Franklin County man returns from Israel after spending 3 months assisting soldiers

Gadi Adelman returned from Israel on Jan. 30. Adelman grew up in Israel and is a former member of the Israeli Defense Force.

He said he wanted to help the place he once called home.

“Every day, we packed a truck, and we went and hit a whole bunch of bases,” Adelman said.

“I started getting phone calls from different agencies in Israel the next day,” he said in November.

Adelman and others provided combat soldiers with supplies, ranging from boots and helmets to flashlights.

“Down to toothpaste and airborne tablets,” he said. “Everything was provided by the U.S.”

Adelman said he heard numerous rockets flying and exploding overhead as Israel’s Iron Dome intercepted them.

“Well over a dozen rocket alerts in the three months I was there,” he said. “So it never really leaves you. You know there’s a war going on. Even though that war is maybe two hours down south, you may be receiving shelling.”

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Adelman’s travels took him to every part of Israel and some parts of Gaza, adding he could feel the war between Israel and Hamas everywhere he was.

“I came to grips with the fact that anything could happen,” Adelman said.

Though he is back home, Adelman hopes to return to Israel in a few months.