HARRISBURG, Pa. — When the Hamas terror attack happened, Harrisburg native Rebecca Solomon and her family were visiting her husband’s family in Israel for the Jewish holidays. They suddenly found themselves among the hundreds of Americans stranded amid the fighting, with no way home.
"I was out of my mind, I did not know what was going to happen," said Solomon. "No one was safe, even if you had a plane ticket, that meant nothing, that was not an exit for anyone."
With airlines suspending flights to Israel, the means of getting home felt improbable.
After days of trying, Rebecca, her husband, and their 8-month-old child were finally able to track down a series of flights that would get them back to the United States.
However, the feeling of uncertainty remained.
"The day before things were crazy with Hasbulla attacking from the North, everything in Gaza still going on, everything escalating, it was horrifying," said Solomon. "I couldn’t eat, couldn’t even think about what the next day would bring."
It wasn’t until she got to Ben Gurion Airport with her flight still scheduled that a sense of hope set in.
"That moment of literally handing off our luggage to the agents was like 'Okay, they are taking our luggage, we’re not getting this back until we get to another area, we are going, we are leaving,'" said Solomon. "We get through security, you make it to the gate, you see other people who are on the same flight with you and it all came together at that point."
Flying from Israel to Athens, then Athens to Newark airport, Solomon and her family were finally back on U.S. soil, at home in New York, a week after the attacks began.
A small sense of relief, after a week that will live in her forever.
"What I experienced in the last week has changed me," said Solomon. "There’s a bit of relief now that I’m home but I have to say this is not a celebration, this is not a victory. What is going on still in Israel is so horrifying and sad."
However, she emphasizes it was the support she received, that got her through it.
"I was able to get through each day while I was in my in-laws' apartment, in and out of their bomb shelter with my baby, thanks to the support that I received from people in America and around the world," said Solomon.
Solomon emphasizes one important message for people still awaiting for their loved ones to return home.
"Don’t give up hope, there’s going to be high moments and there’s going to be low moments," said Solomon. "Flights are going to get canceled, grounded and at some point you might not know what tomorrow is going to be. Stay strong and continue to show your support."