My First Book... the Beginning

In My Father’s Shadow is a series of short stories chronicling the life of the author’s father. In these stories the author has attempted to capture the essence of what his father taught his brother and him, the time they spent in play, and the life lessons which has left an indelible imprint. In point of fact, it is a story about all fathers. Most average men, very few leaving a legacy of great deeds, but through small acts of kindness, love, and favor are elevated to greatness. Its every man’s story. The story begins with his father in the early 1900’s growing up in Tidewater Virginia during the Depression years. We travel with him to his time in the Navy during World War II, and post-war years building a quality of life for himself and family. The last chapter brings us to his last days and gives the reader the opportunity to reflect on his life. Also included are historical references to the time in which his father lived spanning a period of remarkable medical, political, and socioeconomic significance.

From my shelf to yours. Pages worth turning.

Hostage

Eli Sharabi

October 7, 2023…a date etched into the minds of Israelis for eternity. The atrocity of the events that unfolded that day some would equate to those of the Holocaust. Others, pro-Palestinians, have somehow twisted the circumstances of that day accusing and blaming the Israelis for the death and destruction that followed within the Gaza Strip. And there are even others who deny that Israel was ever attacked. It was some farcical hoax. But make no mistake, on October 7, 2023 Hamas entered the state of Israel killing, raping, and mutilating. Men, women, and children…none spared. Some were attacked at the Supernova Music festival. While others were yanked from their homes in kibbutzim. The ambush was unprovoked and bloody, devised by the Hamas and coconspirator, Iran.

“Hostage” is the first-hand account of one of the hostages, Eli Sharabi, taken by the Hamas and held in captivity for 491 days in secret tunnels dug for this evil purpose. On October 7 Eli was celebrating Shabbat with his wife and two daughters when armed gunmen broke into his home and snatched Eli from the arms of his family. His wife, Lianne, and two daughters, Noiya and Yahel, screaming and pleading for mercy as Eli was being kidnapped.

During Eli’s 491 days in captivity he was beaten, starved, forced to live in filth with vermin and disease, and subjected to psychological torture by barbarians whose hatred for the Jews fueled their acts of terror in the name of ideology. Eli’s only hope was the belief his family had been spared. And this belief was the single glimmer in a void of darkness that had become his existence. A natural leader, Eli did his best to encourage other hostages to stay alive for the families left behind. His reason for not giving-up. In the end many of the hostages died in captivity some by murder, some by disease, and others by starvation and neglect. Eli personally knew of many of those who died.

On the day of his release Eli was paraded on stage in-front of TV cameras and reporters, forced to read a statement condemning Israel and Netanyahu for war crimes. Mocked and badgered the final act of hatred was to make Eli a tool of their propaganda. When he was eventually turned-over to the Red Cross and safely across the border back on Israeli soil, then and only then, was he informed that on October 7, 491 days previously, after the terrorists removed him from his home, they re-entered his home and massacred his wife and two daughters.

As painful as it is to read this account, it is important for the world to know the truth. We live in an age where absolute truths are denied, where people construct their own truths of convenience to justify the lies of relativism. It is important to read this book, because it is important to know the events of October 7 and what really happened.