ATLANTA — A metro Atlanta high schooler is finally home after she and more than 100 American students escaped the war zone in Israel.
Channel 2′s Michael Seiden spoke exclusively with her and her family on Monday.
Lyla Caplan, 17, recorded the terrifying moments as she, along with more than 100 American high school students ran for safety as Hamas launched its terrorist attack on Israel.
“We were on a field trip in Jerusalem and we woke up to sirens,” Caplan said.
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The Starrs Mill High School junior was participating in a study abroad program with other Jewish students from around the United States when they found themselves trapped in a war zone.
“People banging on our doors telling us to go to the bomb shelter and to just, like, run as fast as we could to get to safety,” Lyla said as she described being in the war zone.
Back home in Fayetteville, Lyla’s parents stayed in close contact with their youngest daughter but as the war intensified, and as major airlines began shutting down their operations they became concerned with how she would get out.
That was until they heard about Cheri Levitan, an Atlanta-based travel agent who happened to be in Israel on a business trip. Levitan was in the process of securing a plane to get the kids out.
“We had no idea that all this work was taking place behind the scenes to try and get the kids out of Israel,” Brad Caplan told Channel 2 Action News. “There was a lot of comfort in knowing that she was in good hands and the school was in constant contact with us”.
Levitan said she immediately jumped into action, reaching out to all of her contacts across the travel industry.
“I said ‘get me an Israeli plane and get me anywhere to Europe, but I gotta keep all the kids together,’” she explained.
Despite most of the major airlines shutting down their operations, Levitan was able to secure a plane for more than 100 American teenagers.
Before they took off, the teens were forced to take shelter.
“You hear booming above you,” she said. “you feel like a sitting duck. you’re sure that something is gonna fall on your plane.”
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Before the students headed to the airport, they came together to make care packages for more than 1,500 Israeli soldiers engaged in battle.
Lyla flew from Israel to Italy and then to Boston where cameras captured an emotional reunion.
Lyla will head back to Starrs Mill High School Tuesday morning with a heavy heart, but memories that will last a lifetime.
She also told Channel 2 Action News that she plans to go back to Israel.
Her family and so many others are so grateful for Levitan who helped get them out of Israel.
“Honestly, I feel very uncomfortable,” Levitan said when I asked how she felt about the praise she’s been receiving.
“This is when you understand the meaning of what being Jewish is all about, " she added. “we take care of each other. we don’t leave each other behind. we do what’s necessary.”
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