"When G-d will return the captivity of Zion, we will be like dreamers. Then our mouths will be filled with laughter and our tongues with glad song." Psalm 126
For most here in Israel, and for Jewish people around the world, we stand at the cusp of a new year. The past year, 5784, is coming to an end. And what a year it has been!
My husband and I have welcomed two beautiful new grandchildren into our family and have been present to congratulate our son on his graduation from university. We have been able to travel to Florida for a very short family reunion: it was the first time in almost 15 years that all of our children, their spouses, and our six grandchildren were able to be together for quality time. It was the first time several of us had the opportunity to meet one another. This past year saw the addition of new friends and new opportunities.
However, it has also been a horrific year fraught with the brutal invasion of Hamas terrorists into Israel, butchering, raping, burning and pillaging the land to the South of us. Over 240 were taken captive into Gaza terror tunnels: men, women, children, even babies, 2 of whom are still there today. Israel entered into a war being fought on five fronts.
John and I did what little we could at first – preparing meals for the troops; taking up basic necessities for those who left everything to defend their country; keeping a written log of events as they transpired; and helping the IDF troops receive the necessary helmets and ceramic vests they were lacking. We attended funerals and comforted the mourners. We mourned the fallen soldiers in our community…five so far. And we have also attended weddings. And engagement parties. And I’ve known so many women who have had new babies.
I’ve seen the determination and resilience of a people who value the gift of life this year. People who have left their homes and families to fight for their survival. There is a saying here….”My dentist has a secret life as a tank commander. My son’s teacher is a paramedic. Our baker has another job as a border patrol officer. And my daughter’s ballet instructor is a paratrooper.”
Our hotels, once full with visitors and tourists are stuffed to the brim with displaced families. Many of our national parks are closed due to danger of attack. Our tourist destination, once vibrant with pilgrims and vacationers now stand empty. Businesses have shuttered due to lack of customers. Yet, hopefulness remains in the air. Tomorrow. Next year….
Families have been wrenched apart as fathers are called up to serve in the Reserves. They leave behind their young children and often wives who must pick up the slack of their own work, a family business, the house work and raising the kids. It definitely takes a toll emotionally and psychologically. Yet the people are strong. Whenever someone can lend a hand, they are quick to do so. With the help of G-d, we are holding each other up.
This has been a year of prayer… for our government, our loved ones, the hostages, the soldiers, those who mourn, for our safety and our victory in eradicating evil. Many who have never lifted their hands heavenward, made a challah, studied Scripture, lit candles, attended religious services, recited Psalms, are doing so now. There is a definite turn towards the Divine. This has been a year of increased spirituality and faith.
This past year, I have tried to write the facts of what is happening in this part of the world – to counter all the misinformation and propaganda. I have also written from my personal experience. I want you to be able to experience what we are going through as if you were here with me. Perhaps give you a different perspective.
I have been thankful for my husband’s sense of humor. He is always able to de-fuse even the most tense of situations (we have been hearing the Iron Dome take out Hizbulla missiles fairly close to us all morning and he is making fun of my jumpiness). He makes fun of our enemies ineptness as well as my own. His comedic impressions and wisecracks are always welcome.Nothing is serious. Nothing is too sacred to make fun of.
We have made new friends. And we have lost friends along the way who have disagreed with us politically or religiously. But time is way too short to hold grudges or to harbor ill will. For Jewish people, this marks a time of introspection, of getting rid of unforgiveness, of being aware or one’s faults and flaws. It is a time to resolve to do better. To be a better, more loving, more caring human being. And to leave the rest up to G-d. We can all learn from that.
At the time of this writing, I look on the devastation wreaked by Hurricane Helene over the people of North Carolina and the Southeastern US. It, too is horrific. A war zone, as one would say. My heart and my prayers go out to them. I read that Iran is putting together a very nice surprise missile for us in the foreseeable future. And I see the uncertainty in the world.
