Today is Sunday. As the Sabbath is on Saturday here in Israel, a day of complete rest where most stores, businesses and means of transportation are closed, Sunday is a busy, back-to-work, get things done day. Today it is very quiet. Schools and some businessesremain closed and few people are out. A cloud of seriousness seems to have settled in as opposed to ‘let’s get out and help.’ The scattered rainstorms haven’t helped. Last week the army was inundated with food enough to last for a long long time. When Jewish mammas don’t know what to do, they cook. A lot. Now the soldiers are saying, “No more food.”

There have been memes and really funny video clips made by the soldiers regarding the amount of food and all the gifts they are receiving. One in particular, in Hebrew, is two soldiers talking and telling the viewers, “You’ve given us food: burgers, sweets, barbecues, pizzas, matzah pizzas, kosher food, religious food, religious items, gifts, nice gifts. You ask us what we need, what we want. Anything. Just ask. Elon Musk gave soldiers free Tesla charging but we’d really like some Teslas. We love Teslas. And how about tickets for two to a week on Santorini Island (a popular Greek vacation spot)?” It goes on and is really quite a funny spoof.

There is a special WhatsApp site set up by the different command centers (we are part of the Northern Command) that has been set up for parents, families, and friends of soldiers can post encouraging messages. The posts are in Hebrew, Russian, Arabic, Spanish, English, French, Amharic (Ethiopian dialect) and other languages. I’m sure there are more that I’ve missed. And I’m sure many will be included in films once this whole war is over. There are Christian Arab, Aramaic, Druze and Bedouin soldiers fighting valiantly alongside their Jewish brethren in the IDF.

As for me, it’s really a struggle over what to write. For one thing, I feel the need to shield my children who are abroad and might be reading this so they won’t worry any more than they already are. We are trying to keep in contact with them by phone regularly. On the other hand, I have seen so much, heard so many stories first hand. This is a tiny country. We are all very connected and we all know people personally that have been called up or that have been killed or kidnapped….or are just missing. Vanished. Gone. I personally know one girl who was at the peace concert. She’s my daughters’ age. I saw her dancing on one of the videos. I’ve talked with her mom. No trace. No trace…There are other stories I hold space for. I cannot write about them yet, they are just too horrible.

Friday after I finished the last blog and another quick story, I tried to start the meal prep for a light Shabbat dinner and food for Saturday (I don’t cook, I just chill out). It was incredibly hard to focus. I received a snide SpongeBob meme from Max, his way of letting me know he was fine – and I volleyed back a Dwight Schrute gif. I cut myself four times trying to make a simple mixed salad. It was getting on to about four o’clock when all the action started. Usually I have time for a shower and a change into good Shabbat attire before dinner. We began getting red alert texts of missile barrages, incoming from Lebanon, in all the cities around us. We heard sirens afar off, but it was never for our city. The alerts have pinpoint accuracy tracing the trajectory of each missile so we can take cover if need be. It’s all mind-boggingly amazing. Anyway we heard a few booms. My girlfriend in Kiryat Atta put out a WhatsApp that her whole apartment shook and there were dust particles everywhere. She saw a plume of smoke but was ok.

We felt several booms too. And then the jets started strafing the sky. And the helicopters were circling, flying right over our house. Right past our balcony. Really really close. So I decided to film what I could. I guess I’m becoming an Israeli. They say Anglo olim, immigrants, run for cover; Mexican and Argentinians pray; French try to find the nearest plane to escape; and and Israelis stand outside with their phones to video. While I was filming, I was narrating, but knew if my kids were watching, they’d get upset, so I tried to be really calm. I said the helicopters were just keeping us safe, but they were actually in a holding pattern, ready to go fight if necessary. Right adjacent to our rooftop. If anyone can tell me what kind they are, I’d appreciate it. I believe they are Apache attack copters.

A missile had been fired and knocked it by David’s Sling, the remnants falling to the ground below, hitting a warehouse near Haifa. There was firing at the border wall by Hizbulla and an infiltration of terrorists with RPG’s coming in on motorcycles, two to a bike. They were immediately eradicated, and the wall repaired. Missiles were fired at communications towers in the North, but despite the volleys, none of their attempts hit anything of strategic importance. The IDF artillery was ready and answered taking out that threat and one of their “towers,” crudely erected spy treehouses across the border. It looked like things might heat up. We call it “knocking on the door to see who’s home.” We answered quickly and definitively. The Northern Command is here in force. We are prepared. We are ready. Don’t mess with us.

Still, it was a little nerve wracking. A little. I wasn’t afraid, but I did want to eat dinner as soon as the sunset and get things cleared just in case. I had everything we needed to take to the bomb shelter by the steps ready to go. My dear friend in California , Carola, called about 10 minutes before candle lighting. We prayed and lit Shabbat candles together. Shabbat blessings, songs and prayers remind us of G-d’s hand in delivering the Children of Israel from Pharaoah in Egypt and there are so many prayers of peace. In one we pray, “ Let us lie down tonight in your safety. Put a shelter of peace over us.” It’s a beautiful song. Friday, I choked up on all the prayers sung and said. It was hard to get through them. Thank goodness, John knows them all and helped me get through by continuing each prayer.

