“Friends told me about Beit Halochem. I came for a visit and fell in love with the place. First of all, it’s a home. There’s a warm, embracing atmosphere. And when you can talk to someone who has gone through something similar, it changes everything.”

Ofir Dahari

Ofir Dahari, a 50-year-old Border Police Officer is a resident of a small town near Ashkelon. The married father of five woke up to the sirens and a heavy barrage of rockets on October 7. After his wife and children were secure in the family’s safe room, Ofir headed to Sderot where Hamas militants had entered the city’s downtown. They had opened fire on men, women, and children on the city streets. The police station was overrun by the terrorists, and they immediately got out of their vehicles and neutralized them.

Dispatched to nearby Kibbutz Nir Am, Ofir's team encountered a group of terrorists concentrated near the entrance. The team attempted to block them from entering the kibbutz while also rescuing a Golani unit that was pinned down under heavy fire. During the battle, Ofir was hit by a sniper; his partner was shot while pulling him to safety. As they lay injured, they began chanting Shema Yisrael. Their prayers were answered when a backup unit arrived and rescued them.

With multiple injuries, Ofir suffered the most from broken bones and torn nerves in his dominant hand. His dexterity and mobility were severely compromised, and he says it was difficult to perform even basic tasks. After a three-week hospital stay and five surgeries later, Ofir began his rehabilitation. Volunteers from Beit Halochem visited him in his hospital room. They told him that they had been wounded too; from that very first moment, Ofir knew he was not alone on his journey to recovery. Beit Halochem gave them healing, hope, and strength for a brighter future that once seemed bleak.