‘We have to be the strong ones’

A father and son from Florida packed their bags and headed to Israel after the Oct. 7 terrorist attack to spread joy and provide humanitarian aid to those affected by the ongoing conflict.

When Joseph Waks first arrived at an Israeli airport, he was immediately escorted to a bomb shelter as missiles began flying nearby and sirens blared throughout the building.

“I'm from Miami, originally from Australia. I've never heard a siren before. For me, it was a shocking experience. And now, unfortunately, I'm used to sirens. I became part of the people,” Waks said.

In an interview with Fox News Digital from the Golan Heights as the October 7 attack approaches three months, Waks spoke with his son Mendel, who joined the Golani Brigade and is now the youngest reservist in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). I introduced Mr. When Mendel is not completing his military duties, he travels around Israel with his father to meet people affected by the war.

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“We try to make them understand that they are not alone, that we have their backs, that the people have their backs, and not just Israelis. , the whole world, and not just Jews around the world,” he said.

Mr. Waks and Mr. Mendel met in New York City after the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas. They admitted they were shocked by the anti-Semitic demonstrations taking place across Manhattan.

“We thought people were coming out to support Israel. We didn't realize there were people literally shouting 'Death to Israel' and 'Death to the Jews.' ”

The protests against Israel were a turning point for the family. Despite the negative connotations that some protests have, Waks and Mendel said they can only serve to unite Jews around the world.

“There's no such thing as left or right, religious or non-religious. We're all in this together because political beliefs don't matter when you're fighting for your very survival,” Waks said. said. “The Jews took that negativity, that evil, and turned it into positivity and unity.”

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“I asked this little boy what he wanted for Hanukkah. He said he wanted a truck, and I later learned that his father had been killed in a terrorist drive-by shooting. He was in the truck,'' Joseph Waks told FOX News Digital. . (Joseph Waks)

That solidarity extended to his native Florida. When Mr. Waks revealed that he was traveling to Israel, his neighbor Bill brought him a box of pins with combined Israeli and American flags. With tears in his eyes, he told Mr. Waks: “Please tell the Israelis that we support them and that we love them.”

Waks later handed out these pins to children across Israel, saying, “This man is my non-Jewish neighbor and I want you all to know that we stand with you in America.” I told him.

Waks and Mendel also developed a closer bond during their time together in Israel.

“When people see my dad, they immediately see a smile on their face,” Mendel said. “It's like they just got a million dollars, you know what I mean? They literally look the happiest I've ever seen them.

He recalled seeing his father playing with children across the country, delivering toys to young people and distributing cigarettes to soldiers.

“They give us more than we give them every time,” Mendel added. “I'm happier that day than when I'm doing most other things. It's one of the most rewarding experiences you can have. And it brings you closer to your father. I'm totally I see my father in a new light.”

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Joseph and Mendel were photographed delivering bags of gifts to 35 families living in a highly hostile area of ​​eastern Jerusalem. Since the war began, the children have not been able to leave the house, so father and son brought games and books to use around the house. (Joseph Waks)

When the war began, Wachs and Mendel rented a car, drove to the border, and began meeting people one after another. One of them was Oli, a boy whose father and brother were killed on a fateful day in October. They met in the middle of the city street and were immediately invited to the boy's house.

Waks and Mendel soon learned that he had two brothers currently in the military. On October 7, Oli's eldest brother and his father heard gunshots. They grabbed a gun from a car, helped open a bomb shelter, and fled to save the townspeople. They were later killed by rocket fire.

Mr. Waks and Mr. Mendel became close to Mr. Oli and many others in the country.

“There is not a single household in Israel that does not know someone who was killed, someone who was held hostage, someone who was injured. Everyone is involved,” Waks told Fox News Digital.

The family was used to putting on a poker face in the midst of tragedy. The gift of a new relationship is invaluable, but the trauma affecting the Israelis is not lost on Waks and Mendel.

“We have to be strong because we support them. So we never get down. We always come into the home with positive energy and excitement and give them They're strong people who let you know how to do things.'We love them so much,'' Waks added. “And sometimes they break down at home.”

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Mendel is pictured with Oli. Mendel's father and brother were killed on October 7th. Mendel became his dear friend. (Joseph Waks)

During their first two weeks in Israel, Mendel and Waks packed their car with toys, supplies and food. They went south, went to malls, and started giving away whatever they could. I return home exhausted at 12:30 and do the same thing again the next morning.

Every time Mendel takes time off from the military, he and Waks pack up their car again and try to help the people of Israel. Through donations, they have also helped raise millions of dollars for those suffering.

Throughout their journey, father and son often remember the words of Rabbi Hillel as they become part of a larger story.

Families who meet Waks and Mendel often ask the same question. “Why did you come here?”

Their answer is simple. “I come to Israel in times of peace, but I must come here in times of sorrow.”

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