Rocket Fire Rants
What can you do in 90 seconds? When I’m not using that time to run to a bomb shelter, I will be writing my thoughts below.
P.S. There’s no place I’d rather be.
Coping. Even with all of the terror attacks, we must remember that life goes on. Jerusalem Mayor, Nir Barkat, said specifically Jerusalem residents, and Israelis in general, must remain vigilant during this tense time “and no less important, continue with their daily lives.”
Terrorism (ter·ror·ism ˈterəˌrizəm/ noun): the use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims.
Disrupting Israeli life “is exactly what the terrorists are trying to do to us. We mustn’t give them that reward.”
May Their Memories Be a Blessing.
Today, and everyday, we salute our heroes. 64 brave young IDF soldiers sacrificed their lives fighting for Israel’s security during Operation Protective Edge. Some were fathers, some were husbands, others were engaged to be married. Some were even lone soldiers who left everything (family, friends, language, etc.) to move to Israel and join the IDF.
They were all sons.
All 64 are heroes of the State of Israel. Thank you for protecting us. You died so that we could live freely.
Tzom Kal. Wishing everyone an easy and meaningful Tisha B’Av, if you are fasting. The 9th of Av is recognized as a day of communal mourning, and is arguably the saddest day in the Jewish calendar year…a time for us to reflect on and grieve over all that has been lost in the past, as well as the losses of today (literally speaking, a man was killed in a terrorist attack in Jerusalem earlier today). Suffice it to say, this summer in Israel has been anything but easy—-the kidnapping and subsequent murdering of the three innocent boys, over 3,253 rockets launched by Hamas into Israel (since July 8), countless forays into bomb shelters & sleepless nights, 28 days of Operation Protective Edge, uncovering the labyrinth of tunnels between Gaza and Israel (the fear of a terrorist popping up in your backyard is hard to come to terms with), 67 painful funerals (military and civilian), hundreds of wounded soldiers, and two terrorist attacks in Jerusalem just today. During these difficult times when our enemies are committed to our destruction, let us unite and commit to taking greater care of one another.
Today’s Terrorism #2. On two separate occasions, my madricha, program director, texted our group Whatsapp: “Private message me your exact location.” While we receive these routine messages multiple times daily (following red alerts, so she knows we are safe), there were no sirens to be heard in Jerusalem. For the second time today, terror struck in Jerusalem, Israel’s capital. Earlier today, as I previously mentioned, a Jewish civilian was killed as a Palestinian tractor driver ran him over en route to smashing into a public bus (and consequently, flipping it over). Soon thereafter, there was a shooting at Mt. Scopus. A gunman on a motorcycle got off his bike, walked over to a soldier waiting for the bus, and opened fire (at point blank range). He then got back on his motorcycle and fled the scene. The soldier is in critical condition.
“The Terrorist Should Go To Hell,” said the visibly upset bus driver Abed Alhi in an interview regarding the Jerusalem tractor terrorist attack earlier today.
“I’m very distraught. He suddenly hit me and I understood that it was a terror attack,” 31-year-old Abed Alhi, the bus driver, says. “I’m very dazed at the moment,” he added. “I didn’t know what happened at first. I simply could have died. It was very frightening and the terrorist should go to hell.” Onlookers speculated that the driver may have attempted to run over the passersby and those waiting for the bus!
The terrorist, Muhammed Naif El-Ja’abis from East Jerusalem, was shot and killed after the attack by two policemen and a Prison Service officer.
Picture This. You are an Arab busdriver in Jerusalem. You see a tractor in your rearview mirror but dismiss it as a worker driving to his excavation site…until he repeatedly hits you. You are a passenger, listening to your iPod. All of a sudden you look up and see the claws of a tractor coming through the window. You are a child on the side walk waiting for the bus. You know tractors are used in construction and ask your mommy why it is attempting to turn the bus on its side.
Sadly, this attack is a return to a familiar, and deadly, terror method. Four people have been killed and over 100 injured as a result of terror attacks carried out using heavy machinery in Jerusalem since 2008. Today’s attack was deliberate. And unsettling.
