Iranian Cluster Bomb Strikes Chabad Daycare in Be’er Sheva
by Moshe New – chabad.org
One of 20 cluster bombs released by an Iranian missile struck Colel Chabad’s daycare center in Be’er Sheva, southern Israel, on Friday morning, sending deadly shrapnel through walls and windows of the Tchelet Mordechai Campus. Glass scattered across colorful play areas where dozens of children normally spend their days. Classroom walls were torn by metal fragments.
According to the IDF, the missile’s warhead opened while descending, scattering 20 smaller bombs throughout the city. The bomb that struck the daycare was designed to cause maximum harm to civilian populations, but in what can only be described as Divine Providence, the building stood empty at the time of impact.
“Thank G‑d, no one was hurt,” says Colel Chabad’s Zevi Shubov. The daycare has been closed since the Iranian missile attacks began on June 13, protecting every child and staff member who would normally have been present.
The damaged facility is part of the Ohr Chaya and Larisa Blavatnik chain of daycares, one of 18 early childhood centers operated by Colel Chabad across Israel. These centers serve underprivileged families who depend on its reliable, affordable childcare.
For Colel Chabad, responding to crises is nothing new. Founded in 1788 by the Alter Rebbe, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, the first Rebbe of Chabad, the organization has weathered 237 years of challenges while maintaining its commitment to supporting the Holy Land’s most vulnerable populations.
Colel Chabad has been an integral part of the rapid response needed to help people whose homes have been bombed this week.
“Colel Chabad is constantly in contact with elected officials and security personnel, so anytime something like this happens we get a call and we already have the infrastructure to quickly deal with it,” Shubov explains. “We’re ready to go right away. We have trucks going to these cities already.”
That infrastructure has proven invaluable during the current conflict. While the organization’s soup kitchens have temporarily closed due to security concerns, Colel Chabad has rapidly expanded its meal delivery services, particularly for elderly residents afraid to venture far from bomb shelters.
‘People Left Without Basic Necessities’
Since the missile attacks intensified in the past week, Colel Chabad—in cooperation with the Israeli government—has identified some 3,000 displaced families in Ramat Gan, Bat Yam, Tel Aviv, and Rishon Letzion.
Rather than simply providing emergency meals, Colel Chabad has distributed special relief cards worth 4,000 shekels each ($1,100 USD). These cards function like regular debit cards, allowing families to purchase not just food, but clothing and other basic necessities with dignity.
“A lot of people are left without basic necessities,” Shubov says. “It’s like a regular card and you can go shopping.”
According to Leah Blau, who directs the damaged center in Be’er Sheva, the daycare has always been a place of warmth, safety, and continuity for children and parents alike. “To see it torn apart by an act of war is devastating,” she said. “We thank G‑d that no one was injured, but our work must continue—rebuilding not just walls, but a sense of security for our children.”
As emergency crews assess the damage to the Be’er Sheva facility, Colel Chabad leadership is working to secure alternate space to ensure uninterrupted care once security conditions permit reopening.
“In our 230-year history, we have faced many challenges. Through our faith in G‑d, we find the strength to continue. This daycare will be repaired and reopened as soon as it is safe to do so,” said Rabbi Sholom Duchman, director of Colel Chabad. “This building will once again be filled with laughter, learning, and the strength it provides to families in Be’er Sheva. It is our sacred duty—and we will not falter.”
To support Colel Chabad in helping Israelis affected by the war, donate here.
