My last visit to Israel was in the Spring of 2018. I was traveling as part of a professional tour of aging services throughout Israel. Although the trip had many memorable experiences, a random encounter with a stranger at Ben Gurion Airport outside of Tel Aviv prior to my departure was the most memorable.
As I was walking to my departure gate to return to Newark, NJ, after the 10-day trip, I noticed a middle-aged gentleman standing by a table with what appeared to be gift packages on display with a banner in Hebrew above the table and a picture of three teenage boys.
I stopped at the gentleman’s table and asked him in Hebrew what he was there for. In English, he told me his name was Ofer Shaer. He was representing the charity Sonshine. He went on to tell me about the mission of Sonshine. The charity was formed in memory of his late son, Gilad Shaer, who, at age 16, was one of three teenagers kidnapped and subsequently murdered by Hamas terrorists in June 2014, which began the 2014 Gaza War. My family and I were scheduled to travel to Israel that same month to celebrate our twin sons’ Bar-Mitzvah, but as a result of the war, we canceled our trip at the last minute.
Mr. Shaer handed me a gift bag filled with sweet Israeli treats with a request I give them to someone in the U.S. who needed comfort to show that there is still good in this world.
I became speechless at what I had just heard. I hugged Mr. Shaer and, with his goodie bag in hand, began to walk to my departure gate. I arrived at the gate, sat down, and immediately cried. How could this gentleman, who had experienced such unspeakable evil, still believe there is good in this world?
Those seeking to do evil may make the headlines, but the good in humanity shall prevail one good deed at a time.