Tractor Terrorism. I was out for lunch with my grandparents when numerous police cars started driving up the street out of nowhere; we knew something was not right. Sure enough, a tractor driven by a Palestinian tried to claw into a Jerusalem bus at the end of Shmuel Hanavi Street (near the Olive Tree Hotel).
A male pedestrian 30 y.o. was run over by the tractor and killed. The terrorist proceeded to turn the bus over onto its side. Six other civilians, including the bus driver, were injured in this incident.
Watch the video of this creative tractor terrorist attack here.
BDE. Baruch Dayan Ha’emet, Hadar. While I did not know him personally, I share countless mutual friends with him. He was a good friend of my cousin. A neighbor of another friend. The list goes on. He was known as an amazing soldier, brother, fiance, and confidant. It is surreal for me to see personal status updates on Facebook lamenting the loss of Hadar Goldin. I know that everything happens for a reason, but the fact that my friends cried today at his funeral instead of at his wedding is simply unfair.
Shabbat Update. Over the course of Shabbat, 84 rockets and mortars were fired into Israel, with six shot down by the Iron Dome system. In the middle of the night, 2 red alerts went off in TLV…so much for that cease fire!
Speechless. It is very rare that I am at a loss for words. UGH I AM SO FRUSTRATED!!!!!!!! To learn that Hamas kidnapped Hadar ben Chedva Leah, cease fire or not, is truly unfathomable. 72 hour cease fire? Try less than two hours.
What will it take for the world to understand that Hamas is an irrational terrorist group that needs to be stopped? When will everyone (especially uninformed Americans) wakeup and start showing unwavering support for the only democracy in the Middle East? How many IDF soldiers have to die fighting terrorists who do not value their civilians’ lives, let alone their own?!
Hadar Goldin is from Kfar Saba and just got engaged three weeks ago. I am confident that the IDF will do everything in its power to bring him back alive and in a timely manner. Please pray for his safe return~so he can make his wedding date IYH!
Ludicrosity. The title of the article says it all: “U.N. condemns Israel, U.S. for not sharing Iron Dome with Hamas.” I’m truly starting to doubt the sanity of humanity.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/aug/1/un-condemns-israel-us-not-sharing-iron-dome-hamas/
Shabbat Shalom. Praying for a peaceful Shabbat and for the safety of our heroes.
(Haven’t) Cease(d to) Fire. In spite of the cease fire agreement, Hamas continues to fire Rockets at Israel nonstop.
…And worse, there is reason to believe that Hamas took advantage of this cease fire window to kidnap an Israeli soldier. Praying that this remains a suspicion.
Bike4Chai. I want to dedicate this rant to my Dad and all of the other amazing volunteers who are riding 180 miles to send 420 sick kids to one of the most magical places in the world: Camp Simcha. I can personally vouch for the truly amazing work that Camp Simcha does for these kids. It is an extraordinary overnight camp that gives children with cancer (both Israeli and American) a vacation from sickness that restores their spirits and renews their determination to fight! They countdown to the next summer session the day after the previous one ends. Click here to help make the magic happen!!
Right now it is especially important to support the chayalim in Israel. But, it is just as important to continue supporting other worthwhile causes as well. They are not mutually exclusive. Even though I am happy to be in Israel, I am saddened by the fact that I am not at Camp again this year.
So proud of you, Daddy! Have a meaningful ride!
Lone But Not Alone. I’ve visited Har Herzl many times in my life, but last week was the first time I attended a lone soldier’s funeral there. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house. Over 30,000 people, most of whom never heard of Max until his death, stood in solidarity. He may have been a lone soldier, but he definitely was not alone.
Max’s story is truly inspirational: He fell in love with Israel on a Birthright trip, left his family, friends, and comfort of his own LA home to enlist as a lone soldier in a place he never lived before…but ended up dying for. It was his parents’ first visit to Israel. Max faced many challenges, but always had a smile on his face and was perseverant. He learned Hebrew, fought in an Elite Golani unit, and was a chayal mitztayen (was recognized as a distinguished soldier).
