בס''ד
Looking at the calendar, I see that we are almost at the end of the secular month of August and the Jewish month of Av. September 1th and Rosh Chodesh Elul will soon be upon us.
Where did the summer go? Back tracking to May, my husband and I planned the summer projects we wanted to do. Paint the outside alcove of our house. Work in the yard. Paint the metal bars of our sukkah frame. And in general finish up small projects that we started but never completed.
I had friends who wanted to come and visit with me, spend the day roaming Netivot and going to the Baba Sali. Didn’t happen, much too dangerous.
Would you like to know how much we accomplished during the summer? Zero, zlitch and why you ask….because Hamas decided to ruin our summer and everyone else’s summer by firing rockets at us. Pretty hard to work outside when you have only 15 seconds to get to safety.
What can you do in 15 seconds? Not so much but believe me, I’m not complaining…..those who live around the Gaza belt have 7 seconds to seek safety.
Our Regional Council [Moetz] in Sdot Negev helped make the summer vacation somewhat pleasant for the children. They organized and subsidized many field trips: to the zoo in Jerusalem, hands on children’s museum in Tel Aviv and a variety of other programs.
In my family we had the additional worry of a grandson chayal, serving in a tank unit in Gaza. And just before one of the many ceasefires, we had another grandson mulliumnik called up on a Tzav 8 [emergency call up].
Two weeks ago, I believe, we were in the middle of one of our ceasefires. My husband and I took advantage of the quiet and went to Netivot to do some shopping. The southern businesses have really suffered during the war. The streets have been deserted and the stores had no customers. On this day, Netivot was alive. The traffic was heavy, shopping center parking lots full and people were out enjoying the quiet. Teens were hanging out at falafel stores and the outside cafes were busy. It was just wonderful to see.
Netivot is a great city, it is so sad to see how it has suffered. I posted about our shopping trip and I had several interesting comments on the same theme ‘Don’t get use to it….rockets are coming’.
I replied with this comment on my Facebook status:
I have been reading different postings from people who live all over the country. I have come to the conclusion that the residents of the south see the ceasefire in a different light. This ceasefire is a breather for us. The people are out doing everyday things. Children are playing outside. Stores are busy. Traffic is heavy. Parking lots are full. Teens are hanging out. Whether or not the ceasefire holds is another question, but for now it is good and positive.
As everyone knows, the ceasefire didn’t hold and 24 hours after it expired another ceasefire was called. And once again last Tuesday Hamas fired rockets, this time to Beer Sheva and the ceasefire was broken. Since Tuesday, over 200 rockets have been fired at Israel.
This past Erev Shabbat our yishuv in the south was the recipients of 3 Grad missiles within a 2 hour span.
Today we are in our 48th day of this round of terror and war. This is the longest war our country has known except for the war of Independence, which we are still fighting.
Our IDF and IAF have done a marvelous job defending our nation with pride. Our chayalim and chayalot are the best. May Hashem continue to watch over our army and may Hashem give our leaders the ability to make the right choices to bring security and quiet to our nation.
That’s all for now
Feel free to comment and share.
Miriam
Nice one, Miriam, thanks. Better times are coming.
ReplyDeleteLiad
Beautifully written and every word true! Well done! Let's hope that NEXT summer we really HAVE a summer! And, I'm with you: May Hashem keep our IDF boys safe!
ReplyDeleteWell said, Miriam, and so true. I still plan one day, b'ezrat HaShem, to visit with you, spend the day roaming Netivot and going to the Baba Sali. When that day will come, only G-d knows. Until then, Am Yisrael Chai... we continue on with our heads held high, even in the safe rooms!
ReplyDeleteHow sad this is the way we here in Israel spend our Summer. No mater what people say it does not look like it will be getting better. Even in other places around the world "things" are happening that seem to be out of the ordinary. Iraq, Iran, Ukraine etc. Some are saying it is the time of the Moshiach and that this is the beginning. Maybe? I hope so. Stay safe, be strong.
ReplyDeleteMiriam, It's so important that you said what you have here, that regardless of our ideas about the long term solution, these ceasefires, for those of you in the South, are a blessing from G-d. The exhaustion of living under those rockets can never be understood except for those who live it every day. It was precisely because you have mentioned this before that i was able to explain and calm some angry critics of the ceasefires. I told them that if even those of us in the rest of the country, with not so many physical missiles, still welcomed the even emotional aspects of the temporary relief from the barrage, how much more so the people of the South. If truth be told, every rocket that falls on or over you is shot on or over the rest of us too..they land in our in our hearts. Thank you for for your openness in sharing with us.
ReplyDeleteMiriam this was a great post. I thought i sent a comment earlier but must have forgotten to "send" it. :)
ReplyDeleteEspecially I like that you remind people from the rest of the country that even though the ceasefires may be not good for the solutions as we never finish the job, still the relief and temporary calm and normalcy is so welcomed by those of you in the South. A few hours respite to get back some energy.