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Planting flowers in my Sderot garden, my hand felt the earth that day.
And then my heart knew that to light up the soul, we have to keep fear at bay.
Two hundred and thirty eight hostages – and the number has been reduced by three over the last few weeks, just because their bodies have now been found in Gaza, murdered after they were taken. Their families are crying out to be heard, to bring their loved ones home, even as they continue to bury their dead.
This picture says it all. How can I miss 249 people I’ve never even met? But it’s true!
10 November, 2023
Day 28 – Yellow Ribbons
Friday morning we woke up to join a scheduled run for three of the hostages, who have family in Raanana.
We ran for Naama Levy, 19 years old, who was captured and taken hostage to Gaza. There’s video footage of her being bundled into a jeep, with scared eyes, clothes bloodstained.
From the website set up by her parents to bring her home, here’s Naama’s story:
There is no shelter here, reads the sign blowing in the wind taped to the glass door. I have walked from one end of the namal (port) to the other looking for a cafe, not a restaurant that serves fish or chicken. I want a salad and a hot coffee with oat milk. I have found one at the northern area of the port of Tel Aviv. Not fancy but with a table near an outlet and they serve coffee.
3 November, 2023
On Monday night we had a sliver of light in the darkness.
We rejoiced at the brave rescue of one of the hostages, Ori Megidish, 19 years old, from a Gaza tunnel, by the IDF. A young girl who was taken, is now back with her family, back home.
Together with the four hostages released last week by Hamas (a mom and daughter, both US citizens who were visiting family in Israel and a couple of days later, two elderly women, aged 80 and 85), that makes five hostages out; 242 (by latest count) to go.
For some, the act of just getting to a shelter is an anxiety-producing activity, especially for families with small kids that have to go down flights of stairs to the building bomb shelter, or run to the closest one in the neighborhood. My mother’s former caretaker who now cares for a 90+ invalid woman has to leave her in her bed or her wheelchair and retreat to the shelter downstairs alone, leaving R upstairs in her apartment.
8 October, 2023
It’s my daughter yelling “airplane!” in excitement as a fighter jet flies overhead.
It’s my little nephew coming home early from shul to put on his uniform and go before the dancing has even begun.
It’s the mothers at kiddush swapping rumors and news as their sons and husbands are called up, while the children line up for candy and dance hakafot[1] because it’s still Simchat Torah and what else are we supposed to do.
A morning with 2 pairs of names
Which ones will set the tone
The lives of two so tragically lost
Or the other two, finally home
2 angels departed
2 more just returned
25 October, 2023
The war in Israel – Day 18
The first few days there was shock in the air. We might have to go in the mamad 1 at any time.
I didn’t want to leave my apartment, and the easy access to my mamad. Thank God, our city has been quiet, and I gradually developed the inner strength to…leave my apartment building. Then, to be able to go to my daughter’s home nearby. Days later, I felt strong enough to go to the mall. And days later, even to a nearby town.
I am a Jew.
Always have been, always will be.
There was never a moment in my life that I can remember that I had to be taught that, or have it explained to me.
There was never a moment in which I had to wonder, am I an American first or a Jew first? I mean, I knew I was both, but Jew would definitely be the first answer to the question of who I am.
There was never a moment in which I questioned that.