‘When I Saw Where It Landed, This Is My Mother’s House’

IFCJ Canada  |  March 27, 2026

Miriam is 91 and has lived in Beit Shemesh since immigrating to Israel in 1955. Widowed for 21 years, she now spends most of her time in bed and depends on her children and a caregiver to survive each day. Every Shabbat, her family would come to help care for her. But amid the escalating conflict with Iran, even reaching elderly loved ones has become dangerous.

On March 1, when rockets struck Beit Shemesh and killed nine people, Miriam and her caregiver could not reach shelter, a frightening reminder of how vulnerable the elderly are right now.

One of Miriam’s sons Moshe recalls, “We saw the interception somehow miss. Then we saw the missile fall—a cloud of black smoke. The blast wave reached us with dust and debris. When I saw where it landed, I said ‘this is my mother’s house.’ You don’t understand what goes through your mind in that moment when you don’t know where your mother is. You just don’t. I ran like crazy.”

Moshe arrived to find his mother’s house nearly destroyed internally —everything she had built since making aliyah (immigrating to Israel) more than 70 years ago, almost completely gone. He feared the worst, but then found Miriam in her bed, covered in blankets and miraculously unharmed.

Unable to reach the safe room, Miriam had told her caregiver to cover her and go herself. “God will protect me,” she said. The layers of blankets had shielded her from the shattered glass as windows exploded inward.

“It’s a miracle. It’s because of her merits—because of the mitzvot (good deeds) she has done her whole life. I have no other words. When I saw all the destruction around, I was sure many people were no longer with us. And suddenly—to see her alive. She was in shock when she saw me. But I just wanted to understand that she was okay. When she started to respond, I told her, ‘Mom, everything is okay. A missile fell near us, and we need to evacuate,’” said Moshe.

Today, Miriam is staying with Moshe at a hotel in Jerusalem. Sirens still sound as rockets continue to fall, though less frequently than in Beit Shemesh. She is still recovering.

For years, Miriam has relied on monthly food cards to help afford groceries while continuing to receive the care she needs from our Fellowship family in Israel.

Now, as Passover approaches and attacks from Iran have forced thousands of elderly Israelis from their homes, many like Miriam will not be able to return home for the holiday. Your special Passover gift can help provide the food and support they urgently need.