Special to WJW

For Connie Iloh, listening to victims of terrorism in Israel was a powerful experience.

"My heart is rocked," the University of Maryland senior said Sunday evening after hearing their stories at the College Park campus.

"I feel like I need to go out and tell my friends," said Iloh, president of the campus Black Student Union, one of several groups that co-sponsored the program, "Living in Terror, Voices of Hope," featuring Israelis who lived through aerial bombardments in Sderot.

"It's incredible to learn someone else's story. It's important to immerse yourself in different experiences, to appreciate people and their stories," she said.

That was the goal of Sunday's program, which featured an appearance by two terror survivors from Sderot. They were hosted by Tzedek, Maryland Hillel's social justice and advocacy group, in conjunction with various campus allies.

The student groups worked with Operation Embrace, a Potomac-based organization that provides aid, guidance and assistance to Israeli terror victims. Operation Embrace brought the Israelis to the area, where they also spoke and were honored Monday evening at the group's annual dinner in Rockville.

Geut Aragon, 36, is one of those survivors. Her Sderot home was hit by a Kassam rocket in January.

"That day will change me, my life, forever," she said Sunday evening at U.Md. "We are terrified now ... children, adults, we are always afraid."

Aragon was in her home with her son, Nir, and his friend, Liyor, when a rocket destroyed the house. She pulled Liyor from the rubble, saving the child's life. Aragon herself had surgery to remove three pieces of shrapnel; a fourth piece remains lodged deep in her brain.

"Sderot was a different place before. It was safe, normal, quiet," Aragon said. "Now Sderot is under attack almost every day."

Matan Cohen, 15, was hit by a Kassam two years ago after studying with friends. A piece of shrapnel came perilously close to his heart, and he spent nearly 10 months in the hospital. He still undergoes physiotherapy, hydrotherapy and psychotherapy.

Cohen and Aragon both stressed that despite the fear and violence, Sderot is their home and they have no intention of leaving.

Sunday's event clearly touched the students. "Lives where changed here on a Sunday night in College Park, Md.," said Michaela Cohoon, a first-year graduate student in ethnomusicology. "It's reality; that's one thing this group of people brought to us. One phenomenal thing is that they are looking toward the future, they still have hope. It's a strong, powerful message for our generation."

Anne Clemons, one of Operation Embrace's co-founders, was impressed to see a half-dozen young women at the event wearing traditional Muslim headscarves.

These women "told me how important it was to see the humanity and the way that everyone was affected by all the violence," Clemons said on Monday, noting that the more than 60 audience members listened in rapt attention as Aragon and Cohen spoke.

Iloh said her campus group decided to co-sponsor the presentation to spur students to learn about something they may not have been exposed to otherwise.

The evening's other co-sponsors were Community Roots, Israel Charity Organization, the NAACP, Tunnel of Oppression, Grinspoon and Kol Ish.

"Tonight is about learning about a fight for justice, not just here, but everywhere in the world," said junior Wanika Fisher, president of the College Park NAACP chapter. "I thought people felt really engaged for a Sunday night."

This is a major social justice issue, said Steve Jackson, a senior and president of Community Roots, a group that encourages people to learn about and act on issues.

"It takes a lot of kindness and appreciation of culture in creating openness and consideration in a struggle," Jackson said. "It's important to be open to a lot of sides."

Monday's Operation Embrace dinner also paid tribute to Marcelle Mervis as Volunteer of the Year.

"You are one of the finest ambassadors of Operation Embrace and of humanity," Aviva Tessler, Operation Embrace co-founder, told her.