The principal of the school, Orna Weinberg from Metula, took a sabbatical at the end of the previous school year after 30 years without vacation. But instead of coming to New Zealand, she found herself in Tiberias, running a school for evacuated students.
Shahar Yurman
Weinberg is a veteran school principal who has been running the "HaGoma" school in Kfar Blum for the past 8 years. Last September, she took her first sabbatical in nearly 30 years. At this very moment, she was supposed to be on the plane for a trip to New Zealand and Australia.
However, shortly after she began her sabbatical, an iron sword war broke out. The northern part where she lives was shelled, and she, like the other residents, was forced to leave her home. In an instant, all her plans changed: she found herself outside her home, her partner Lior was injured by an anti-tank missile, and she returned to run a school for students evacuated from their homes to the Jordan Valley.
On the way to New Zealand
"I run an elementary school with 550 students and I really love what I do, but this year, after 30 years, I decided to take a sabbatical, we were supposed to take off to New Zealand and Australia for two months, I planned to study, to be there for my family," she tells Israel Hayom.
The sector is heating up. Shooting to Metula, photo: uncredited
Orna grew up in Ra'anana. 30 years ago, she fell in love with Lior, a farmer from Metula, and moved to the colony. The two married and have three sons: Niv (26) and twins Maayan and Tom (22). "When the war broke out, all four of them were drafted into the reserves. Because of Hezbollah's bombings, I decided to leave our house, on the front line near the border, and move to the center of the country. When Lior left Metula to visit me, he received a missile that hit his car directly. He was defined as lightly injured and I define it as a very big conference. Lior was wounded by shrapnel all over his body, hospitalized and released."
850 students evacuated
In light of the situation, Orna decided that she could not sit idle. She turned to the Director of the Northern District of the Ministry of Education, Dr. Orna Simhon, and told her she wanted to help. "She told me that a new school was being established for the children of the evacuees in the Jordan Valley – and I immediately enlisted." Together with the new principal of the school, Noga Gil-Bassia, and the Jordan Valley Regional Council, Weinberg established the school for evacuated students, some of whom are graduates of hers: "We have a school of 850 students. Until now we have been to the Jordan Valley College and now they are building a new school for us in Fourier."
The evacuees in Eilat, photo: AFP
Do you also provide an emotional response?
"We provide both studies and social and emotional responses. The staff with light in their eyes, teachers who themselves are evacuated. We give what we can, that's our mission."
When will you return home?
"My life has been shaken. For years I wasn't afraid, I didn't lock my house, I trusted the IDF. Today I understand that it will take time. We will only return home when we know that we are safe and that no one is watching us and trying to harm us."
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