A few real life scenarios from last night during the 30 minutes we were pummeled by ballistic missiles from Iran...
1. My home. Sitting and chatting with friends while slowly getting the girls ready for bed. Our phones start going off with alert sirens, but the actual red alert war sirens only started several minutes later. All 6 of us rushed to the safe room. After about 10 minutes, our friends decided they would attempt to go home. I went out of the room with them to unlock and relock the front door after them. Two steps out the door and right after I clicked the lock shut, they immediately started knocking to let them back in... Four missiles could be seen from our front yard. We stayed in the safe room for another 10 minutes before they decided to try again...and this time succeed in getting home.
2. My mom went to her community's safe room, my dad sheltered at home, and Debra went to her community's safe room. We are all ok.
3. When the alerts first came to our phones a friend of mine decided to try to leave and pick up her son. It didn't take long for the sirens to start wailing and she was forced to pull over. She saw a pregnant woman trying to get out of her car too and together they ran into someone's home (a stranger) to shelter. Her son, along with countless others was at a youth group function and sheltered with the other kids and advisors.
4. One friend decided to take some time for self care before the holidays begin and went to a yoga class in Jerusalem. Her kids (granted they're not little anymore) were home alone and it took hours before she could travel again and get home to them.
5. Another friend's husband got a call to report for reservist duty in the north. So while sheltering, they were also packing his bags. She and her three young kids are heading to family today so as not to be alone for the holiday.
6. An additional woman I know was on her way home from grocery shopping and was caught on the road. Kids also older, but home alone while she herself is caught outside.
7. A friend's child was being dropped off with a carpool of kids after another kid's birthday party. The entire carpool of kids and adults joined her own family of 7 in their safe room. Many kids were panicked and they spent the rest of the time trying to explain what was happening without anyone panicking.
8. A shooting attack happened in the Jaffa neighborhood of Tel Aviv just 15 minutes before the attack, killing 8 and wounding dozens more. A Nova festival survivor / Burning Man festival coordinator took out the terrorist... While in his flip flops. (But the whole scene left TelAviv residents shaken as a possible partner in crime was able to disappear in the chaos of the war sirens.)
With all the chaos of the evening, both Siikwan and Loowan had a hard time going to sleep. So after consulting with many experts, I decided to try to tell Siikwan (5, almost 6) what happened. I opened Google maps and showed her Israel and Iran. I explained why our phones went off and what they mean when they flash and make loud noises. I told her that thanks to our safe rooms, no Israeli was hurt or killed. (That made her happy.)
I've had some of the most surprising and difficult, yet uplifting conversations with that little fireball than I thought possible.
Last night I was both simultaneously terrified, my heart rate was definitely up... But also, confident that if I follow the safety guidelines I will be just that... Safe.
Now, a mere hours from the start of Rosh HaShana, I pray that we are inscribed for a year of love and peace. An end to hatred and intolerance of all forms. That our hostages come home. That the suffering of the middle east ends and that all the people here are free of imperialism and terrorism.
One Love ✌🏼🕊️
Am Yisrael Chai 🇮🇱
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