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“As a child, the train I was on was shelled by the Nazis, and now, in my home in Haifa, the missile hit a building and my life was saved again.”
By Shula Rosen
Israeli authorities evacuated 115 Holocaust survivors from their homes during the recent war between Israel and Iran and amid ongoing conflict with Hezbollah, relocating them to safer locations due to security threats and damage to residential buildings, HaiPo, a news site covering the Haifa metropolis, reported.
The evacuees came from 12 communities across Israel. Most elderly residents move in with relatives; others were placed in hotels.
Officials said the evacuations were carried out to protect vulnerable individuals unable to safely remain in their homes during missile attacks and sirens.
An 88-year-old Holocaust survivor from Haifa, whose home was significantly damaged, told HaiPo of her experience of past trauma. “As a child, the train I was on was shelled by the Nazis, and now, in my home in Haifa, the missile hit a building and my life was saved again.”
Many of those displaced faced physical and logistical challenges due to their age.
A number of evacuees struggled to reach shelters in time during alerts, with some falling while attempting to reach safety.
Others reported shortages of food and medication, as fear of sirens limited their ability to leave their homes.
Officials also noted that several evacuees were coping with pre-existing PTSD, which was exacerbated by the displacement and security situation.
Despite the risks, some survivors chose to remain in their homes rather than relocate.
The Holocaust Survivors’ Rights Authority said its staff have maintained continuous contact with all evacuees.
Plans are in place to conduct in-person visits over the next two weeks at temporary residences to assess individual needs resulting from the evacuations and property damage.
Ronit Rozin, director of the Authority for the Rights of Holocaust Survivors in the Prime Minister’s Office, said: “We understand the mental and physical hardship felt by Holocaust survivors, who experienced severe traumas in their childhood.”
“We are committed to providing them with all the necessary support, medical and psychological, to help them get through this period in the safest and best way possible,” she continued. “We are in constant contact with each of them and take care of every need, no matter where they are.”
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