Listen to the interview on Israel National Radio
Fleisher: What are you doing here [in Gush Katif]?
Gross: We're here to support our children who are here, here to express our feeling that this is part of the Land of Israel, and no one should give it away. It's the Arabs, of course, who are putting pressure on everyone, and we feel that the government is very, very corrupt this time. They're planning to put a casino in Elei Sinai which they plan to evacuate. Shimon Peres has all sorts of connections with the Palestinian Authority and others in the government do as well. Also, this Sabbath marks the 22nd yartzheit of our Asher Aharon, who was killed and murdered in Hevron by Arabs when he was in the top class of Yeshivat Shavei Hevron.
Fleisher: Your son was murdered smack in the middle of the Jewish area of Hevron, he was stabbed and later taken to an Arab hospital where he subsequently died from blood loss, is that correct?
Gross: That's substantially correct, three Arabs jumped out of a car, two held him, one stabbed him, he ran toward Avraham Avinu [Jewish neighborhood], and there he was picked up [by other Arabs], and from there all we know is that the Arabs refused to treat him, and he was found later in an Arab house.
Fleisher: You've surely gone through hard things here in the Land of Israel, and you may have been very distraught at the lack of protection that your son was afforded by the Israeli government. I wonder, how is it that you manage to continue to be not despondent about the state of the Israeli government, and the protection that we're afforded by our army?
Gross: Listen, we certainly hope that the army is doing the best it can under the constraints that are put on it. We're here because we're Torah-true Jews, and we believe that this is the Land of Israel, and that Jews belong here, and we certainly hope that the government will somehow or other wake up and realize that G-d is our only salvation.
Fleisher: You usually live in Jerusalem, but you have children here in Morag.
Gross: I have children in most of the settlements of Israel at the moment (laughter). Morag is being put under pressure, so we came here to give support and to help out wherever we can.
Fleisher: How many years are you in the Land of Israel?
Gross: We're here 31 years.
Fleisher: And this week will be a ceremony marking your son's murder?
Gross: The actual anniversary is on Tuesday, but the whole family came down here, all my children and grandchildren, most of them are here, and the others are on their way here. We're going to have our own minyan (prayer quorum) and have our own dining together, and speak about our feelings, and that's the way the whole family gets along and manages to survive the tragedy that happened to us. I do not think that the Western world really understands what the Arabs have in mind. A book came out in 1994 saying that this was going to be the era, the century of Islamism, and unless we really fight it, we're going to remain as only small pockets of civilization.
Fleisher: But you have hope for the Jews in the Land of Israel to continue and to thrive here.
Gross: Well listen, I have hope both that the people will wake up and that G-d will help us, I have certain ideals and beliefs in the promises of the Torah, which I certainly hope will be realized during our lifetime.
Fleisher: How did your family manage to cope with the tragedy of your son being murdered? I see you have a huge family around you... how did you manage to get over that, deal with it and go on from that point?
Gross: A person never gets over it, there's always a big hole in one's heart, and one always remembers, and of course parents more than anyone else will remember. The other children also remember to a certain lesser extent. Listen, we also believe that there's an afterlife, and that we do the best we can, and everyone is dedicated to do what he can, and while we have a lot of questions, we know that there are
answers that no one can know in this world, that is our only faith and hope and the way one lives.
Fleisher: How do you like Morag?
Gross: Morag's a very nice place, the people are all friendly. One of the nicer aspects of Morag is the integration between Sepharadi and Ashkenazi Jews - they daven [pray] in the same shul and share the same prayers and each one tolerates the other one's customs and activities, and loves one another and helps one another.
Fleisher: Alex Gross, thank you very much for being with us, we wish you continued success, and may the memory of your son be an inspiration to all of us, and may your family continue to be successful in the Land of Israel.
Gross: Thank you very much.
Fleisher: What are you doing here [in Gush Katif]?
Gross: We're here to support our children who are here, here to express our feeling that this is part of the Land of Israel, and no one should give it away. It's the Arabs, of course, who are putting pressure on everyone, and we feel that the government is very, very corrupt this time. They're planning to put a casino in Elei Sinai which they plan to evacuate. Shimon Peres has all sorts of connections with the Palestinian Authority and others in the government do as well. Also, this Sabbath marks the 22nd yartzheit of our Asher Aharon, who was killed and murdered in Hevron by Arabs when he was in the top class of Yeshivat Shavei Hevron.
Fleisher: Your son was murdered smack in the middle of the Jewish area of Hevron, he was stabbed and later taken to an Arab hospital where he subsequently died from blood loss, is that correct?
Gross: That's substantially correct, three Arabs jumped out of a car, two held him, one stabbed him, he ran toward Avraham Avinu [Jewish neighborhood], and there he was picked up [by other Arabs], and from there all we know is that the Arabs refused to treat him, and he was found later in an Arab house.
Fleisher: You've surely gone through hard things here in the Land of Israel, and you may have been very distraught at the lack of protection that your son was afforded by the Israeli government. I wonder, how is it that you manage to continue to be not despondent about the state of the Israeli government, and the protection that we're afforded by our army?
Gross: Listen, we certainly hope that the army is doing the best it can under the constraints that are put on it. We're here because we're Torah-true Jews, and we believe that this is the Land of Israel, and that Jews belong here, and we certainly hope that the government will somehow or other wake up and realize that G-d is our only salvation.
Fleisher: You usually live in Jerusalem, but you have children here in Morag.
Gross: I have children in most of the settlements of Israel at the moment (laughter). Morag is being put under pressure, so we came here to give support and to help out wherever we can.
Fleisher: How many years are you in the Land of Israel?
Gross: We're here 31 years.
Fleisher: And this week will be a ceremony marking your son's murder?
Gross: The actual anniversary is on Tuesday, but the whole family came down here, all my children and grandchildren, most of them are here, and the others are on their way here. We're going to have our own minyan (prayer quorum) and have our own dining together, and speak about our feelings, and that's the way the whole family gets along and manages to survive the tragedy that happened to us. I do not think that the Western world really understands what the Arabs have in mind. A book came out in 1994 saying that this was going to be the era, the century of Islamism, and unless we really fight it, we're going to remain as only small pockets of civilization.
Fleisher: But you have hope for the Jews in the Land of Israel to continue and to thrive here.
Gross: Well listen, I have hope both that the people will wake up and that G-d will help us, I have certain ideals and beliefs in the promises of the Torah, which I certainly hope will be realized during our lifetime.
Fleisher: How did your family manage to cope with the tragedy of your son being murdered? I see you have a huge family around you... how did you manage to get over that, deal with it and go on from that point?
Gross: A person never gets over it, there's always a big hole in one's heart, and one always remembers, and of course parents more than anyone else will remember. The other children also remember to a certain lesser extent. Listen, we also believe that there's an afterlife, and that we do the best we can, and everyone is dedicated to do what he can, and while we have a lot of questions, we know that there are
answers that no one can know in this world, that is our only faith and hope and the way one lives.
Fleisher: How do you like Morag?
Gross: Morag's a very nice place, the people are all friendly. One of the nicer aspects of Morag is the integration between Sepharadi and Ashkenazi Jews - they daven [pray] in the same shul and share the same prayers and each one tolerates the other one's customs and activities, and loves one another and helps one another.
Fleisher: Alex Gross, thank you very much for being with us, we wish you continued success, and may the memory of your son be an inspiration to all of us, and may your family continue to be successful in the Land of Israel.
Gross: Thank you very much.