Travelers from NC stuck in Middle East as attacks continue, airport closed: 'Blessed to be alive'
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Israel's Ben Gurion Airport is currently closed amid recent air strikes by Iran against the country. In response. Israel has since issued retaliatory strikes against Tehran.
A message on the website for Ben Gurion Airport currently reads: Due to the current security situation, all departing and arriving flights at Ben Gurion Airport scheduled from June 13 onward are cancelled until further notice.
Steven Rosenberg, who resides in North Raleigh but has been living near Tel Aviv for the past five months, said he constantly has to shelter in place.
"Everybody carries the phone next to them because the phone is how the alarms are sounded," he said by phone. "We can't see anything from the shelter. We don't know what's going on. But you can hear the booms. One right after the other, right after the other, right after the other."
Rosenberg bought a one-way ticket to Israel to be a full-time grandfather.
However, if he wanted to return to Raleigh to escape the constant threat of attack, doing so would prove to be a challenge with the closure of the airport, which is nearly 25 minutes away from Ramat Gan, where he's currently living.
"We knew this war was coming," he said. "I'm just taking it one day at a time. I feel very blessed to be alive."
Meanwhile, members of Beth Meyer Synagogue's congregation had a trip to Israel that was scheduled to depart this week.
However, the October 7th attack happened and there were reservations about Middle East travel. So, a decision was made by leadership to cancel the trip and hold out hope.
"So people registered hoping that...by the time decisions were made, the situation would be better," said Rabbi Eric Solomon.
But, even if a decision were to have been made in favor of still traveling, Iran's weekend strikes on Israel would have thwarted Beth Meyer's trip amid the closure of Ben Gurion.
"That's the kind of irony," said Rabbi Solomon. "We were actually supposed to leave on the trip, literally this week. So, you know, it would have been canceled anyway even if we somehow pushed through."8
Rabbi Solomon said there are kids from Beth Meyer who traveled to Israel for a birthright trip who got caught in the middle of the conflict. The group had to arrange to take a cruise ship to Cyprus in order to flee Israel.
"They went for a first-time experience and a war began and they really went to bomb shelters and their parents were quite, quite upset," Rabbi Solomon said. "And thank God they're all safe. They're accounted for. Many of them are finding their way back actually on a ship. It's coming back. But it has been it has been terrifying and upsetting, no question about it."
