‘A knot in my stomach’: Her son returns to Israel to fight in war after Hamas attacks

Natalie only had a few hours to say goodbye to her 22-year-old son David last Saturday — the day of the deadly Hamas attacks in Israel — after he decided to return to Israel to re-enlist in the Israel Defense Forces.

David — a dual citizen who grew up in Aventura, moved to Israel after graduating from high school and served in the military through last summer — decided just moments after he heard the news.

“He held my hands and he said, ‘Mom, I know you’re gonna start crying now. And you’re not gonna stop for a while.’ He knows me well,” said Natalie, who asked the Herald not to use their last name out of security concerns. “And he goes, ‘But I made a decision. I’m going to Israel.’”

David spent the next few hours planning his route and packing a bag. Less than 24 hours after the Hamas attacks, Natalie was driving her son from their Hollywood home to Miami International Airport so he could go to war.

“He did not really prepare himself and we didn’t have time to process … knowing that this was not going to be just a military operation, that it is a real war.”

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David is one of many who have returned to Israel to fight in a war that has killed thousands of civilians, an undetermined number of Hamas fighters and more than 200 Israeli soldiers. More than 100 Israeli reservists and volunteers in Florida are estimated to have traveled to Israel to join the military, according to the Consulate General of Israel to Florida & Puerto Rico in Miami.

Israel, with some exceptions, requires every Israeli citizen over the age of 18 to serve in the military for two to three years. After that, most of them can be called up to reserve units until age 40 or older in times of national emergency, Reuters reported.

Israeli Defense Forces has activated over 300,000 reservists — one of the country’s largest military mobilizations in history, according to news reports.

“Many Floridians, Israeli-Americans, that have served in the military and are now reservists have gone to Israel to volunteer in the IDF,” Consul General Maor Elbaz-Starinsky told the Herald. “They are fighting to get plane tickets to go to Israel because they are committed and dedicated for the safety and security of Israel.”

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Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack killed more than 1,400 people in Israel, including babies and children, according to the country’s military. At least 155 people, including children, the elderly and some Americans, are being held hostage by Hamas, designated as a terrorist group by the United States and the European Union.

In Gaza, 2,808 people have been killed by Israeli airstrikes, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry, as reported by the New York Times. To date, 289 Israeli soldiers died during the Hamas attacks and thereafter, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

With Israel sealing its Gaza border, Palestinians have been cut off from water, electricity, fuel and food. Egypt, too, has closed its border with Gaza in the south, blocking an escape route for thousands trapped in Gaza.

‘Proud of him’

As someone with several family members, including her parents and sister, living in Israel, Natalie is “shattered in pieces” about her son’s decision.

“There’s a knot in my stomach, a hole in my heart. But at the same time, I’m also very proud of him,” Natalie said. “I’m very proud of his choice to join the army in general, which he didn’t have to, but also now not to hesitate and go to protect our country. And the lives of others too.”

READ MORE: Florida elected officials stand with Israel at Aventura rally as war death toll rises

David spent most of his life in Aventura, but grew up traveling to Israel almost every summer. At 18, after graduating from Scheck Hillel Community School in North Miami Beach, he decided to join the Israel Defense Forces and immigrate to Israel, a pilgrimage known in Hebrew as “Aliyah.”

After finishing his military service as an Israeli citizen, David stayed in the army to become part of an elite combat unit, which requires more training and a longer commitment — called “Keva” in Hebrew. His service ended last summer.

“He’s not obligated to do it, but chose to do it. He said, ‘My brothers are gonna go fight; I’m not gonna sit at home,’ Natalie said, recalling the conversation with her son. “They’re all very close, and they have each other’s back.”

Support group for soldiers’ families

After David left for Israel, Natalie became so consumed with following the news about the war that she had difficulty resuming her daily life. She joined a support group for parents of soldiers who live in South Florida and saw a psychologist who specializes in crisis management.

“It’s difficult for everyone — and in my community, everyone has someone that we know — I am trying my best to take care of my mental health, but I don’t know if I’m being successful.”

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Despite taking some time off initially, Natalie has found some comfort at her job at Scheck Hillel. As the director of after-school enrichment and student engagement, Natalie works with children.

“When they come and smile and give you a hug, even though your heart is broken, for one second, you need to put on the smile and get the hug,” Natalie said about the young children. “Actually, it helps a lot.”

“We all should pray for peace and for the war to stop,” said Natalie “And for our soldiers to be brave and protect the rest of the people.”