In May 2013, I was privileged to participate in an extraordinary mission to Israel, representing StandWithUs Canada in the Dragon Boat Israel Festival on the Sea of Galilee, along with One Family Fund.

The festival itself was an exciting experience, meeting teams from all over the world, training and racing along with victims of terror and their families, in a new and fun sport, and, surprisingly, barely missing a bronze medal.

But the most powerful part of the trip was an afternoon spent visiting victims of terror.

We travelled to Schneider Children’s Medical Center in Petah Tikvah to visit Adele Biton, a three-year-old injured in a rock attack on a highway near Ariel in Shomron.

The attack had occurred in March and Adele had been in a coma and in the ICU until shortly before our visit.

Adele’s mother, Adva, a young Observant woman, had been driving with Adele and her two older sisters when suddenly the car was assailed by rocks thrown by young Palestinian Arabs.

The car swerved and went under a truck. The two older girls sustained relatively light injuries, but little Adele was struck in the head and went into a coma.

Upon entering the hospital and its spacious, modern atrium, we observed diverse families of Jewish, Ethiopian, Druze and Arab origin, and immediately thought of the similarity to the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.

We went into the gift shop and chose a cute doll as a gift.

Entering the room, we were graciously welcomed by lovely Adva and sweet little Adele, whose luminous eyes were wide open.

As Adva spoke to us, she was constantly working with Adele, moving her arms and legs, changing her diaper, playing music for her, speaking to her.

Though still in a coma-like state, Adele appeared to hear us and seemed like she was trying to speak.

Adva told us about her family and her PhD studies, and we marvelled at her dignity and perseverance, her stoicism and perfect faith in God, in whom she relied.

Although it is a mitzvah to visit the sick, it was definitely this brave woman and her remarkable child who served to comfort us and put us at ease in a tragic situation, difficult to understand.

Who instructs young people to throw rocks at cars on a highway?

In what society is this the norm?

What kind of enemy targets families – women, children, babies?

We were the first group allowed to visit them, since Adele had recently moved from the ICU, and Adva encouraged us to stay until we had to tear ourselves away or miss our ride.

I turned to her and asked, “What message shall we carry back from you to our community in Toronto?”

These are her words: “Tell them that the people that threw the rocks hate us and were trying to kill us because we are Jews. Tell them that our government is not punishing these rock-throwers sufficiently. They are getting light sentences and being released too quickly.”

And she thanked us profusely for visiting.

On our way out, we saw many Israelis, strangers yet part of the family of the Jewish People, coming to bring gifts and to show their solidarity and concern for this tiny victim of terror.

And throughout the hospital, we observed the diversity, the tolerance, freedom and equality of staff, doctors and patients in this remarkable hospital in this remarkable country where all children are cared for with compassion and the very best of care.

Last week, in Yakir in Shomron, hundreds of Israelis attended the funeral of four-year-old Adele Biton, who died at home of complications of pneumonia.

Her grace and valour, and that of her brave family, will never be forgotten.

Randi Skurka serves as Israel action chair of Beth Sholom Synagogue in Toronto and as lay leader of StandWithUs Canada.