Run! Saved by a Safe Room

Luba explained, “The siren sounded, it felt different. A whistling noise as if something was falling from the sky. It felt very close. We heard the sound, and my husband says, ‘Run!’ We dropped everything. I left my coffee, and we ran.”

Seconds later, a Hamas rocket crashed through the adjacent room destroying many of their belongings and rendering their apartment unlivable.

“My husband had to force the door to open. And then this sharp, black smoke,” said Luba. “The kids were scared; I was shaking all over. Everything went flying, everything that was in these two rooms was damaged. The only room that was fine was the shelter, where we were hiding.”

A gaping hole consumed one room while shrapnel damaged the entire apartment. It was a miracle the family of 6 survived.

Luba’s husband, Anatoly, said, “This is our safe room, if it wasn't for this room, we might not have made it out.”

Anatoly and Luba are immigrants from Ukraine who settled in Sderot. On October 7th, the family lost many of their belongings and had to find temporary housing and for months

they lived out of boxes and slept on air mattresses. Luba turned to a CBN partner, Rina, who had helped her when she was a new immigrant.

Luba said, “Many thanks to Rina. She got me through the many things I was worried about.”

Rina reached out to our CBN Israel Victims of Terror department to see if CBN could help. 

Luba wondered, “The children's beds, the furniture. It was a big expense. How would we pay for it? How are we going to figure this out? What should we do?”

CBN Israel provided Luba’s family financial assistance that covered the purchase of new furniture and helped them get a sense of home. 

Luba said, “It was thanks to your organization that we were able to buy these things, bring the kids back home, and give them their own room back. It was important for them.”

Thanks to your generosity, CBN Israel also provided assistance that covered the purchase of a new computer for the kids after their room was destroyed by the rocket impact.

“It gave us some hope, a relief in our hearts. It felt wonderful knowing there are people who care. It was so important,” said Luba. “I went through many painful and difficult moments in my life. Your help is a big bright light in this situation.”