My prayer is that this coming year will be a time of renewed faith and hope. I pray that the captives will be released, the wars and natural disasters will come to an end. I pray it will be a year of healing – physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. O Lord, hear us. Have mercy on us. Heal us. Keep us close.
So much happens in such a compact part of time. And our sleep has been fitful at best. It’s our turn now. Last I wrote, was Thursday night.
I guess the Hizbulla terrorists were a bit upset, maybe even hoppin mad because we short circuited some 1500+ of their upper eschelon with exploding beepers and walkie-talkies. Then Thursday evening the Israeli Air Force started taking out their rocket launch pads. Seems the buggers had an inordinate amount of missiles, but a limited number of launchers. We saw a weakness and went after it.
Thursday night we got our first real barrage up North in our neck of the woods….. like 20-40 missiles headed straight for our area. Then scattershot all over the Upper and Lower Galilee in heavy salvos all through the night. We have an Iron Dome on the mountain adjacent ours, so the anti-missile missiles go right over our house. At one time they were intercepting missiles directly overhead. Usually our siren goes off when there is danger (we have 28 seconds, but….). I ran downstairs and out of the way of the very real threat of falling shrapnel. I did get some nice video though….
I didn’t realize the missiles would be exploding directly overhead. I skedaddled just at the loudest house-shaking booms happened. Safe room, here we come!
It continued like that through Friday. It’s pretty amazing. No red alert. Clean the bathroom. Then, red alert on our phone, mammad (safe room) BOOMS! All clear. Change the sheets. sirens. Mammad.CRASH! BOOMS! All clear. Do a little gardening. Mammad. Fix dinner. Mammad.
A couple friends from California called last night and asked if I was totally afraid? No. Not at all. Seriously. I have this incredible simplicity to believe Scripture. G-d said repeatedly that he would take care of us. Protect us. Defend us. Rescue us. Deliverer. Call me naive, but He said, not me that He is my fortress, my shield, my high tower, that He would hide me under the shadow of His wings. He’s G-d. He said it. Who am I to argue? It’s just easier to believe Him. I try not to be stupid, but….. He said 365 times, “Do not be afraid.” “Fear not, I go before You.” “Take courage for I am with you….”
So, I am not afraid, but stressed out – that’s another story. You see we were supposed to fly out for my father-in-law’s funeral. And we made sure all our kids have flights and hotel. But on Friday afternoon, we got this awful message:
The IAF was busy bombing homes (McMansions) in Lebanon that had been built by Hizbulla to house missiles. The weapons were hidden and stored in homes,and the Iranian proxies paid monthly stipends to their Shi’ite Lebanese terror sympathizers who would cooperate with them. And now they were returning our fire. And Alitalia pulled its service. We were screwed. And mad. And super stressed out.
I know it was Shabbat. I lit the candles and we started our lovely home liturgy and BANG! Mammad.OK. 10 minutes and out. I served the salad and we started the salmon. Siren Mammad. BOOMS! Maybe 16 or so. They sounded really close. Crap. This is just insane. No real danger sensed. Just anger at the stupid inconvenience. John and I try not to use our phones on Shabbat, but this was no ordinary Sabbath. So we spent most of the night trying to find other flights out of Israel. We tried ElAl and its subsidiaries, Arkia and UP to destinations in Europe. 27 hour layover in Amsterdam. 19 hour layover in Paris. Nothing available. All booked. No seats. Finally around 2am we found a flight to London with a layover and connector to DC. Just as we went to buy them, the prices changed to over double!! $7914.00 each way per person for British Air from London to Washington!! Just forget it!
We finally got to sleep around 3 as the excitement had died down, but were awakened shortly before 6am to the wail of sirens and the voice of our red alert “Tseva Adom. Tseva Adom. Tseva Adom.” This is how it would continue all morning every half hour or so until about noon. All over the Upper and Lower Galilee.
