Closed Israeli airspace a bittersweet blow for travellers

While Johannesburg customer service consultant Paula Shevel was trying to collect her thoughts about what it felt like to be stuck in Israel, an Iranian missile hit a building 15 minutes away from where she was in Herzliya.

“We felt strong vibrations while rushing downstairs. I was in shock and so, while people were davening around me, I started praying with them,” Shevel said.

Her story is one of thousands of those who have been stranded miles away from home due to the Israeli transportation ministry closing airspace to all civilian traffic and grounding flights to and from Ben Gurion International Airport until further notice because of the Iranian strikes on Israel that began on 13 June.

Shevel was visiting her daughter, who made aliya 18 months ago, and was planning to return home, but her plans fell apart when Iran decided to retaliate against Israel, sending ballistic missiles to civilian areas.

“We were sleeping peacefully when we received an alert from the Home Front Command that drones and missiles from Iran were on their way,” said Shevel. “There’s a lot of tension around here. Nobody knows when this will end. I’m worried about my husband and son back home. Although it’s lovely to be able to spend more time with Sarah, we have no idea when we’ll be able to fly.”

Similarly, beautician Lisa Karro and her daughter, Jade Factor, a digital marketing account manager, arrived in Israel to welcome Factor’s sister’s new child, and were making plans to come home when their plans unravelled as their flights were cancelled, leaving them in Israel indefinitely.

Factor, whose young children aged two and four are in South Africa, says the hardest part for her hasn’t been fear of the missiles, but having to sit in limbo, waiting to go back to her children and husband. “That feeling of just not knowing when I’m going to be able to get back to them is devastating and scary because we don’t know how long this is going to last and when they’re going to be able to get us home to them. Just that separation from them, it’s beyond awful.”

“It’s hard,” said Karro, breaking down in tears, “because I want Jade, my daughter, to get home to her children, but for me as a mom, I don’t want to leave my other daughter, son-in-law, and my new grandson here.”

Mendy Grauman was visiting Israel to attend a Masa Israel conference, and was scheduled to come home on 19 June, when suddenly, he was notified that his flight back to South Africa was cancelled.

“I have a sense of trepidation,” he said, “but I accept that it’s okay to be here for this and I also have a sense of relief in having attacked Iran because I think we should have done this a long time ago.”

Grauman said that though he wants to get back to South Africa, he wants to make the most out of the situation. “At first, I was just thinking about the practicalities of life, like where I was going to stay and handle work, and things like that. But because it’s all so uncertain, I don’t know. I could be going home in a week on repatriation flights. It could take a few weeks. And I don’t want to get ahead of myself, so I’m just kind of taking it day by day.”

Entrepreneur Janine De Abreu has been in Israel since 6 June to attend her daughter’s graduation. She’s relieved that her flight back to South Africa on 15 June was cancelled so that she can spend more time with her daughter and be a support system for her as she lives alone in Ramat Gan.

“It was terrifying, and I was super anxious, but I’m with my daughter. I’m happy that I’m with her and that she’s not alone,” she said. “If I had been at home, I would have been far more stressed. So, at least I’m here and we’re a team.”

Nineteen-year-old Na’ama Gralnik was planning to come home after spending just less than a year at the Nishmat seminary in Jerusalem. She said that though she would have loved to have been back in South Africa already, it’s more important for her to be in Israel. “Weirdly, I’m glad I’m here for this,” she said. “I feel like I’m part of something bigger. I’m able to help with things like meeting moms, wives, and the kids running around the building. I feel like I’m able to contribute to Am Yisrael.”

Similarly, South African olim travelling abroad including in South Africa have been stranded without a way of getting home.

“It’s kind of surreal. It’s a bit bizarre and it’s worrying having my family there while I’m here,” said Leanne Bernstein, who was in South Africa to attend her mother’s funeral. “I just want to be with my family and in the same situation with them. I don’t want to be separated.”

Researcher Adele Shapiro, who has been living in Israel for nearly 20 years, was on her way back to Israel from Canada through Greece when her flight to Israel was cancelled, and now she’s stranded in Greece. Her flatmate in Haifa told her that it was better that she wasn’t at home because a missile struck a street away from her flat. “I’m stuck in Greece,” Shapiro said. “You know, it’s a lovely place to be stuck, but I’m not in any mood to do anything. I just lie in bed every day and cry.”

Similarly, both housewife Miriam Holuber and travel agent Brett Duveen were on their way back to Israel via Addis Ababa when their flight to Israel was suddenly redirected to Cairo and then back to Addis Ababa. Holuber and the family that was with her returned to South Africa, while Duveen is waiting it out in London.

“The uncertainty is starting to become a big concern, a really big concern,” said Duveen. “We have no idea how long we’re going to be here. We don’t even know if we’re going to be repatriated from London.”

“I feel unsettled,” said Holuber. “We feel like refugees because we can’t go home.”