Esther Burchov, a 21-year-old survivor of the massacre in Re’im, attended the fifth night of Hanukkah candle lighting yesterday (Sunday) at Wolfson Medical Center, where she was treated following the attack.
During the ceremony, Esther shared her personal story: “I was with a friend at the Nova festival. Around 6:30, the rockets started. We were among the first cars to leave the area. We encountered a group of terrorists standing in front of us and shooting with Kalashnikov rifles. I gathered my strength and stepped on the gas, but suddenly a car hit me, and I got into an accident. The car couldn’t drive anymore.” Bullets hit her car, rendering it unusable, but fortunately, Esther and her friend were unharmed.
The First Miracle
“Suddenly, Uri Arad, of blessed memory, a resident of Holon, stopped in front of us and heroically rescued us,” Esther recounted. Uri helped them into his car and started driving away. Minutes later, the terrorists began shooting at his car as well. During the encounter, Uri, who was driving, was critically injured and lost consciousness. Esther and her friend remained in the car and decided to play dead, hoping the terrorists wouldn’t execute them.
After some time, Uri regained consciousness but was fatally shot at point-blank range by the terrorists. “When I heard silence, I opened my eyes to check on him, and I saw he had fallen and was no longer with us,” Esther recalled. She and her friend continued to feign death until a nearby vehicle caught fire. At that point, they decided to leave the car, risking almost certain gunfire from the terrorists.
Defying All Odds
Against all odds, the terrorists failed to notice the two injured young women as they fled. Esther and her friend eventually reached Israeli soldiers, who evacuated them to the hospital. After a successful spinal surgery and recovery in the orthopedic ward at Wolfson, Esther took her first step toward full recovery.
“The care we received at Wolfson Medical Center was incredible,” she said. *”I can walk again thanks to the angels at Wolfson. The medical staff cared for me so much and surrounded me with support. I thank them with all my heart, especially Dr. Lotan and Dr. Hershkowitz, who treated me every step of the way.”
A Heartfelt Thanks
In her closing remarks, Esther expressed gratitude for her personal miracle:
“Hanukkah is a holiday of miracles and light. I want to take this opportunity to thank Uri Arad, of blessed memory. He saved us. Thanks to his bravery and quick thinking, we’re here today. I wish the entire nation of Israel health, miracles, and wonders this holiday, and I pray for the return of the hostages.”
Esther lit the candles together with Yaniv Fogel, the hospital’s administrative director, and Simcha Landau, the Chabad representative at Wolfson.
