On Tuesday when a Grad Missile smashed a five foot hole in the ninth grade math and English classroom of Makif Alef Junior High School in Beersheva, one of 34 Science Journey Kadima Mada affiliated schools, this community’s feeling of safety was shattered. In most people’s memory, this is the first time that a Grad missile has reached Beersheva.

This school serves a diverse population of 1,345 students, ages 12 to 18, from both disadvantaged and affluent neighborhoods in Beersheva and surrounding areas. As a result of  the Kadima Mada initiative during the past two years, students have flocked to the school and class size has soared due to the popularity of its state-of-the art science and technology equipment and subjects.

“It is our immense good fortune that there were no pupils in the classroom,” explained Smadar Shavit, a physics and science teacher in the Science Journey Kadima Mada program. “The rocket fell through the ceiling, the walls caved in and the devastation was complete,” she reported. In fact, the building is in danger of collapsing.

Smadar explained that the students had been instructed to remain at home after the local kindergarten, where 60 children normally attend, sustained a direct Qassam rocket hit on Monday evening when out of session.

Tuesday’s attacks damaged more than just bricks and mortar. The attack affected peoples’ psyche.

“We didn’t think this would come to us. I can hear the rockets from my house. All of the children are at home,” Smadar explained from her protected room, that she is sharing with her husband and her two children, ages 4 and 7.

Shaar Ha-Negev students May Horning, 17, and Neta Nachmias, 16, have grown up in the shadow of Qassam rockets. However, they say that even near their homes things appear to be worsening.

Shaar Ha-Negev Regional High School is another Science Journey Kadima Mada beneficiary, serving nearly 1,000 students in grades 7 through 12 in this impoverished region that includes evacuees from Hof Gaza, as well as residents of Sderot and Shaar Ha-Negev.

“I can’t explain what we are going through. Once the siren sounds you have 15 seconds to save your life. We often don’t have enough time to run. We only have time to pray,” said May.

“We do not have the luxury of a secure room. There are scarce few bunkers in my kibbutz and there is much anxiety,” May explained, from her aunt’s home in Tel Aviv, where she is staying to escape the bombardment in Kibbutz Dorot, near Sderot.

Fellow schoolmate Neta, from Cochav Michael, shared that her strong support net does help.

 “We have lived with this situation over the last eight years. I have a friend in Makif Alef, who told me that she doubted Beersheva would be hit by rockets. Then Tuesday morning, it happened. I spoke with her as soon as I heard and did my best to calm her,” Neta said.

Kadima Mada Science Journey representatives reported that another rocket fell near Kiryat Malachi, where there is a Kadima Mada Computer Classroom in the Amit High School. They shared that the overlying spirit in the South today, a spirit that everyone immediately portrays to keep up morale after a violent attack such as the one on Makif Alef, can be found in the old adage, ’Thank G-d that noone was hurt.’ This is being said over and over. They urged the Jewish community not to forget, however, that there have been fatalities and casualties in the 40 kilometer danger zone from the Gaza Strip.

The students and faculty members all expressed their gratitude for the solidarity and support of the Jewish community and the World ORT family, and how it has helped them from feeling isolated and alone.

 “I am very grateful to World ORT and would like to ask that when the situation settles down, please visit us on a regular basis, so you can comprehend the severity of our situation and the special needs that we have as a result,” said Neta.

Adding her thanks, May said, “I am so grateful for the support that I am receiving from you, as there are very few people who truly understand what we are going through on a daily basis. I do worry about the children who have not been to school for such a long time and have so few activities with which to occupy themselves.” 

World ORT professionals in Israel and London are in constant contact with school officials and the local administration continuing to assess the situation and evaluating how World ORT can help.