Israeli student-athletes find comfort during UCF vigil for Israel
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By Sabrina Maggiore
ORLANDO, Fla. — On the University of Central Florida’s campus, hundreds gathered Wednesday night for a vigil dedicated to the people of Israel and the innocent victims of the war.
The first week of war has proven especially difficult for UCF student-athletes Itai Levisman and Ron Ben Dakon.
The two freshman left their family in Israel three months ago to start their first year on the UCF soccer team.
The duo said the messages came in droves Saturday morning as Hamas gunmen invaded their home country.
“I have thousands of messages from my friends, my family, everyone,” said Ben Dakon. “Both of us served in the army, so we know exactly what our friends feel right now.”
Over 6,000 miles of land and sea separate the student-athletes from their immediate families in Israel.
Levisman said his two younger brothers are currently serving with the Israeli Defense Force. It puts them on the front lines of this war.
“It’s hard not to be with them, not to be also taking a part of the war,” said Levisman.
Ben Dakon told us he feels similarly after just wrapping up over two years of military service. He recently learned that six of his friends were at a techno festival near the Gaza strip, where 260 Israelis were killed as Hamas opened fire on civilians.
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Luckily, none of Ben Dakon’s friends were killed during that attack, but he says a distant relative is one of the over a thousand war casualties.
Both Ben Dakon and Levisman told us, that even though they are far from home, they believe they have an important role to play in the war.
“I think also here we have a really important mission,” Levisman said. “We are trying to help as much as we can from America.”
“We can’t help physically, but we can help in social media, any other way. Donate and pray,” said Ben Dakon.
The two student-athletes shared their stories with UCF students during Wednesday’s vigil. Both said the campus Jewish community was a source of comfort amid the uncertainties of war.
Ben Dakon told Channel 9 that seeing hundreds of American students rally behind his country was moving.
“I didn’t know how much they care, “ said Ben Dakon. “They live here, they are safe and everything. And I’m really happy to see how many people came here today.”
Gaza Strip: Flames and smoke rise after an Israeli airstrike in Khan Yunis, Gaza, early Wednesday. (Abed Rahim Khatib/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Day 5: Civilians and members of civil defense teams conduct search and rescue operations to save people from under the rubble of a collapsed building hit during an Israeli airstrike in Khan Yunis, Gaza on Wednesday. (Anadolu Agency/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Day 5: Civilians and members of civil defense teams conduct search and rescue operations in the Gaza Strip early Wednesday. (Anadolu Agency/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Day 5: A wounded child is being rescued as civilians and members of civil defense teams conduct search and rescue operations in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday. (Anadolu Agency/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Day 5: Flames and smoke rise after an Israeli airstrike in Khan Yunis, Gaza on Wednesday. (Anadolu Agency/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Day 5: Smoke plumes rise following Israeli bombardment in Gaza City early Wednesday. (MOHAMMED ABED/AFP via Getty Images)
Day 5: Palestinian women and their children flee their homes following Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City on Wednesday. (MOHAMMED ABED/AFP via Getty Images)
Day 5: A man gestures as a firefighter sprays a hose to extinguish a blaze in a burning collapsed building following Israeli bombardment in Gaza City on Wednesday. (MOHAMMED ABED/AFP via Getty Images)
Day 5: People watch as a firetruck is deployed outside a burning collapsed building following Israeli bombardment in Gaza City on Wednesday. (MOHAMMED ABED/AFP via Getty Images)
Day 5: SDEROT, ISRAEL - OCTOBER 11: Israel's Iron Dome defense system intercepts rockets fired from Gaza on October 11, 2023 in Sderot, Israel. Israel has sealed off Gaza and conducted airstrikes on Palestinian territory after Hamas attack killed hundreds and took nearly 100 hostages. On October 7, the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel from Gaza by land, sea, and air, killing over 700 people and wounding more than 2000. Israeli soldiers and civilians have also been taken hostage by Hamas and moved into Gaza. The attack prompted a declaration of war by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and ongoing retaliatory strikes by Israel on Gaza killing hundreds. (Photo by Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images) (Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images)
Day 5: SDEROT, ISRAEL - OCTOBER 11: Israel's Iron Dome defense system intercepts rockets fired from Gaza on October 11, 2023 in Sderot, Israel. Israel has sealed off Gaza and conducted airstrikes on Palestinian territory after Hamas attack killed hundreds and took nearly 100 hostages. On October 7, the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel from Gaza by land, sea, and air, killing over 700 people and wounding more than 2000. Israeli soldiers and civilians have also been taken hostage by Hamas and moved into Gaza. The attack prompted a declaration of war by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and ongoing retaliatory strikes by Israel on Gaza killing hundreds. (Photo by Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images) (Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images)
Day 5: GAN HAIM, ISRAEL - OCTOBER 11: Family and friends of May Naim, 24, who was murdered by Palestinians militants at the "Supernova" festival, near the Israeli border with Gaza strip, react during her funeral on October 11, 2023 in Gan Haim, Israel. Israel has sealed off Gaza and conducted airstrikes on Palestinian territory after an attack by Hamas killed hundreds and took more than 100 hostages. On October 7, the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel from Gaza by land, sea, and air, killing over 700 people and wounding more than 2000. Israeli soldiers and civilians have also been taken hostage by Hamas and moved into Gaza. The attack prompted a declaration of war by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (Photo by Amir Levy/Getty Images) (Amir Levy/Getty Images)
Day 5: SDEROT, ISRAEL - OCTOBER 11: Israeli security forces on patrol on October 11, 2023 in Sderot, Israel. Israel has sealed off Gaza and conducted airstrikes on Palestinian territory after Hamas attack killed hundreds and took nearly 100 hostages. On October 7, the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel from Gaza by land, sea, and air, killing over 700 people and wounding more than 2000. Israeli soldiers and civilians have also been taken hostage by Hamas and moved into Gaza. The attack prompted a declaration of war by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and ongoing retaliatory strikes by Israel on Gaza killing hundreds. (Photo by Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images) (Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images)
Day 5: GAN HAIM, ISRAEL - OCTOBER 11: Family and friends of May Naim, 24, who was murdered by Palestinians militants at the "Supernova" festival, near the Israeli border with Gaza strip, react during her funeral on October 11, 2023 in Gan Haim, Israel. Israel has sealed off Gaza and conducted airstrikes on Palestinian territory after an attack by Hamas killed hundreds and took more than 100 hostages. On October 7, the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel from Gaza by land, sea, and air, killing over 700 people and wounding more than 2000. Israeli soldiers and civilians have also been taken hostage by Hamas and moved into Gaza. The attack prompted a declaration of war by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (Photo by Amir Levy/Getty Images) (Amir Levy/Getty Images)
Day 5: GAN HAIM, ISRAEL - OCTOBER 11: Family and friends of May Naim, 24, who was murdered by Palestinians militants at the "Supernova" festival, near the Israeli border with Gaza strip, react during her funeral on October 11, 2023 in Gan Haim, Israel. Israel has sealed off Gaza and conducted airstrikes on Palestinian territory after an attack by Hamas killed hundreds and took more than 100 hostages. On October 7, the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel from Gaza by land, sea, and air, killing over 700 people and wounding more than 2000. Israeli soldiers and civilians have also been taken hostage by Hamas and moved into Gaza. The attack prompted a declaration of war by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (Photo by Amir Levy/Getty Images) (Amir Levy/Getty Images)
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