WHOA! WHOA! WHOA!!! Let’s back things up a little bit. Back to Friday afternoon. President Netanyahu, who was NOT going to deliver his speech at the UN on Friday, told us all on Wednesday, that at the last minute he had decided to fly to New York with Sarah, his wife. She would go to the Ohel, the grave of the rebbe, to pray, and he would deliver his speech. They were to leave immediately thereafter. We were earnestly praying that he would not be arrested by the ICC or ICJ or even the Biden admin and extradited for trial somewhere. Or worse. We prayed he would not be assassinated, a very real threat.
Minutes after he delivered his address before the UN, we got the news that the underground bunkers in Beirut where Hizbulla kept their top brass were bombed. Supposedly, Nasrallah, head of Hizbulla, resurfaced from his hidey-hole for the first time in two decades to watch Bibi’s speech and then plan their next attacks. We heard the IDF got him. But there was no confirmation on that. It was about 4pm our time.
Max & I started our own back and forth. He’s dead! Max said, “no confirmation.” “We got him!” “You don’t know for sure. Wait and see.” We were watching the news for any info all Friday night. Nasrallah’s daughter showed up to the site and is wailing. Surely that is a sign “Wait and see.” The Syrians and many Lebanese are singing and dancing in the streets. Handing out baklawa and candy. “Mom. It’s not official.” By Saturday, the news was official. For the Shabbat observant, who were not yet privy to the news, death notices went up all over town.
To our neighbors who keep the Sabbath
With praise and thanksgiving to the Blessed Name, we announce the passing of
The evil oppressor Hassan Nasrallah, son of Amalek
Taken by the IAF this Shabbat (the details of the funeral will be given at the end of Shabbat) The people of Israel live!
As it turns out, this was in the planning stages for weeks. When the “bait was taken” – the decision to make the speech was also a diversionary tactic – the ‘Golden Information’ was confirmed. Nasrallah would be in an underground conference room with several high staff members. Just minutes before Bibi’s address, he gave the go-ahead for the attack. The planes were in the air, and just seconds after Bibi wrapped up, the Beirut complex was demolished using 83 tons of bombage (is that even a word?). The bunker busters HAD to take down the underground safety reinforced concrete SKIFF. And they did…
The entire operation was kept absolute secret, which in Israel, is an absolute miracle. The goal being to change the entire landscape of the Middle East and to establish new coalitions. This would, hopefully, usher in a new era of peace. The Iranians and Houthis as well as what’s left of Hizbulla are most likely in absolute confusion and paranoia. Four days of mourning have been declared in Iran and the Ayatollah is now in hiding.
Our own rain of missiles continued here…. As I write this, they are still happening. Only now, we only go to the saferoom when we know the rockets are overhead, not just over the hill or the next town over. It’s absolutely surreal.
Last night, a surface to surface missile was launched by the Houthi rebels deep into Israel. It was intercepted by David’s Sling, but millions of people from south of Tel Aviv all the way to Netanya were sent rushing to their nearest protected area.
Now to the South. Let’s go to Yemen where the Houthi rebels are. Last week they sunk an oil tanker in the Red Sea. The leakage is larger than that from the Exxon Valdez. Greta Thunberg, where are you now??? Besides the environmental disaster, the major shipping lane is closed. This will effect YOUR gas prices if oil tankers from the MidEast are stopped or have to resort to a longer route. As of Thursday, the Houthis fired off two more ICBMs at Israel: one took out a warehouse in Eilat. The other fell near Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem. No injuries. Iran was currently mediating negotiations between the Houthis and Iran for advanced anti-ship missiles. This had the potential to dramatically shift the balance of power and heighten risks for US and allied naval operations in and around the Red Sea.
As I am writing this (7pm Sunday 29/9) dozens of Israeli jets -fighters, refueling planes and intelligence, have attacked the Raz Isa and Hodeidah areas of Yemen, blowing up their port, their oil refineries and their power stations as well as communications towers…..
