s founding members were evacuated when Israel returned Sinai to Egypt in return for peace and at the behest of the State of Israel, they put down roots in Gush Katif, only to be evacuated yet again when Israel chose to unilaterally withdraw from Gaza in 2005. 

Incredibly, instead of turning to anger, these people turned to hope and asked the state of Israel where their presence is most needed. They were asked to settle the desolate area that is now Shlomit, a religious moshav that has created an agricultural miracle in the barren desert, which is now 82 families strong, comprising more than 400 people!
 
On October 7th, while sheltering in their safe rooms, the security team received a call from a neighboring moshav, Pri Gan, to help after terrorists penetrated their community. Facing the difficult decision of staying to defend Shlomit, which had not yet been attacked, or going to defend Pri Gan, they chose to go. The heroic security team engaged in a fierce battle for hours. Tragically, four of their finest defenders were murdered and others were injured. Fifteen children of Shlomit were left as orphans, but not a single person was killed in Pri Gan thanks to their efforts.
 
The community was evacuated and after 150 days has now returned to Shlomit to rebuild their lives. We are fortunate to have the opportunity to help them rebuild and grow stronger. Our gala is dedicated to raising funds to achieve this goal.
 
Over the coming weeks, you will come to know more about the story of Shlomit’s rescue of Pri Gan and of the extraordinary people who live there. We hope that our community will dig deep to foster this relationship and to show our solidarity with these remarkable people in the months and years ahead.
 
Let’s not just say I love you, let’s DO I love you!