Students of the new Hillel center at Sapir College in S’derot have assembled their materials here, including reports about the rocket attacks on S’derot; personal stories about life under the threat of attack; a brief video; an interactive student forum; and an inspirational reading for the fourth night of Chanukah. You're invited to read the stories, send us your thoughts, say a prayer for S'derot, and click on the interactive candle to see how many people are showing their solidarity.

The city of S’derot is located near Israel's border with Gaza, situated as an easy target for kassam attacks. S'derot was originally founded in 1951 as a transit camp for new immigrants from Kurdistan and Iran. Since then, S’derot has absorbed immigrants from Morocco and Romania, and more recently from the former Soviet Union and Ethiopia. While some of S’derot’s citizens have fled the city in recent months, most continue to live their daily lives despite the instability of their surroundings.

Hillel, the largest Jewish campus organization in the world, set up its first center in Israel in 1951. Today, Hillel Israel operates on nine campuses throughout the country. Hillel impacts thousands of Israeli, new immigrant, and overseas students, providing a unique vehicle for Jewish experiences, cultural expressions, and social change in Israeli society. Hillel encourages students to take ownership of their Jewish identity and expression: from participating in community service projects to creating art and theater productions; from informal Jewish learning opportunities to cultural and social gatherings. Hillel is committed to a pluralistic Jewish vision that embraces all movements and streams of Judaism.

Join us in lighting a candle with S'derot. This Chanukah, as students and families all over the world kindle the Chanukah candles across North and South America, the former Soviet Union, and Israel, we turn our thoughts and prayers to those who live under the constant threat of rocket fire. Together we hope for a brighter future.

במסגרת הניסיון להעלות למודעות עולמית את האתגרים הניצבים בפני תושבי שדרות ויישובי עוטף עזה המצויים תחת התקפה, יוזם "הלל ישראל" במהלך חג החנוכה פרויקט מיוחד בשם "הדליקו נר עם שדרות".

בשבעה בדצמבר, נר רביעי של חנוכה, נדליק את נרות החנוכה כמעשה של סולידאריות עם אנשי שדרות ויישובי הסביבה, אשר היו נתונים להתקפות של כ-6,000 טילי קסאם מאז אפריל 2001.

"בהקדשת ערב אחד של חנוכה להדלקת נר עם שדרות, יש ביכולתנו לגלות תמיכה, לעזור בהרמת המורל ולהפגין את אחדותו של העם היהודי" אומר יוסי גולדמן, נשיא "הלל ישראל".

כחלק מפרויקט "הדליקו נר עם שדרות" קיבץ בית הלל החדש במכללה האקדמית ספיר בשדרות יחד עם "הלל ישראל" חבילת מידע מקוון, הכוללת דיווחים אודות התקפות הטילים על שדרות, סיפורים אישיים המתארים חיים תחת איום ההתקפה, סרטון וידאו קצר וקטעי קריאה מעוררי השראה לערב הרביעי של חנוכה.

As we stand here today to kindle the Chanukah lights, we remember and honor our brothers and sisters living in S’derot and neighboring communities. As it is written in the Jewish scriptures, “Kol Yisrael arevim ze l’ze” – we are all responsible for one another. We express our solidarity with them as they live with fear, the threat of terror, and trauma.

May You grant them strength and courage to withstand these trials, and give them hope for a better tomorrow. As You illuminated the night with the oil lamps of long ago, may these Chanukah lights spread warmth, joy and sustenance to all those in need.

We ask that You guide us toward peace, bless our lives, and help us to remember those in need. May You hear our voice.

Blessed are You, Holy One, who hears our prayers.

בבואנו להדליק היום נר של חנוכה, אנו זוכרים ומוקירים את אחינו ואחיותינו, החיים בשדרות ובסביבתה. ברוח הכתוב "כל ישראל ערבים זה לזה" אנו מביעים את תחושת הערבות ההדדית לנוכח חייהם בפחד ובטראומה תחת איום הטרור.