Let’s see what else is happening around here today, shall we? Reports coming directly from Arab news indicate that a helicopter crash (piloted by Mossad agent Eli Kopter again?😉) has killed Mohammad Abdullah Salam Salama. He was the intermediary between Iran and the Houthis. Also aboard, a top IRGC commander. Hmmmmmm…… if I was a terrorist I’d be in a hole somewhere, but it seems there is nowhere left to hide.
Just hours after it was announced that Nasrallah was eliminated, he was replaced by Hassan Khalil Yassin of Hizbulla’s intelligence unit. It was he who was put in charge of locating the hard (defense) and soft (civilian) targets in Israel. It was he who sent us the satellite images of Israel’s North, circling military bases, defense plants, malls, schools and residential areas. Less than two hours after he became the official terror chief in charge, BAM! Eliminated by the IDF.
Oops. Abbas Nilforoushan, deputy commander of the IRGC Al Quds force: gone! In ten days Israel has basically wiped out the entire leadership of Hizbulla. By itself. Without foreign help. Without foreign intelligence that has been withheld unless a Gaza and Hizbulla ceasefire was reached (thank you,Ms. Veep). Former President Trump: Israel will cease to exist within two years? I don’t think so!
It seems Israel has taken out the entire top three tiers of terror leaders.
Back to Israel. Home Front Command has cancelled all school activities until after the Jewish holidays in mid October. Maximum 10 people in an open area. 150 inside an enclosed building, but must be close to a protected area.
Jared Kushner, leader of the Abraham Accords and Trump’s senior adviser in a rare interview on X:
In 1983, Hizbulla killed 241 American military personnel, including 220 marines. In the last six weeks, Israel has eliminated more terrorists from the U.S. wanted list than the US has eliminated in the last 20 years, including those who were responsible for the 1983 attacks.
Anyone who has been calling for a ceasefire in the north is wrong. There is no going back for Israel. They cannot afford now not to finish the job and completely dismantle the arsenal that has been aimed at them.The right move now for America would be to tell Israel to finish the job. It’s long overdue. And it’s only Israel’s fight.
Iran is now fully exposed. The reason why their nuclear facilities have not been destroyed, despite weak air defense systems, is because Hizbulla has been a loaded gun painted at Israel. Iran spent the last forty years building this capability as its deterrent.
President Trump would often say, ‘Iran has never won a war but never lost a negotiation.’ the Islamic Republic’s regime is much tougher when risking Hamas, Hizbulla, Syrian and Houthi lives than when risking their own. Their foolish efforts to assassinate President Trump and hack his campaign reek of desperation and are hardening a large coalition against them.
With Hizbulla and Iran reeling, failing to take full advantage of this opportunity to neutralize the threat is irresponsible.
The world can sleep a little bit more safely tonight
Shabbat started out fairly peacefully, but we knew something major was brewing. Three of our neighbors were suddenly called up to reserves, two of them are paramedics. The Israeli Defense Minister signed an emergency directive that was broadcast on all media and social media:
There are new Home Front restrictions for all civilians in Haifa and northward. All kindergarten and elementary schools open on Sunday only if nearby shelters can be accessed in time allowed for that area. Middle and high schools closed. No after school activities or sports. No outdoor gatherings over 30 people. Stay close to shelter at all times.
For the past 11 months Hizbulla has launched over 8300 rockets and exploding suicide drones into Israel. Over 70,000 residents from the northern border communities have been displaced since 8 October. Many of these little villages that butt up against Lebanon have been totally destroyed. There is really nothing left intact. It’s a game of psychological warfare for the terrorists. We have endured constant barrages on a daily basis. Most have been shot down by Iron Dome, but there has also been much damage to forests, fields, farms, and property. Thank goodness, the casualties have been less than 100 so far, but just one innocent civilian killed (12 Druze children in Madj Al Shams last month) is a precious loss for us.
