The war between Israel and Hamas shows no signs of easing up … it has shaken the peace in the Middle East and continues to have a rippling affect extending to many in the U.S.
The ongoing war has impacted the lives of several students at Florida Gulf Coast University.
WGCU spoke with an FGCU student who was born and raised in Israel. She and her family moved to the U.S. when she was 10. She says some of her family members and friends were shot and killed in the initial attack near the Gaza border. She did not want to be identified for fear of anti-Semitic retaliation.
“I have some family in the south of Israel that have been murdered in their home. As well as kids I grew up with and went to school with that were shot in their homes," ashe said. "They lived on the border with the Gaza strip and they had a farm, they were good people and they were just shot in their home."
FGCU student Barrell Olivkovitch is currently in Israel. He took this semester off to visit family and recently shared a video from Israel with local Jewish Rabbi Mendal Gordan.
“Hello FGCU Jews, I’m sure many of you have been keeping up with the recent situation in Israel. From the terror attacks to the kidnappings to the rocket barrages being sent. The situation is not good and very bad. So please if you can, try and help anyway you can. Sending lots of love here from Israel and we hope the situation get better," said Olivkovitch.
Rabbi Gordan works on the FGCU campus and said the main message he shares is to educate and help promote peace in Israel.
“God willing, we are sure that we will get to true peace there. That God will continue to protect us. And ensure that everyone in Israel is safe. And not just Israel but the entire world and every human life is valuable," said Rabbi Gordan
“This isn’t a political issue, it’s humanitarian. This is a violation of human rights and just the right to existence for Jews. Not just in Israel but all over the world. Because if people think it’s acceptable to murder this many Jews in Israel, they’re going to think it’s acceptable to do it everywhere else," said the student who did not want to be identified.
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