Dear Yehudit

Dear Yehudit (Weiss):

I never met you, but I’ve been thinking of you non-stop for over five weeks. I just learned that you’re dead, and I feel like the wind has been knocked out of me.

I’m sorry that Hamas murdered your husband and then stole you away to Gaza. Like me, you had breast cancer, and children for whom you fought to live. I’m sorry that Hamas took you away from them.

How did you die?  You were found next to Al-Shifa hospital. Were you kept there?

What did you think about when you were in captivity? Were you hungry? Were you weak? Did they cut your breasts off? I know that they did that to other women.

I’m certain that you missed your five grandchildren. Did you get to be a grandmother to any of the children or babies who are hostages? Are they alive?

I wish you could write me back.  I never met you, but I really miss you.

With love,

Yehudit (Dolgin)