Last week, Israel launched its own version of psychological warfare on Hizbulla. On Wednesday, precisely timed detonation of all the pagers used by the upper level terrorists went off, killing 14 and wounding thousands of Hizbulla fighters. The next day the Iran proxy, IRGC, and Hizbulla command resorted to using walkie -talkies, which all blew up simultaneously across Lebanon. And Friday, the Israeli Air Force made a surgical strike in Beirut on the building in which remaining Hizbulla and Iran were meeting. This sends the message- we know who you are and where you are. You cannot hide. We will be coming for you unless you cease fire.
As a result of these surgical IDF strikes, several of the top eschelon of the elite Radwan command unit were killed. This included Ibrahim Aqil, head of Hizbulla’s military operations, two senior commanders and 14 other members. For your information, Aqil had been on the top 3 wanted terrorists list in the United States. He was the one responsible for the 1983 attack on the US military base in Beirut during the Reagan administration. The attack killed 243 US soldiers. There was a $7million bounty on his head. (Israelis are joking that we just saved the US taxpayers $7million. Thank you very much). The White House and Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed concern that they were not forewarned.
While Hamas, Hizbulla, PIJ, etc have tried to target the civilian population in both their psy-ops and their warfare, Israel has only targeted known terrorists. Last weeks’ telecommunications ’malfunctions’ was only intended to hurt the members of the terror organizations. It showed them that they are not safe. That Israeli intelligence knows who they are is watching.
In Arab culture, this was a mark of severe shame upon them. It was pure humiliation as they watched the memes and the jokes roll out that made fun of their exploding devices. In Arab culture, to shame someone is the worst possible affront. So they were flaming hot mad and their leader, Nasrallah, vowed to take revenge.
Israel is back on highest alert.
Last night (Motzash/Motzey Shabbat/ the ending of the Sabbath at night) just after sunset we began to hear the loud booming explosions in the distant north. It lasted for a few minutes, then we heard the expected IDF jets roaring through the air. One huuuuuge boom. The sky over the mountain ridge had a faint pink glow towards Lebanon. There was an Israeli air strike on a large weapons warehouse used by Hizbulla. It was quiet for some hours after that.
Then, just before midnight we heard the booming thuds again, this time coming from the mountains just south of us. I looked at the red alerts on my phone: Kfar Manda, Nazareth, Tsippori, Cana, Shimshit, Beit Shean – all deep into the Jezreel Valley. They were aiming for military logistics bases and warehouses nearby and a large defense company (Research and Development much like Teledyne) on the mountain across from us. There were two direct hits in Nazareth, one that exploded in an empty lot and one that came straight down, but did not explode.
The videos that came to us over the news shortly afterwards included one of a group of Arab men in Nazareth taking selfies and posing for photos with themselves wrapped around and hugging the yet unexploded missile. (We are repeatedly warned to not go near, but to report any pieces of rockets or missiles we come across. They can go off at any time-). Just brilliant, Guys. I’m sure your friends will all be impressed.
John and I said our night prayers and went to bed. We had an early day on Sunday and I set my alarm for 06:15. The alarm came and I dozed back off. I’m sleeping fully dressed in yoga pants and a shirt (not PJs) because we have a gentleman living with us. I refuse to go into a saferoom in a nightie. Exactly 06:27 BOOM!!! BOOM!!!!! BOOM!!!! Wake up!!! The whole house is shaking. Glad I took down all the photos, paintings and breakables. These sounded super close. And they weren’t letting up. I also sleep with the window partially open to hear a siren if there is one. No siren. Very strange. More booms like the loudest thunder.
From the neighboring villages all around, all the way towards Haifa Bay, but not from our city, I heard the constant wail of the siren. My phone started beeping the red alerts and the booming continued, one after another. So, what was I supposed to do? No sirens here in our neighborhood.
I grabbed my phone, opened the metal shutters covering our patio door, and rushed outside. I had to get all of this on film for you to experience. It seemed Haifa and suburbs took direct hits. There were puffs of smoke from the Iron Dome interceptions all over the sky to the west between Akko and Haifa. 17,18,19, 20 and counting. I didn’t even think to look directly overhead or towards the mountain across from us. But there, too. Scores of missiles being taken out. We later found out there were 87 in all.