He was a superstar. He was a hero. He will be missed, along with all other other fallen soldiers.
British PM. “Hamas continue the rocket attacks that are not aimed at military targets or political targets. They are aimed, indiscriminately, into Israel in order to do the maximum damage they possibly can,” said Cameron.
Divorce. My parents are happily married but are filing for a divorce from the New York Times. Why? My mom posted the following status on Facebook: After 25 years, we too cancelled our NYTimes subscription last week. While I will definitely miss my favorite arts and leisure and travel sections, we could not justify supporting a news source that exhibited such a clear bias and hatred toward Israel. I urge you all to do the same. I look forward to the day that they see the light and start reporting accurately and truthfully. Until then, The Post will have to do….
I highly encourage you all to do the same.
Family. My friend Howie and I organized two days of volunteering in which we visited wounded soldiers in Shaare Zedek and Hadassah hospitals. We knew there was no shortage of visitors nor food deliveries, but we still felt it was important to thank our heroes face to face. There were lines of dozens of strangers waiting in line to shake soldiers’ hands, give words of encouragement, bring home-baked goods, etc. As Americans, we wanted to show our support and thank them for protecting us and everyone living in Israel, and for protecting the Jewish people all over the world. We saw Jews of all shapes and sizes coming together. There were 7 year olds giving out Bamba, sheirut leumi girls bringing cakes, fellow soldiers visiting their friends and Rabbis bringing tefillin and saying tehillim. Some families made it their morning activity. I even saw a pop star pay one of his diehard fans a personal visit. The outpouring of love was inspirational. Hospital rooms were literally overflowing with letters, gifts, food, appreciation, and people.
To outsiders, it could be perceived as an influx of strangers visiting strangers. Except we all knew that we were visiting family.
TBT. A few weeks ago, Michael Oren came to speak to us at the IDC about the current state of Israel and it was very inspiring.
@Chantalow: Israel is under attack, rockets are being launched, red alerts are blaring….but first lemme take a selfie #starstruck #hero #core18 #amyisraelchai #michaeloren
Positive Psychology. For the past 6 weeks, I have been taking a Positive Psychology class at the IDC under the auspices of the one and only, Dr. Tal Ben Shachar. There are many valuable lessons worth sharing, but one that I’ve truly internalized is the importance of gratitude. Growing up, my parents always taught us the importance of “thank you” notes, a lost art in Generation Y.
I was hesitant to participate in certain exercises for fear of getting in touch with my more sensitive side, but last week I decided to commit 100% to this gratitude exercise in which we had to sit in silence and write a letter of thanks to someone who we do not often thank enough. You see, we spend so much time focusing on negativity that we forget to be thankful for the positive forces in our lives. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Israeli soldiers for their courage, bravery, and selflessness. I would like to thank this amazing country for showing me what it means to unite in times of stress, to express unconditional love, and to stand strong in our convictions. Hamas is undoubtedly a negative force, but their actions are causing a domino effect of positive ones that cannot go unnoticed.
I implore you to set your political views aside and unite against terrorism, and encourage you to take a pro-Israel stance. Be active. Be vocal.
Insomnia. It is 4 AM and I cannot fall asleep. I am obsessed with reading about the news and am consumed by it. I have never been more scared, angry, depressed, passionate, and proud all at once...in my entire life. I wake up in the middle of the night afraid that a siren will go off and I won’t hear it, because sirens are the last thing I think about before I go to sleep. It is getting difficult to discern between the sounds of an ambulance and the siren. I also have nightmares about terrorists popping up out of the ground and kidnapping villages. I am scared for my two cousins who are fighting in the front lines. My aunt hasn’t slept in weeks.
I know this sounds crazy but this is what I am thinking about. And I’m not even on the front lines fighting.
Huckabee. What a rant! “Hamas’ rockets are threatening about 80% of Israelis. If 225 million Americans, which is 80% of our population, were to have rockets exploding over our heads, do you think we would appreciate someone telling us to restrain ourselves? Hamas is a terrorist organizaiton, it is not a legitimate government.
