Brother and sister Itamar, 23, and Oriya, 26, set out on the morning of October 7 to check on their brother-in-law. He hadn’t yet returned from morning prayers and his wife — their sister — was worried. The family had gathered in Netivot, a city in Israel’s south, for Simchat Torah.
Observant Jews, they walked to the synagogue, but Itamar took his cellphone. They reached the synagogue and found their brother-in-law was fine. On the way back, suddenly, the sirens sounded. There was no shelter. "We saw a ball of fire in the sky," said Itamar.
With only seconds to spare, Itamar and Oriya crossed from the left to the right side of the narrow street which had a low wall. Following the instructions of the Homeland Command, they sat down on the right side of the sidewalk. Before they could lie down, the rocket struck the left side of the street, spraying metal pieces in every direction. They were both seriously injured. Oriya's leg was broken and she had shrapnel in her back and belly. Oriya managed to get a message to her family that she and Itamar were hurt, but alive.
Neighbors came rushing to help. One of them drove Itamar to the nearest hospital in Beersheba in his own car. Oriya was evacuated by ambulance to the same hospital. Each asked for each other, but no one could make the connection.
At home, Itamar’s pregnant wife, Leah, was out of bed and pacing. She knew that Itamar would never leave her for so long if everything was okay. "He's the world's best husband," she said. At last, she called the police and learned that her husband and sister-in-law were injured. "I got in the car and drove to find him," she said.
Meanwhile, Itamar and Oriya had found each other, in an emotional reunion, when they both were transferred to Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem for advanced care.
Both needed surgery, and both are undergoing rehabilitation now at Hadassah Hospital Mount Scopus, where they share a room.
Leah, who was concerned that the stress of what happened might have hurt the baby, has been reassured by Hadassah obstetricians.
"We've had the best treatment," Itamar said. "In both campuses, we've had the most professional and compassionate medical care. We miraculously escaped the rocket attack, and with the help of God and Hadassah, we have a lot to look forward to."