The Shavuot holiday atmosphere at the Atlit train station was hard to miss. Amidst the passengers in white shirts and soldiers heading home for the weekend, an unusual sight stood out on the platforms: two spotted rabbits that the station manager, Eliyahu Sabag, was trying to find a warm home for.
With a smile, Sabag handed one of the rabbits to a curious passenger. "But only as a pair, so they won't be alone," he was quick to emphasize. "There are six litters here that I cared for and vaccinated, and this holiday is an excellent time to find them a family. It hurts me to separate them from their mother, so it’s important to me that they are adopted at least in pairs."
Sabag (61), who has managed the Atlit station for the past decade, admits that long-time residents already "know my nonsense." The rabbits, it turns out, rolled into his life completely by chance. "A passenger brought a pair of rabbits here, and the female happened to be pregnant," he explains. "I took them under my wing and set up a warm corner for them near the station."
He leads us to a protected back corner of the station compound. The father, mother, and the rest of the kits are busy vigorously munching on a pile of lettuce, while the two spotted rabbits remain in his hands, playing with his tie. "We need to separate the father a bit now, because he already wants another litter," he points to a plump white rabbit. "And we also have Desi the cat here. You'll see her in a moment."
To the obvious question, whether the cat poses a danger to the rabbits, Sabag responds with a laugh: "Of course she gets along with them. She plays with them and guards them from other cats. She’s already used to me bringing animals here from time to time."
A Street Cat and a Staff Breakroom
After a few calls, Desi, a friendly, patched cat, shows up for duty. Sabag picks her up with his free hand, carefully sets down the rabbits, and returns to his train duties with Desi trailing closely behind him. "Her mother arrived here hungry many years ago and gave birth at the station," he recalls, stroking her head. "At the time, I didn't like cats at all, but I decided to help. I vaccinated her, neutered her, and found homes for the kittens with Atlit residents. Desi was very attached to her mother, so I didn't want to separate them. After the mother died, she just stayed with me. We've been together for seven years now."
During the morning tour of the station, it becomes clear that the building itself is also on the verge of a dramatic change. Sabag shows off a well-maintained staff breakroom: "They wanted to demolish this space a few years ago. I insisted on renovating it so the staff would have a pleasant place to sit during breaks." The historic station, whose roots date back to the British Mandate era, is slated for conservation soon. "With the completion of the track electrification project, a new station will be built a hundred meters north of here, featuring modern facilities and more parking spaces."
From the Sea to the Tracks
Sabag's path to Israel Railways, he is a resident of Bat Galim, began 33 years ago completely by chance. "I was working as a beach lifeguard back then, and I was sure my future was there," he recalls while approving train movements on the computerized system under Desi's watchful eye. "One day, while I was up in the lifeguard tower, a friend who worked at the railway called me and said they were looking for employees. I hesitated. I told my partner in the tower that I loved the sea. He opened the door and told me: 'Come on, get out of here, the railway has a future. At worst, if it's no good—you can come back.'"
He never went back to the lifeguard booth. Sabag started as a conductor traveling all over the country, progressed to managing the Tel Aviv-HaShalom station ("those were the most beautiful years"), managed stations in the Haifa area, and settled at the Atlit station a decade ago. "The station is like your home, you take care of it," he concludes, turning to handle another train pulling into the platform.
And for those worried about the fate of the spotted rabbits—by the end of the day, a warm home was found for them too. The rest of the rabbits, Sabag promises, will be waiting at the Atlit station for whoever next opens their heart.