יהי רצון שתאציל עליהם כוח ואומץ לעמוד בניסיונות הללו, ותזכה אותם בתקווה למחר טוב יותר. כשם שהארת את הלילות ההם במנורת השמן, מי ייתן ונרות חנוכה אלו יפיצו חום, שמחה ותמיכה לכל הצריכים להם.

אנו מבקשים שתנחה אותנו בדרך השלום, תברך את חיינו ותעזור לנו לזכור את אלה הזקוקים לך. מי ייתן ותשמע קול תפילתנו.

ברוך אתה שומע תפילה.

To watch a video about life in S'derot.
To download the video.

The video was created by a Sapir College student who lives in S'derot.

A Traumatic Synagogue Experience in Sderot
By: Noam Bedein, Sderot
I'm sitting in the back seat of the Sephardic synagogue, a two-minute walk from my apartment, on Friday night in Sderot. This is only my second Shabbat here in Sderot, after spending the holidays at my parents’ home near Jerusalem.

S'derot: I Can’t Hide Behind My Ignorance Any More
by David Fain
October 8th, 2007
I came to Israel from the small state of Connecticut for many reasons. Traveling, learning, and volunteering were a few of them. Throughout my year of volunteering last year, I only heard about Sderot, a small city in the south of Israel, nestled less than a mile from the Gaza Strip, but I never came to visit.


Click here for the complete stories.

At the Smadar kindergarten in S'derot, five-year old children were recently given a chance to express their prayers by putting notes in their little Kotel - a small wall that was built in the kindergarten .What does a 5-year old child ask for in Israel? For a bike, a doll, a game. In S'derot, all the kids had the same prayer: "Stop the red alert sirens and stop the missiles from falling."

"Why does the snail have a shell?" the children were asked. Their answer: "So it can be protected from the Kassams."

A kindergarten security guard recounted the first words her baby cousin said: "tzeva adom" (red alert), together with "Abba" and "Ima" (Daddy and Mommy).
"So what do you do when you hear the tseva adom – [the siren]?" I asked Hana. “I cover my ears with my pillow, because the siren is horrifying."

And what do the parents say?
Hava Gad, the parents' association spokeswoman, asks, "What parent in a normal society can imagine sending a child to an unprotected classroom, when you’ve got an average of three missile attacks per day? The kids are expected to run to secured areas in 15 seconds, with 70 children running at the same time… According to the IDF’s Home Front Command, only 57% of students in unprotected classrooms in S'derot and the western Negev can reach a secured area in 15 seconds or less. Instead of studying, children in S'derot are playing Russian roulette."

Go to Facebook to share your thoughts, prayers, or inspirations with the community of people who care about S'derot .

ברוך אתה ה' אלוקינו מלך העולם אשר קדשנו במצוותיו וציונו להדליק נר של חנוכה

Blessed are You our G-d for commanding us to light the Chanukah candles

ברוך אתה ה' אלוקינו מלך העולם שעשה נסים לאבותינו בימים ההם בזמן הזה

Blessed are You our G-d for doing these miracles at this
time

מעוז צור ישועתי,
לך נאה לשבח,
תיכון בית תפילתי,
ושם תודה נזבח.
לעת תכין מטבח
מצר המנבח.
אז אגמור
בשיר מזמור
חנוכת המזבח.

Maoz tzur 'yshuati l'cha naeh l'shabeach
Tikon beit t'filati v'sham todah n'zabeach.
L'eit tachin matbeach mitzar hamnabeach
Az egmor b'shir mizmor chanukat hamizbeach.

Translation:
Rock of Ages let our song,
Praise your saving power;
Thou amidst the raging foes,
Was our sheltering tower.
Furious they assailed us,
But Your arm availed us,
And Your word broke their sword,
When our own strength failed us.
And Your word broke their sword,
When our own strength failed us.