In the book "One Day in October - 40 Heroes, 40 Stories," Emily Hand's powerful monologue offers a unique perspective on conflict through the eyes of a child who was held captive in Gaza. Her words, captured in interviews conducted for the book and edited by Yair Agmon and Oriya Mevorach, paint a vivid picture of her experiences.
Emily's description of her captivity reveals the stark reality she faced. "There wasn't even one nice person among the people who guarded us in the box," she wrote.
To cope, she and her father developed a system of code words, substituting harsh realities with seemingly innocuous terms.
"'Box' is what I call Gaza. I don't want to say that word, Gaza, so I say 'box.' Dad and I have a few code words. 'Olives' means terrorists. 'Bamba' means Arabs. 'Antibiotics' means blood. Kidnapped people are 'cheese.' Murdered people are 'cottage cheese.' I named them after foods I don't like because these words, they're words that sometimes I don't feel comfortable saying."
Life on the kibbutz
"I moved to Be'eri when I was a little kid, just two and a half. Hila, who was seven at the time, heard I was coming and gave me a bunch of stuff. We've been best friends ever since. I'm so glad we are, because when things were tough and I was stuck in that awful place, she was there for me.
I really love living here in the kibbutz. It's great that my dogs, Schnitzel and Jonesy, can run around free without leashes. They even know how to find their way back home! Having a dog is the best. When I'm feeling down, Schnitzel just seems to know and comes over to give me a kiss. She's always barking and running around like crazy. Jonesy is the opposite – super chill and quiet, just watching over me.
Playing with Schnitzel is a blast, but I have to be careful because she's sensitive, even though she loves to go a bit wild. With Jonesy, I feel strong and calm. Sometimes I can be both sensitive and strong at the same time, and that's when I feel the most at peace, like nothing bad ever happened."
When it all began
"I remember that Friday evening, we went over to Hila's house, and then Narkis showed up (she's the first wife of Thomas Hand, Emily's father). We danced around and just goofed off, having a really good time. The next morning, at 6:00, Hila woke me up because of loud explosions, and we hurried to the shelter. We heard that the army might be around, but we didn't see anyone. The shelter door wouldn't shut properly, so we ended up blocking it with some couches.
I was sure the terrorists would come for us. We were right next to the vineyard, and that's where they were. We could hear yelling from there, so we knew they were close. They did come toward us, and I knew they could break through. They could easily smash the door with a hammer or something like that. And since I was at Hila's place, my dad wasn't there with us."
An acquired skill
"I've learned to paint on my own. When I was with Hila, we sometimes got the chance to paint. I painted pictures of Jonesy and my dad there. Now, I paint much more. I really enjoy using different shades, like starting with light green and gradually going darker. I'm someone who likes everything in its place. Whenever my friends visit my room and start touching my stuff, I have to tell them, 'No, no, no, this goes here, that goes there.' I like keeping things orderly and organized."
Life since October 7
"We now live in Herzliya, and I really like it here. I’ve taken up various activities, including horse riding. I’ve even learned how to canter. Initially, I was afraid, but once I got on the horse I started having fun and didn’t want to stop. It’s been a great experience, showing me how important it is to try new things.
On Thursdays, I go to a club where I play frisbee with a well-trained dog named Dao, who’s even more trained than Jonesy. It’s hard to describe, but playing with Dao is the highlight of my week. Thursdays have become my favorite day because I spend time with horses in the morning, play with Dao, and then head to the Dead Sea to meet up with friends at a hotel.
I was really frightened when terrorists attacked nearby Ra'anana, worried they might come to Herzliya. But I realized they don’t target specific houses; they just attack in the streets. Plus, our area is secure with cameras and protective barriers on our windows at night, so that makes me feel safer.
As for going back to Be'eri, I'm torn. Sometimes I want to return, sometimes I don’t. While the kibbutz is remote and not near much, all my friends are there, and it’s a fun, cozy place. However, the fear that terrorists might take over again is genuinely terrifying."