It is a tragedy that hundreds of Gazans are being killed but it is an even bigger tragedy that Hamas is using innocent civillians to protect its weapons!
Israel lives on one sixth of 1% of the amount of land possessed by Arabs and Muslims. There are 300 million Middle Eastern Muslims and Arabs, and only 5.5 million israeli Jews. The argument that this is about land is ludicrous—the closer you let the mad dog to your face, the less likely he will be to bite.
Hamas is just a puppet for Iran. The barrage of rockets being fired at Israel is just a pregame for its real target: the US.”
Why The Double Standard?!? SYRIA IS BEHEADING ITS PEOPLE AND WE AREN’T SAYING ANYTHING! WHAT ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS?
The rioting all over the world against Israel and Jews is an abomination. Truly.
Bottom Line. Hamas (note: I’m not generalizing Arabs as terrorists) does not discriminate against left versus right: they are determined to destroy the Jewish people. Period. We are fighting for our survival and for our right to exist. I too lament the loss of Arab civilian life and feel compassionate towards their plight. No doubt they are suffering too.
But, I wholeheartedly believe in our cause. I also know that without the Iron Dome protecting us, the Israeli “death toll” would be an atrocity. The Iron Dome truly is a double edged sword. We developed a system to outsmart the rockets, but are getting flack from the international community for this very defense system. Not to sound too harsh but it would be easier to make the case for Israel if more of us were dying.
Under Attack. Not only do we have to defend ourselves from rockets flying in the sky and from mainstream media attacking us on the ground. Now, we have a new threat: the underground labyrinth of terrorist tunnels between Gaza and Israel. As sad as it is, we are used to the world’s harsh criticism. We can even “get used to” (for back of a better word) running into bomb shelters. But living with the fear that terrorists can pop up anywhere, anytime (i.e. while your kids are playing in your backyard) is simply an impossibility.
Seriously, how would you react?
Unbroken Spirit. Sorry, I have more to say about this topic. Just like the reality of Jews living in the USSR was trapped within its sealed borders, so too is the reality of life here in Israel. Or so I believe. The truth is shielded from the rest of the world, just like Israel is shielded by the Iron Dome. How else could one explain all of the rioting all over the world? If only they knew the truth.
How’s that for a rant?
Refuseniks. I understood the point of learning about Refuseniks in a leadership program, but could not find releveancy in today’s day and age. Until Rabbi Yosef Mendelevitch said the following, re: his hijacking attempt-
“I was ready to pay for my love, even with my life.”
I got the chills. That was in 1970. He was fighting for his right to exist as a Jew. Now, in 2014, the Israelis are doing the same. They are fighting for what they love and are even willing to risk their lives doing so. I guess Refuseniks and Israelis have more in common than meets the eye: an Unbroken Spirit.
Boom. On July 14, I was in a taxi on my way home from work. I had a weird feeling, so I asked the driver what to do if a siren were to go off. He giggled and told me not to worry because no rockets were fired at Petach Tikva that day. Sure enough, as we were driving on the highway, a siren went off. We quickly pulled over to the side of the road, along with hundreds of other cars. Since we were on the highway, there was no bomb shelter to be found. Even though he was Orthodox, he pushed me down on the ground and instructed me to protect my head with my hands. I snuck a peek. I saw the Iron Dome intercept the rocket right above my head. That’s a BOOM I will never forget. I was shaken up for the rest of the day. I was also awestruck.
Arithmetic. Math may not be my forte, but thankfully I do not even have to whip out my calculator for this one. 1 Hamas terror tunnel = enough building materials for 19 medical clinics. So far, 32 tunnels found.