Also on Shabbat, John and I pray over each child, even though the girls are no longer present with us. We pray the Aaronic benediction and also pray for each of their needs individually by name. John prayed a heartfelt prayer over Max for his protection, to be stalwart, to be faith filled and a light to all in his company. We prayed for all those defending this country and did the blessing over the wine and bread I; their merit.

After all the excitement right before Shabbat, Friday night and Saturday were strangely peaceful. It was so quiet that we slept in late. We woke up to the typical tranquility of the Galilee. We land breakfast and I said my Shabbat service. Usually, I try not to use the phone on the Sabbath, but these are different kind of days. Max called around noon and we had the luxury of speaking with him for about an hour. He is holding up surprisingly well. He takes extra time to do his jobs thoroughly, double checking to ensure no mistakes are made. He is rational. He is calm. And like his father, is able to find humor in everything.

It seems that yesterday afternoon an IDF battalion fired a Patriot missile at a flock of birds. Each missile runs about $5 million dollars (The Patriot is being phased out. It was one of the first air defense system missiles, made by Raytheon). So Max was joking “that’s one hell of an expensive Cornish game hen to serve for Shabbat!”

The red alerts continue throughout Friday night and Saturday. Nonstop missile barrages from Gaza into the South and Center, reaching the Tel Aviv area. pounding Ashkelon and Ashdod relentlessly. In the meantime, Israel is bombing Northern Gaza, targeting all Hamas strongholds. An alert goes out with a map. It is being broadcast over all television, radio stations and social media sites. Flyers are being dropped into Gaza. All civilian non-combatants are being given 24 hours to evacuate to the South. A ground invasion will begin shortly. There is a rumor that Israel has bombed the main evacuation route, but it is false news. Hamas operatives have done it and told all civilians they will not be allowed to leave. Egypt has sealed off its border with Gaza. Now that is saying something. They do not want any terrorist infiltration nor do they welcome a flood of innocent civilians.

In the early evening, we received a phone call from a friend in Virginia. Do we have an escape plan? What is our intention? When will we evacuate? The Biden administration is offering flights to any American who desires to leave. We check the news and sure enough

Well, that’s just peachy. US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has been here meeting Netanyahu and other government and military officials. We hear they are urging the IDF not to go into Gaza, boots on the ground; however, we hear a full-scale operation is imminent. Iran and Hizbulla have threatened to join in. Argentina has airlifted 1400 Argentinian Israelis back to their native country. We are staying put.

We are speaking to our daughters regularly now. We are trying to reassure them that we remain safe and unafraid. One is boldly, almost recklessly and proudly defending Israel at her university against the rage and intolerance of the pro-Palestinian mobs rallied on campus and the university board of trustees. I’m so proud of her, but also worried for her. We are receiving emails and calls from people we used to go to university with. Old neighbors and friends from all over the States and the world. European students we hosted over the summer. As usual, most people are supportive of Israel having to do whatever it takes to defend herself in the face of abject evil.

We are all appalled at what happened last Saturday. There are images that have been substantiated by people I actually know. Soldiers who were/are there. Photos and videos no one should see, seared in my brain. Yes. We are very concerned about the plight of innocent civilians and the loss of any life. There are two articles to which I will refer you. Both brilliantly written and well worth reading. The first is Douglas Murray: “Proportionality” In Conflict Is A Joke” published on realclearpolitics.com The next article is “Bothesideism” About Hamas is a Moral Failure by Russell Moore. It was published on Christianitytoday.com

On Shabbat, people were writing me about sermons they heard in their synagogues. I attended a Mass on line in the city of Tiberias in the Galilee. The homily, given by Fr Giuseppe diNardi of the Koinonia John the Baptist community was one of the most insightful, powerful, compassionate and uplifting sermons I’ve heard. It pulled no punches. It was not anti-Semitic. I’m sure as Sunday wears on I will be receiving several more church services from people in the US. And I am grateful for all the support.

Yet there are still those who have given in to false news. We used to listen to NPR, but it became very on-sided years ago. I have friends abroad who tell me they listen to AlJazeera as it is the most comprehensive on the world news scene, the most unbiased. Yes. They were the first to carry footage in real time. I was watching. But now much of what I am seeing and hearing is what we hear in Israel call ‘Palywood.’ It is false information that has either been doctored or staged in the West Bank and is not even in Gaza. Not all, but much is pre filmed or it is footage from the last Israeli Gaza conflict.

Today is quiet. If the peace up here remains, tomorrow I will give a built of history to combat some of the narratives we have been hearing. I will also respond to some of your questions with more ways to help. But for now, stand up. speak out calmly with facts. Pray. Pray for us here in Israel, for innocent civilians, for the captives, for the government and military leaders to make wise decisions and for the families of those who mourn. Share these and others’ posts. Counter misinformation. Until tomorrow, May there be peace…