It was supposed to be a family visit to Israel but when terror struck, an Andover woman’s two sons were called to serve.
Dorit Cohen arrived in Israel from Boston on Friday to visit her two sons Michael and Jonathan. She had no idea her world would change just 24 hours later.
STAY IN THE KNOW
 |
Watch NBC10 Boston news for free, 24/7, wherever you are. |
 |
Get Boston local news, weather forecasts, lifestyle and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Boston’s newsletters. |
“Next thing I know Saturday morning I am woken up by sirens and didn’t even know what happened,” said Cohen.
Terrorists with Hamas crossed into southern Israel, killing hundreds. Not long after, Cohen got the word that her boys would be drafted to serve.
Get top local stories in Boston delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC Boston's News Headlines newsletter.
“I actually got to see my two boys here only because they came to pack bags because they were drafted,” she said. “They were drafted right away. They came and said goodbye and I even took a photo with them.”
Jonathan, 27, and Michael, 23 will be serving on the front lines as paratroopers.
“I’m so proud of my soldiers because they say to me, I just wait for that ping, can I get them to say, 'I’m OK' cause they don’t have their phones most of the time,” said Cohen.
But it’s been an anxious time not knowing where they are serving. Cohen, her husband and two other children live in Andover part of the year. The rest of the time they live outside Tel Aviv. The attack on innocent Israelis has made her heart sink.
“We all know a family who has been affected by this,” she said. “I think this was not a shock only for Israelis but for any Jew out there because we never thought this could happen again.”
Cohen said that despite all of the horror, she has seen so much generosity. Back here in the U.S., her two other children, Abi and Oren spent Wednesday packing up donations in Newton to send to Israel.
“This morning my kids said to me, we will continue, we go through this even if it’s tough, even if it’s dark,” she said. “We will do what’s necessary and we will overcome this.”
Cohen said she will stay in Israel as long as her sons are serving.
“They always say to me, we’re ready, whatever it is we’re ready,” she said. “We don’t want this but we are ready and that makes me feel a little bit better.”
