It’s no secret that one of the most divisive occurrences in the world in 2025 is the conflict between Israel and Hamas, which has caused immense pain and suffering the world over, whether it’s physically or in spirit.
Perhaps the only thing more consistent than the division is the heart-wrenching stories about life, loss, fear, and hope that emerge from the troubled region.
One such tale has local roots in southern Manitoba — a story that begins with a woman named Nelli Gerzen whose heart lies with Israel. This love resulted in Gerzen trading the peace and quiet of Altona for the sirens of war and even a rocket that hit too close for comfort.
A special destination related to faith
For Gerzen, it began with one trip over a decade ago.
“I started having a love for Israel back in 2014,” she says. “I participated in a tour from an organization.”
Since her first tour, Gerzen has been back several times. The travel part is no surprise. Gerzen was born in Russia, grew up in Germany, and then moved to Canada, so she is no stranger to traversing the world. For her, however, Israel holds special significance connected to her faith.
“I find it very interesting to be there to see where ... the Bible [says] Jesus was, and of course, it doesn't look the same, but it's still special to be there,” she says.
That fateful day
Anyone familiar with the events that have been unfolding in the Israel-Hamas conflict will likely know what happened in the early fall of 2023. After a long period of bubbling unrest years in the making, a Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7 incited the ongoing war that still wears on today.
Although it’s an event just shy of 10,000 kilometres away, for Gerzen, as it was for many people in the war zone, it was a life-changing day that spurred action.
“I don't think words can properly describe what happened [on October 7],” she says.
“To say it broke my heart — that’s just an understatement. I just really felt like I had to go and do something. I know I can't fix the problem, I can’t undo it, I can’t solve anything, but you know the feeling when your friend is experiencing something horrible, and you just want to be there even though you can't do a lot? That's kind of what I felt.”
Soon, Gerzen was heading off to do what she could, even amidst the danger and risks she would inevitably face.
"Many people ask me, 'Are you crazy?'"
Just over a month after October 7, Gerzen found herself living an entirely different life from that of the Pembina Valley.
She says the first thing she was involved with was cooking for displaced families from the north and south in the Tel Aviv area.
Before long, however, she was getting closer to the danger — and she wasn’t worried about it.
“One day, I went down to the Gaza border with a friend to deliver food for the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] soldiers, and it was the closest I've ever gotten to a war zone,” she says. “Many people ask me, ‘Are you crazy?’ and, ‘Aren’t you scared?’ I wasn't scared. I was at peace about it — not because I think I'm brave or trying to play a hero, but because I know it's the right thing to do.”
Here is another place where Gerzen’s faith steps in.
“I wanted to do what I could, and I know God is in control, and my life is in his hands,” she says. “Nothing's going to happen to me that he has not in his plans.”
‘We're at war. Why are you coming now?’
Despite the intensity of Gerzen’s first trip to Israel, the significance she felt in her actions made the experience worthwhile to her.
“This guy lost so much in his life, and he was standing there telling the story and smiling just trying to live life again.”
-Nelli Gerzen on a man she met in Jerusalem who lost 5 to 7 of his friends to a hostage situation.
“It was very special. I think I can even say it was one of the best times of my life because it was very special to me to be there while the wound was still so fresh and still bleeding and just trying to show some love and support to the people, which meant a lot to them,” she says.
“I didn't expect to see how much it meant to them. I had so many conversations on the street, in the stores, with people who didn't really understand why I came. They [said,] ‘We’re at war. Why are you coming now?’”
Gerzen says that after the initial perplexity from the locals wore off, gratitude soon replaced it.
“They really appreciated [me being there]. Some strangers hugged me and had tears in their eyes,” she says.
Gerzen’s experiences with the Jewish community are one of the main driving forces behind her motivation to help it. As her time in the region increases and she speaks with more people, her connection only grows.
One of the most memorable encounters she had was at a Jerusalem market. She met a man who said that he lost five to seven of his friends to a hostage situation on October 7. Gerzen says he didn’t know how many were still alive, but he did know that his best friend had been killed just before the IDF soldiers reached the situation.
“This guy lost so much in his life, and he was standing there telling the story and smiling, just trying to live life again,” she says. “The people there are just so heartbroken.”
According to Gerzen, the heavy conversations and embraces tend to give way to more lines of questioning. She says she was often asked if she was Jewish and if she had family nearby.
When she answered no to both questions, she says the conversation always “spiralled” to her faith, which she took an opportunity to share.
A second, more intense trip
Even after Gerzen returned home following her first trip, her passion for supporting Israel did not wane. Just over a year later, she was back.
The second trip was even more harrowing than the first.
Witnessing a unique operation take shape led her to a danger she hadn't seen before.
It began with the organization for which she was a volunteer.
“There was a guy who wanted to open up a restaurant before the war started, and then October 7th happened, so he decided to cook for the IDF instead,” she says. “He’s getting support from different organizations and people.”
Gerzen says that the man now has a rotating group of volunteers. The countries represented currently include England, Finland, the U.S.A., Germany, Switzerland, and Canada.
A rocket 'a few metres' away
Although the region is calmer now, Gerzen had to adjust to a frightening atmosphere and routine while volunteering at the restaurant at the time.
“We had rocket sirens almost every day, multiple times a day, and we didn't have a proper bomb shelter,” she says.
During this time, the unthinkable happened.
Gerzen’s kitchen was hit.
"We had small pieces of the rocket stuck in the wall of the kitchen"
-Nelli Gerzen on the attack that damaged the kitchen she was working in to help Israeli people.
“[It] hit a few metres from our kitchen and destroyed our roof. We had small pieces of the rocket stuck in the wall of the kitchen,” she says.
“It was Friday afternoon, so nobody was there, thank God.”
While, thankfully, no one was hurt, the incident set the group back because it had to complete repairs before resuming its work. Gerzen says they couldn't provide food to the soldiers for one long, gruelling week.
In the end, though, the effort was worth it. Gerzen says the soldiers were grateful to receive “warm and fresh meals every day.” She says the volunteer group made approximately 300-500 meals during the week, and on Shabbat (the Sabbath) closer to 1200.
“They really appreciated it, and most of them know that most of the volunteers are believers in Yeshua and show love to Israel. I think it was really encouraging [to them],” she says. “[It was a] blessing to them to see that.”
The third trip
Even after all the events of her first two trips, Gerzen was not dissuaded from returning for a third time.
This trip to the north, thankfully, was calmer.
“It is a different situation right now,” she says. “It’s quieter, and there weren’t any sirens or rockets. We're also cooking a bit less because I guess the presence of the soldiers is decreasing up there a little bit. They're still there, but not as many.”
As Gerzen reflects on her trips, the people she met in exceedingly stressful situations who showed gratitude for her presence stand out. When she talks about it, she says she “[doesn’t] know where to start.”
“I just want to say that [the Jewish community] appreciates [support] so much. You don't even have to go there, just show any kind of support and love for the Jewish people wherever you are," she says.