Philadelphia area family worried about son fighting for Israeli military
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Israeli military is expanding its ground invasion of the Gaza Strip. The prime minister of Israel described it as the second stage of its war against Hamas.
There's no sign a ceasefire will happen any time soon.
Debbi Lurie, alongside her husband Brian, said they're worried because their 27-year-old son Avi is fighting against Hamas as a commander of Israeli paratroopers.
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"I have my days where I'm OK and I have my days where I'm crying every five minutes," Lurie said.
Avi Lurie was born in Philadelphia and grew up in Bryn Mawr. On the day of his bar mitzvah, he announced his plans to join the Israeli military.
"When Brian asked him why, he said, 'Because Israel needs protecting and I want to protect her.' And that was a 13-year-old," Debbie Lurie said.
Avi Lurie kept his promise and joined the Israeli defense forces after high school graduation.
Since then, there have been eruptions of deadly violence from Hamas, but nothing on the scale of the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks.
The Luries said they don't get to talk to their son much these days. They're praying he's safe.
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"I don't care if you just send me an emoji. Just send me something so I know you're OK. So the next day, he sent an emoji of a broccoli. A stalk of broccoli," Brian Lurie said.
It's that sense of humor that helps them get through the day, along with Avi Lurie's confidence.
"What he shared with me most recently was the idea that this is something necessary to do. I'm here to do it and it's the right thing to do and I want to get started already," Brian Lurie said.
As the war escalates, the Luries will keep waiting for the next text message so they know their son is all right.