Good Mornin’, Vietnam!
John straggled out behind me. It is customary to recite Psalm 27 every morning and evening during the Hebrew month of Elul. Hmmmmm….. it’s come in very timely. I think we’ve memorized it by now. Anyway, John is out on the patio on our rooftop reciting the Psalm:
The L-rd is my light and salvation; whom should I fear? The L-rd is my refuge; of whom should I be afraid? When evildoers come at me to devour my flesh, These enemies and foes themselves stumble and fall. Though an army encamp against me, my heart does not fear. Though war be waged against me even then do I trust….
And then, as suddenly as it started, all was quiet. Except for a few alarms going off, things seemed normal – except for the two plumes of smoke rising in the direction of Haifa (you can see it in the first video if you look hard in the distance right and then center at the base of Mt. Carmel…). I started checking all my news feeds. Within a half hour, we got photos of a bullseye on a home in Kiryat Bialik (Haifa suburb) and in Moreshit (Moor-AY-sheet). All residents in their safe rooms. Only three people with very minor injuries due to shrapnel. A barn holding several cows in Beit Shean was hit, the meat is now Hallal and will be on the menu for dinner we presume (dark humor, but this is how we cope).
So what to do? Should we stay home? We had some appointments in Tiberias, some friends to see, and I really needed to shop at my favorite little kibbutz store in Deganya. We are flying back to the States next week and I needed to pick up several gifts… olive oil, dates, techineh, halvah, rose water, Dead Sea products. The coast seemed pretty clear, and there were no missiles for 40 minutes. We weren’t going to let them change our lives (then they win).
So we attended to our business; had a lovely brunch with friends; went shopping; then stopped at the fish market to buy some fish (I have no idea what Levrak is, but it’s delicious): it was pulled out of the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) just this morning. The entire time IAF jets strafed the skies above. If there was a siren, we would deal with it then. But that was the typical pattern. Rain down about a hundred bombs and run away.
OMG…the Red Flag of Revenge! Is that like the Black Spot in Treasure Island?Hizbulla is vowing to get even. Again.
Rambam Hospital in Haifa has moved its quarters into the underground parking lots. Everything has been thoroughly sterilized. All non-essential services and appointments have been canceled. They are now ready for and expecting the most severe of circumstances. The once-parking lot is now fully equipped with beds, seven complete surgical theatres, dialysis equipment, oxygen lines, emergency equipment, power generators. Hopefully it will not be needed. My husband has a small procedure scheduled for mid-October. Hopefully it will not be pushed further back as it was made eight months ago.
We got back home this afternoon just in time for the prime minister’s speech, issuing a stern warning to Hizbulla. “No country can accept the wanton rocketing of its cities. We can’t accept it either. We will take whatever action is necessary to restore security and bring our people safely back to their homes.”
Please join me in prayer for both Israel and any innocent Lebanese civilians caught up in this whole mess. It’s a matter of pride and ego for the terrorists. They will not give in until Israel is free of Jews (Christians, Druze). They cannot lose face. They are already being humiliated on the world’s stage. They would rather die as shahid, or martyr. We hope and pray for peace. Please, let there be quiet and safe days ahead. We really don’t need all this excitement.
So much has been happening in the last two weeks alone, it’s difficult to play catch up, so I will just try to recap the latest news from this part of the world.
Hizbulla in Lebanon has continued to lob missiles and rockets as well as unmanned suicide drones laden with explosives at us here in the North. There repeated attacks have increased in frequency and intensity over the last couple months. Since 8 October, over 8300 missiles alone have crossed into Northern Israel, mostly the Upper Galilee region. Tens of thousands of acres of brush and forests, vineyards and farms have burned. Homes and businesses in border towns are irreparable – just destroyed. There have been many casualties. Just this morning a katbam (UAV) hit a service vehicle filled with passengers on their way to work.
