It is unbelievable to imagine living through a siege and the heroism needed to get supplies past the enemy. It was off to Sha’ar Hagai Museum, a place dedicated to those who broke through the siege to bring much needed supplies to the Old City in 1948. The story is told through the eyes of the actual men and women who risked their lives on a daily basis. Their message is one of doing what was needed and they are not heroes. After hearing their story, we might not agree.
Here are their voices:
We knew our goal
The people needed supplies
There were many wounded and dead
Our friends were being killed
We did what we had to do
Each night until the ceasefire was called, convoys of trucks, busses and cars would attempt to get supplies to the Old City and passed the Arab fighters shooting at them. 80 tons of food, water, medicine and supplies was needed daily. That amounts to 30 trucks. Regular people led these convoys. Many of them were young people aged 16.
Their mission was one of helping the people in the Old City. Many did not make it home. Many convoys were successful and others were not. The museum is very interactive and walks you through the decision-making dilemmas. What to do when communication is broken, how to get Morse code messages out and what supplies are important. No answer is correct as no situation is the same.
At one point we are sitting in an armored car and listening to one of hundreds of stories of bravery told through the eyes of an 18-year-old woman.
We wore no helmets. Thoughts went through my head. I hope I’ll make it. We sang at times to keep calm. Other times the silence was deafening and we kept our thoughts to ourselves. We were on our way to family that has been cut off for 3 months. We smelled the sweat and tension and fear. There are 2 trucks already on fire. Rafi is shot. I do what I can to try and save him. Blood is pouring out. I do what I can, but I know he is gone. The tears fall silently. We make it!! People kiss us, cry and bless us!!
Night after night this scene would repeat itself. Many of these Jews were Holocaust survivors who sacrificed themselves for their country and did not return. The British would tell the Jews this was a lost cause and to give it up. Eventually a few men in jeeps one night discover another entry to the Old City on the Burma Road. 13 jeeps are able to successfully reach the Old City. It is a miracle.
It is in places like Sha’ar Hagai situated on the road where these convoys took off, that one realizes the miracles that G-d does for His nation. It is here that we appreciate the bravery of the country and know that as Jews we will always do what needs to be done to protect our people. Am Yisroel Chai.