SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — A grandmother is safe in San Diego after escaping Israel in the middle of the war.
Ruth Penouel splits her time between San Diego and Ashkelon, Israel, which is about five miles away from Gaza.
Penouel was in northern Israel during Hamas’ surprise attack over the weekend, but she drove to her condo in Ashkelon and sheltered there for safety.
Airstrikes hit dangerously close to her building, leaving shattered glass all over the property and burned cars outside.
Penouel kept safe in her bomb shelter, but on Wednesday, she drove herself to Tel Aviv to catch a flight out of the country. The flight was already scheduled, as she was heading to San Diego to attend her grandson’s bar mitzvah.
She drove herself to the airport alone and in the middle of the night, with her headlights off, to avoid being detected.
Her flight left Tel Aviv to Los Angeles, and from there she took a rideshare to Del Mar.
Thursday also happened to be Penouel’s 70th birthday.
Penouel plans to stay in San Diego indefinitely and her daughter is hoping she’ll make it her permanent home.