Last week, the IDF flew deep into Syria to take out an Iranian weapons factory. Paratroopers -boots on the ground- were needed because the facilities were deep underground. Iranian and Lebanese terror supporters were taken prisoner, the facility was completely destroyed. It was a middle of the night operation, and a complete success. No civilian casualties.
In May, Hizbulla decided to drop their cell phone means of communication between the terrorists as it was too easily hackable. They purchased thousands of beepers to use instead. They were purchased by Iran from a Taiwanese factory, shipped to Hungary, then to Lebanon and distributed to members of Hizbulla. When a coordinated Arab attack on Israel was to occur, the terrorist would get a beep and message on his pager. This past Tuesday, just two days ago, at exactly 5:05pm, the pagers started beeping, heating up, and exploding. It was a precisely targeted operation to avoid civilian casualties and just get the Hizbulla operatives. 14 were killed and many were injured quite badly. The Iran ambassador to Lebanon was badly injured when his pager exploded. Why was he carrying a beeper given to Hizbulla command operatives? Hmmmmm…. The Hungarian shell company that distributed the pagers has completely disappeared. Vanished into thin air. All lines are down. No one home. Perhaps it was Acme Pager Co. Beep beep.
Yesterday, the Hizbulla commanders made the move to use walkie-talkies and radio as back up to the pager system. So at precisely 4:45 in the afternoon, the walkie-talkies and radios all blew up. Several more Hizbulla and IRGC members were killed and many injured. Israel has remained quiet and not taken responsibility for the explosive devices. We don’t know if this is the beginning of an extended opening of the Northern front, or if this was just another warning move.
Also on Wednesday, the UN passed a resolution calling for Jerusalem (the Holy City/Old City), Judaea, Samaria and Gaza to be completely free of Jews within 12 months. The ruling passed 124-14 with 43 abstentions. This follows the July UN ruling calling for a complete arms embargo and boycott of Israeli products. Kamala Harris has promised a stricter embargo on weapons to Israel if she is elected. The US just granted Egypt $1.3 billion in military aid, waiving all human rights requirements. PM Starmer in the UK and Macron in France have both decided to halt all shipment of needed replacement parts to Israel. And to cap it all off – in a landmark decision, the “State of Palestine” has been given a permanent seat at the United Nations.
In other news, Osama Bin Laden’s son, Hamza, seems to be alive and well. He is rebuilding AlQaeda, holding regular meetings with the Taliban leaders and is setting up military training camps in North Afghanistan. Known terrorists trained in the Middle East and on the government’s ’watch list’ have been flooding into the United States via Venezuela.
BOOK RECOMMENDATION: A friend of ours just gave us a book that I finished reading in three days. It was hard to put down, incredibly relevant (PROPHETIC almost) to today, and a MUST-READ. Please get The Attack by Kurt Schlicter. I can see this coming in the next year. It is very pertinent. Highly, highly recommended!!! Very well researched.
With everything going on, weddings are still happening. We went to a gorgeous wedding two weeks ago. The bride is native Israeli from generations back. Super sweet, and a beautiful young woman. The groom is Canadian-Israeli. I’m so glad we and a cadre of friends attended. Because there is only one airline flying here, and because there was a temporary shutdown due to fears of an attack on Ben Gurion International, 38 members of the groom’s extended family were caught – stranded in North America. So there were 4 empty tables at the lavish reception dinner.
Speaking of flight drama. My husband’s father just passed away. We’ve been scrambling for almost two days now to find a flight out of Israel to Washington, D.C. Only ElAl is flying. No other airlines. There are no more bereavement fares on any airlines that we could find. That seems to be a thing of the past. The only available seats were for 3 October (Rosh haShannah) in business class. Nearly $6000 EACH WAY per person. That would have cost us $24,000. Not happening. We finally found a flight to Italy on the 5th. Then we will take Italia Air to DC getting in the 6th of October.
