One For Israel

CC Soref: Welcome to Pod for Israel. I'm CC Soref. I'm so happy that you're joining us today, and I'm delighted to introduce you to Emily Salinger. I'm so happy you're here. You've had to go through so many things or hassles on the way, just like me in a sense. We went through that together. What was it on the way that shook you?

Emily Salinger: It's a surreal reality, living through a war. And here we are again going through this. I think we're looking at almost four weeks now of going through siren after siren, alert after alert. Just here on the way, I personally had two alerts. This morning before I even got out of bed, I had another alert. It's just been go, go, go. Stopping on the side of the road actually does make you very vulnerable to those open skies.

CC Soref: And just lots of rain?

Emily Salinger: Yes, the rain. We talked about that. We were praying about what if it's rain and sirens. It's scary. It's actually frightening. You are really exposed when you're sitting on the side of the main road in open areas looking for safety, looking for shelter, and it's not always there. So, it's frightening.

CC Soref: You're dealing a lot with exactly those issues of not only scary times and frightening situations but actual damage that whole families are facing right now. Could you share a little bit about the damage that the war has been causing?

Emily Salinger: Absolutely. Of course, there are many ballistic missiles. Talking on the level of ballistic missiles, we've kind of normalized those words. But it's a ballistic missile with warheads, and the reality of that causes substantial damage when they fall. Whole communities can be destroyed. We've actually been helping a family that was outside of the impact zone and still their windows were destroyed.

When you look at that, you realize we're up against weapons of warfare that can really destroy. Since October 7th, we've been in a national trauma. I've never experienced a national trauma, even though I was born and raised here.

CC Soref: It's almost like you realize that everyone has the same symptoms. You can't concentrate; you can't do your work. Everywhere I walk and ask, everybody's experiencing the same symptoms. Part of it is that we're cut by missiles, trauma, pain, anguish, fear, and so many feelings like anger and frustration. Then you're talking about those that were really affected firsthand. It is incredible to provide that personalized touch to families that have been traumatized and not to come in assuming what they need. As you said before, it's really important.

I loved what you said about not assuming. At times like this, it is time to stop and hear what is their cry, what is their need, and what is going on. I love the way that you are presenting that. Emily, there's a certain family that you helped during the war. You were telling me about a specific woman that you met, and I would like our viewers to hear that. I think it's so powerful.

Emily Salinger: It was a really touching moment for myself and for her. I received a phone contact for a family that was living in the center, and their home was destroyed by a missile completely and utterly. She was displaced to a hotel. She has two little ones. As a new immigrant, she had only recently made Aliya about two years prior and was still very unfamiliar with the language, so she didn't know many people in the country.

She had two little ones, meaning one was a little baby, and she lost her home. Now she's displaced to a hotel. When I received that contact number, I reached out right away to make that personal connection. I asked her, "What are your essential needs? What do you need? What do your babies need? How can we be there for you right now?" She gave me a list of the things that they needed, and I just went out and got them. I hopped in the car and drove down to the center through the sirens and everything because I was just so focused.

As I was driving, I was thinking to myself what this must be like for this woman. She is completely on her own in this circumstance, feeling very lost. I wondered what it would be like when we met. I parked next to the lobby and went inside. It's a very old hotel where they put these displaced families. It was full of people who were very disorientated and lost. It felt like they'd just come out of something and been put into this second circumstance. There was a lot of noise and action.

I was thinking that she was in there somewhere as a young mother of two little ones, lost in this crowd. It did something to my heart to know that this is the circumstance many people find themselves in. I was looking for her. We had an indication of who we were looking for since I hadn't met her before. I then spotted someone who was looking around and feeling really lost.

When I saw her, I called out her name. I remember seeing her face in that moment. She had this look of comfort and relief knowing that, of all these people there, someone knew her name and had come with the exact things that her baby needed. It was so precious to be able to meet that need and be there in that moment with her. I took her to the car and together we took out all the things.

One of the most touching moments was seeing that she was so grateful for the little pacifier that I was able to get. It was the same color as the one the baby had lost in the home. This was an immediate response; they had only been in the hotel for just over 24 hours. I remember the beauty of the moment when we realized we were no longer strangers but friends. It became a situation of, "We're in this together. I'm here for you." We gave each other a big hug. It was a moment that she and I won't forget.

We're continuing to be in touch and support her. We actually have another couple of families who recently lost their homes in missile attacks. They were not even able to take a fork from their house. Nothing was left. Unfortunately, there was even loss of life involved. We've been able to come alongside that family and ask what their needs are right now.

In some unique circumstances, families choose to go into a new rental home instead of a hotel. We have been able to supply them with all the essentials they would need to set up that basic starting point in a home, whether that be toiletries or filling their pantry. Because we work alongside them and customize the aid to each family's individual needs, I'm able to ask them, "What do you need next? How can we continue to support you in this time?"

CC Soref: This has been one of the most moving stories I've heard during the war. It's so encouraging to hear that we can have an impact on people's lives even when there's so much trauma and tragedy. Sometimes it can seem like a drop in the sea, and yet that personalized connection and touch is so powerful and encouraging. Talk about the commonality that you're experiencing on a daily basis as a mother with five children and how this bonds you with the people you're helping.

Emily Salinger: It is surreal. We don't have a bomb shelter in our home. It's tiring and exhausting. Every time the siren goes off, we have to leave the home and run all the way down to the bottom of the street to a public bomb shelter. That gets challenging at nighttime with all the children. We get a first alert, and we're meant to start making our way down there. It's a three-minute, sometimes six-minute alert. If you're fast asleep, getting up and down is difficult.

The exposure is also difficult. The minute you leave your home, you're looking for safety, and yet your home should be your place of safety. While the sirens are going, you're feeling very exposed with your little ones as you're running. This morning at 6:50 AM, we were running in the rain. It was very adventurous. You finally get to the shelter, but the whole way, I'm just praying out loud because it's scary.

The exhaustion of it plays out and your nervous system is always on. You're always waiting for a siren or an alert. I'm trying to find out where my children are if they're not at home. I'm checking on my older boys and what they're doing during the sirens. We are exhausted. There's also a matter of isolation due to restrictions and the wartime frame. We're all feeling a lack of gathering. Some families I talk to say there's a lack of space rather than isolation. We're all dealing with different things.

I feel so grateful to the Lord that I have the opportunity in a time of fear and panic to make contact with families across the country who are suffering from many challenges. Essentially, every one of us is indirectly or directly affected by the war. Being in contact with them and hearing their stories gives me a glimpse into how each person is dealing with this. It brings perspective to my own situation at home with the children and our own anxiety.

It also brings healing and hope because I'm able to interact with the families on the same level. We talk about the frustration of having Zoom classes now, and I'm able to talk into that. We're both agreeing how difficult it is not having a mamad, how we are exhausted, and how we can't focus. This back-and-forth communication is a wonderful connection to have.

I'm contacting the families on a regular basis. If I know of a missile fall that has happened in the area of one of the families we're helping, I will reach out to them. I'll ask if everyone is okay, and they so appreciate it. They always thank me for checking in on them. We so need this connection, particularly for the elderly. Those who are elderly cannot always get down to the shelters. They might decide to stay on their floor or in a staircase, but we know that's not enough against ballistic missiles.

There is a feeling of concern, so they even wait for my phone call. When the situation permits, I also make visits to the elderly and the families that are directly affected. I sit with them and assess their needs, tailoring the support to their individual needs at the time.

CC Soref: This has been amazing to hear. Emily, thank you for making your way through missiles and pouring rain to come here and share those highlights. May God bring His healing and His blessings on you and all of One For Israel.