The crowd stood up, clapped, and cheered. It was a dream come true. But now the dream had more meaning than ever before.
Sagui Dekel Chen, a dual American/Israeli citizen, is a passionate baseball fan. He played baseball in the United States until the age of 17, when he returned to live in Israel. On the morning of October 7, Sagui, then 35 years old, was at home in Kibbutz Nir Oz with his pregnant wife, Avital, and their two young daughters when Hamas terrorists infiltrated the community and launched a brutal attack. Sagui bravely fought off the terrorists outside his home, risking his life in an attempt to protect his wife, daughters, and fellow kibbutz members. During the confrontation, he was shot in the leg and shoulder and then kidnapped to Gaza.
Two months later, Avital gave birth to a baby girl. On February 15, 2025, Sagui was reunited with his wife and daughters, including the baby he had never met, after enduring 498 harrowing days in captivity. He returned with a shoulder injury and wore a sling for months.
Sagui had long dreamed of the thrill of catching a baseball in the bleachers. While visiting the United States with his family, they naturally attended a game. Avital later shared the emotional moment that took place that day. As they settled into their seats, Sagui told his wife that he hoped a ball would be thrown their way during the game. He promised he would catch it with one hand. Two and a half hours passed with no sign of a ball. Then, just half an hour before the game ended, a ball soared through the air and headed straight toward him. Gently lifting his daughter off his lap, he stood up and caught the ball with his left hand. Avital later remarked that on October 7, Sagui had caught two “balls” that nearly killed him. In Hebrew, the word kadur means both “bullet” and “ball.” This time, she said, he caught the right one.
Sagui’s story is one of many that show how Israelis confront unimaginable trauma with unwavering strength. Countless other acts of courage and determination have emerged throughout this war.
About a month ago, the Ground Forces held a graduation ceremony. Four hundred fifty-four cadets completed the course. Many of them fought in various units before enrolling in the course. What is amazing is that some of these graduates were injured during the war, yet they chose to return to battle. Meanwhile, a new recruitment cycle just opened in the IDF, with thousands of recruits expected to join. The youngest is a 17-and-a-half-year-old cadet, and the oldest is a 35-year-old doctor. Eight hundred seventy-two new immigrants are expected to enlist.
Many rise from the ruins of tragedy to build and support those in need. The “Shelter of Death” at the Re’im intersection, where 16 people were murdered and four were kidnapped on October 7, became a symbol of loss and destruction. Yet, it has since been transformed into the “Shelter of Kindness,” a support center for bereaved families. Similarly, the social work department of Tel Hai College initiated a “Trauma Mobile” to provide psychological support to those suffering from anxiety caused by terror attacks and rocket fire. From the depths of tragedy, we build, fostering hope.
Some respond defiantly to evil through acts of chesed. Iron Connections is a new matchmaking service created specifically for wounded soldiers. Ossie Eben Tzur, a mother of eight, several of whom were injured in the war, was inspired to act while visiting her son in the hospital. She overheard soldiers asking what their future would hold now that they were wounded. Teaming up with matchmaker Racheli Hominer, Ossie launched this project for wounded warriors. Within weeks, the website was overwhelmed by applications and crashed under the demand. This effort is about much more than making shiduchim. It’s a form of resistance. They seek to destroy us, but we will build new homes.
These are difficult times. We see pain and sadness all around us, yet we are not defeated. We draw strength from stories of courage, reminding the world that our spirit cannot be shattered. We will not be broken.
Please continue to daven for the recovery of the wounded, the safe return of the hostages, the success and protection of our chayalim and security personnel, and for the safety of all of Am Yisrael.
Suzie Steinberg, (nee Schapiro), CSW, is a native of Kew Gardens Hills and resident of Ramat Beit Shemesh who publishes articles regularly in various newspapers and magazines about life in general, and about life in Israel in particular. Her recently published children’s book titled Hashem is Always With Me can be purchased in local Judaica stores as well as online. Suzie can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and would love to hear from you.
