A warm hug from the Eilat campus: Families evacuated from the South housed in student dormitories
Ben-Gurion University’s Eilat campus has opened for residents from the South who left their homes for a quick breather from the incessant rocket attacks. Dozens of families have been housed in the student dormitories, and campus workers are taking care of them.
"Families who evacuated Ofakim, Netivot, Sderot and Ashkelon came to us, and we are prepared, if necessary, to absorb more residents, including those who left Kiryat Shmona," says Eilat Campus Dean Prof. Ofer Ovadia. "We opened the campus gates to everyone. The entire campus is committed to meeting the needs of students, families and evacuees who have come to us, and we do so with dedication and love."
Urgent accommodation solutions were provided to dozens of preparatory students from Sderot who arrived in Eilat late at night, and in coordination with the Rector of the university, Prof. Chaim Hames, classrooms were allocated for the benefit of students from the Shaar Hanegev Regional Council who are in the city.
Several university faculty members who were evacuated from the surrounding communities at the beginning of the war were also referred to apartments in Eilat. In recent days, 10 students from the Marcus Family Campus in Beer-Sheva arrived in Eilat to assist as well. In addition, housing assistance was provided to medical teams, including psychologists and psychiatrists, who came from central Israel to reinforce Yoseftal Hospital.
The Eilat campus operates an international school for culinary studies, and the knowledge accumulated by its graduates is used in times of emergency. The campus's kitchens have been providing daily catering services to hundreds of people. Hot meals are provided to families staying in student dormitories, and with the help of various associations, hot meals are delivered to reservists and medical teams. One of the three chefs employed on campus has been drafted into the reserves, and the other two are working at full steam. "Everyone contributes whatever they can to the war effort," says Ami Levy, head of the Eilat Campus Administration. "We are working around the clock for the dear people who are staying with us during these difficult times."
