13 hours ago
Chicago family stranded in Israel as airports are sealed amid warfare with Iran
The U.S. State Department has raised its travel advisory for Israel to the highest level for Israel and announced the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem will be closed Tuesday — with the country's airports and seaports sealed.
This came on the fourth day of open warfare between Israel and Iran, which shows no signs of slowing down.
A Chicago family among those stranded in Israel. CBS News Chicago reached Rachel Albert in southern Israel — where she is thankfully in a same place, but exhausted late at night after searching for a way home.
The Albert family came to Israel to mark a life milestone. But their travel photo album is now filling with the sights and sounds of conflict.
"We came here to celebrate my son's bar mitzvah, and we are desperately trying to get back to the United States," said Rachel Albert.
The trip started off as expected.
"Everything was magical and wonderful," Albert said, "until it turned into a nightmare."
Albert was traveling with her husband, two teens, and her 80-year-old mother.
"I've got a 13-year-old and a 15-year-old here," said Albert, "and listen — they're seeing missiles. We are in the safe room multiple times a day. This is really tough for them. They're not used to this.
The Albert family watched flights vanish off departure boards. Their return tickets home have been canceled so often — at least six times — that Rachel Albert said she has lost count. They have no plan now for their return home.
"There's just complete uncertainty as to how and when we get home," said Albert. "The U.S. Embassy has, you know, made it very clear that they're not in a position to help evacuate U.S. citizens right now. The airspace is completely closed. Commercial flights are not going out every day — it seems like for longer — and we're scared."
The State Department updated its travel advisory to Level 4 this week — "Do Not Travel" — telling U.S. government employees to shelter in place. The U.S. embassy will remain closed, as will the airports and seaports — with limited flights from neighboring Jordan and Egypt.
Rachel Albert is hoping someone will come up with a plan to get them home.
"On getting help from elected officials, I'm not sure that there is any sort of organized plan right now," Albert said. "I'm sure people are working on it. We don't feel it here."
Albert said the situation affects more people in Chicago too. Her husband is a physician with a solo practice, and they are worried about the patients who are relying on them to get home.
Albert also said this possibility never crossed her mind. She was so confident that things would go well that she didn't even buy travel insurance.