Selective Outrage. Did you know that there have been over 2,000 Syrian deaths over the past two weeks (1,600 deaths in 10 days), marking one of the worst death tolls in the country’s three-year civil war? I guess that news is not fit to print, eh? The New York Times is keeping a very meticulous Gaza vs. Israel death toll. I am confused as to why the Syrian Crisis does not warrant a front-page headline. If this is not considered “selective outrage” (i.e. placing the spotlight on Gaza-Israel), then I do not know what is. Why did the world forget about Syria when Gaza came into the picture?
Reality Check. As Hillel Neuer, the Executive Director of UN Watch so eloquently put it, “If in the past year you didn’t CRY OUT when thousands of protesters were killed and injured by Turkey, Egypt and Libya, when more victims than ever were hanged by Iran, women and children in Afghanistan were bombed, whole communities were massacred in South Sudan, 1800 Palestinians were starved and murdered by Assad in Syria, hundreds in Pakistan were killed by jihadist terror attacks, 10,000 Iraqis were killed by terrorists, villagers were slaughtered in Nigeria, but you ONLY cry out for GAZA, then you are not pro HUMAN RIGHTS, you are only ANTI-ISRAEL.”
Day 22. 10 IDF soldiers have been killed in the past 24 hours. 53 IDF soldiers have been killed since Operation Protective Edge Began on July 8th. We consider every Palestinian civilian death a tragedy whereas Hamas celebrates every Israeli death as an accomplishment.
The IDF stands for the Israeli Defense Forces. We have a right to defend ourselves from terrorists who are committed to our destruction.
Please pray for the safe return of our soldiers.
Tweet.“In Hamas’ world, hospitals are command centers, ambulances are transport vehicles, and medics are human shields,” @ IDF Spokesperson. Couldn’t have said it better myself.
Slap on the Wrist. MK (Member of Knesset) and Arab Lawmaker Haneen Zoabi is suspended from Knesset plenum for excusing West Bank kidnapping of three boys. FYI a six-month suspension is the maximum penalty that can imposed on an MK and this is the first time that it is being put into effect.
During a radio interview on June 18, Zoabi said the kidnappers (and murderers) “are not terrorists…Even if I don’t agree with them, they are people who don’t see any way to change their reality and are forced to use these means until Israel sobers up a bit.”
Six months? I’d call that a slap on the wrist.
Sleeping Arrangements. I was at my Aunt & Uncle’s house last week for dinner. That day, 225 rockets were fired at Israel. When it was time to go to sleep, I saw my three baby cousins climb into the guest room bed together. My aunt is usually pretty strict about everything, especially sleeping arrangements and adherence to bedtime. Not only were the kids not in their own rooms, but they were all sleeping together! I was pretty confused. My aunt and uncle explained that the past few days it was too hard to wake up the kids mid-slumber; they did not have enough time to get all three kids and bring them into the bomb shelter in the middle of the night. So, until the rocket fire stops, the kids are all sleeping together on the first floor, just a few steps away from the shelter. This way, when the siren sounds, they can scoop them up all at once.
Might I add, that in Sderot (right near Gaza), parents do not have the same luxury. They only have 15 seconds to wake up, scoop up their sleeping children, and run for their lives. So, in the South, many families sleep in bomb shelters.
Shabbat Shalom. On Friday I received an email asking to help raise money to feed soldiers in Gaza for Shabbat. My program was en route to Tzfat. I turned to my Facebook page and posted a status asking people to donate whatever they could. The response totally blew me away. In a matter of a few hours, we raised over $1600!! As I ate my Shabbat meal later that night, I smiled knowing that thanks to our efforts, 60+ heroes were able to do the same.
Thanks to all who helped me raise money through Challah For Our Soldiers and Yad Ezrah!! Here are some pictures from our chayalim (soldiers)!
2612. Nope, that is not my PIN. As of today (29.07.14), Hamas terrorists in Gaza have fired MORE than 2,612 rockets since the beginning of Operation Protective Edge. That means, I should have more than 2,612 posts by now. I do not know why I waited this long to start. Unfortunately, I am not worried about having numerous opportunities to write today. #rocketcount
Notifications. I woke up this morning to see over 8 “red alert” notifications on my phone. Families in the South had to go to bomb shelters in the middle of the night. They had less than 30-45 seconds to run for their lives. While I slept, they did not.
