South Hebron Hills, Thu 9.2.12, Morning

Translator:  Charles K.

We made our regular visit to Huda’s kindergarten in Hashem al Darj, near Umm el Hir.  We arrived with a car full with donations to the residents of Umm el Hir, and material for the kindergarten.

Hashem al Darj

We arrived at the kindergarten, in its new building adjoining the old one.  No dramatic changes were visible, but as we drew closer we saw people working, installing windows, ceramic tiles, etc. inside.

But…good heavens!  The kindergarten is closed!

We called and called, but no one replied.  Huda, the kindergarten teacher, doesn’t answer her cellphone.  We wondered whether to go to her home and decided it wasn’t advisable, for personal reasons.

We asked the people working there, who told us that the kindergarten had been open during the past few days, including yesterday.  We wondered – what happened today?! – and returned to Umm el Hir.

Umm el Hir

Eid told us what had happened that week – again buildings were demolished in Umm el Hir, his village.  People from the Civil Administration arrived and again demolished the home of a widow with nine children, the oldest of whom is 20.  The residents immediately erected a tin shed right next door.  We went to visit the woman and her family.  We gave her the goods we’d brought, including a small cabinet donated by our friend Patty.

We listened to what their neighbors felt about what the “bad Jews” had done, and saw the horrible scene with our own eyes. 

We also left for the residents the fruits and vegetables we had brought for the workshop in the kindergarten, and drove home.