Human Dome. To quote the late Golda Meir, “Peace will come when the Arabs will love their children more than they hate us.”
@ IsraeliPM #Hamas sacrifices #Gaza for its extremism:
As @ IDFSpokesperson tweeted: We protect Israel’s civilians. Hamas puts Gaza’s civilians in the line of fire. The difference between us is clear. Our Iron Dome is protecting us, while Hamas’ Human Dome is protecting their weapons.
Since 08.07.2014, More than 200 rockets fired from Gaza have hit Gaza. Palestinian terrorists fire from civilian areas and hit their own people!!!!!!!
90 Seconds. Where I am, that is how long I have to run into the bomb shelter. 90 seconds could be the difference between missing the bus and getting to work on time, between preparing perfect and overcooked pasta. Today, for three Israelis, it was the difference between life and death. They were from Eshkol (a community near the Gaza border) & only had 30 seconds to find shelter once Hamas started firing rockets. There were several severe Israeli injuries as well.
Quoted. Benjamin (Bibi) Netanyahu was spot on when he said, “the truth is that if Israel were to put down its arms there would be no more Israel. If the Arabs were to put down their arms there would be no more war.” Think about it. I sure am.
Guilty Pleasure. When I first downloaded my Red Alert app, I was obsessed with it. However, there was a point where it was vibrating 225 times per day and I was becoming numb. They were losing their meaning.
I just came across this website: http://israelhasbeenrocketfreefor.com/?fb_action_ids=10152164175181010&fb_action_types=og.likes
PS SP (Safety Protocol). Public transport: “In the case of a siren alarm when traveling by bus, the driver should stop and open the doors of the bus, the passengers should duck down below the level of the windows and protect their heads…In the case of a siren alarm when traveling by train, the train driver should slow down to 30 km/hour for 10 minutes, passengers should be below the level of the windows.
Instructions. Courtesy of the Home Front Command (Pikud Haoref), safety protocol is available online. I never thought I would find myself driving on the highway when a siren would go off. I nevertheless read the following instructions under the Driving sub-header:
“Stop on the side of the road, get out and enter the nearest building or shelter. If you can not get to a building or shelter during this available time, get out of your car, lie down and protect your head with your hands. If you can not follow the two previous guidelines, stop and wait in the car for 10 minutes.”
Fireworks. Last week, 0n my 21st birthday, Hamas woke me up with personal fireworks (thank you!). Israel’s 6 day work week coupled with my participation in an intensive program meant that this would be my first day off in over a month. I was planning to go to the TLV beach, but that morning, sirens blared thrice in that area. Still determined to have a beach day, my friends and I settled on Herzliya. We hoped we would not have to seek cover, as we were unaware of the beach having any bomb shelters nearby. We went anyway, not letting Hamas rain [rockets] on our (my) parade.
Perspective. Last week, I called my younger brother who was volunteering at Beit Elezraki, an Israeli orphanage in Netanya. I heard him smile through the phone and say, “Chantal, the kids and I are having the best time. Even with all the rocket fire.” I must admit, I was a bit confused by his optimistic and positive attitude. I mentioned how depressed I was about all of the soldiers dying and how I cannot stop crying. He understood, but mentioned that the soldiers are risking their lives to protect us so that we can have fun and enjoy our lives. Thanks to them we are having an amazing summer. This is what our soldiers are fighting and, sadly, dying for. Before hanging up the phone, he said how he plans to serve in the IDF one day and do the same for other kids, so that they too will be able to enjoy their summer. In less than 90 seconds, he totally changed my perspective.
Credits. As Charles Caleb Colton once said, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” On that note, I would like to thank Ezra Mosseri for inspiring me to put pen to paper (more like fingers to touch screen) and for introducing me to this Medium (read: 90 Seconds).
Why 90? I plan to post in 90 seconds or less every time a rocket is fired at Israel by Hamas, which is the amount of time we have to run and take cover in the Center (TLV/Raanana).