My father-in-law was a decorated war hero in WWII and Vietnam, a full colonel in the USAir Force. He will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery with a full 21-gun salute and military corps. With all the government bureaucracy, there is now a 6 month hold and interment is tentatively scheduled for March. So there will be a memorial service on the 9th of October, giving us time to fly the kids to DC. Life is so complicated these days. We will be gone (hoping nothing else happens and the airport remains open) for that week in October.
Later in the month, through the beginning of November, John and I are planning a getaway 40th anniversary trip to Northern Italy…Venice, Tuscany, Florence, Lake Como and Milan. I pray it all works out and we will be able to relax and have fun. We have friends outside Venice and another family we know has a property in the Milan area, so we can stay there for parts of the adventure.
I leave you with a picture of an IDF reservist who made it to the hospital just in time to see his new baby after it was born. There are tons of babies arriving daily in Israel. So many women are pregnant!!! And that’s a sign of hope for the future – and a vey good thing indeed-
It’s been a couple weeks since my last posting. So much has been happening just within our own household. We came back from ‘vacation’ to a dust covered home but no real work done. After vacuuming as much as possible, we were able to sort through all my son’s effects…. Accumulation of years of army, university, and life. We packed him up into two huge suitcases and sent him off to England.
The next day the shiputznikim’ returned to begin the process of mold removal from the walls and ceilings and of re-painting. John and I moved all the smaller furniture and items and boxed up all the items from desks, tables, counters….we covered everything in layers of plastic. The Israelis do nothing of the kind, and when the workers walked in they were absolutely dumbfounded. They just had never seen and could not believe. I know they think we Americans are most definitely mishuggah. But these guys don’t even wear protective masks.
The construction work was done in three whole days. Despite insurances of complete cleanliness, there was shmutz all over the house. We even took down curtains to wash, so cleanup could be streamlined. Then came the intense cleaning, dusting and mopping room by room (I still have two rooms to go), which began in earnest. Yesterday, our friend from Virginia, who is an ice hockey and other sport coach, came to live with us through the end of December. He stays in Max’s bedroom, so that whole floor with Marc’sbedroom and bathroom were all ready. Our bedroom and the kitchen is sparkling now. Almost ready for the holiday season-
In more exciting things to report, we had three separate Iron Dome interceptions in our immediate area last week. Hizbulla in Lebanon has been sending over scores of rockets and katbam, suicide drones laden with explosives into the North. Mostly they have fallen in fields, causing brushfires. Any that are destined for army bases or civilian populations are taken out by Iron Dome. Last Tuesday, we heard the loud boom! and rushed outside to see the contrails. Right over our house. Praises be to G-d for His protection. It was not scary. Just a little bit of excitement for the afternoon. We are safe and not afraid in the least. It made for a pretty cool video:
John’s father, Poppa, has been moved to hospital hospice in Florida. He is resting comfortably, but it’s a very volatile situation. Every day we wait for the news. He will be flown from Florida to Northern Virginia, where the family lived for over 30 years. poppa will have a full military burial at Arlington National Cemetery. Funeral will be in N.VA. I am finding hotel for us all and John is looking into airlines.
We are in quite an interesting position. ElAl is the only airline that currently flies in and out of the country due to the ‘war’ – but I suspect much of this is contrived nonsense that amounts to BDS (Boycotting, Sanctioning and Divesting) from Israel. Either way, finding a flight out is nearly impossible. All flights everywhere are booked for the next two weeks. Even going to Europe first and taking a connecting flight seems impossible. We are believing G-d will sort out all the details for His perfect timing and for all the loose pieces to come together.
What else is news here in Israel? Would it shock you to know that Palestine (the PA) has been officially admitted to the UN? Would it be a surprise that 29 more members of UNRWA were just discovered to be Hamas terrorists, having taken part in keeping hostages or training young children to be fighters? Or that the Brits have halted the military shipments Israel contracted with and bought from them? They include spare parts for helicopters and jets as well as smaller ordinance? Sinwar, head of Hamas, has said he will release all terrorists if the IDF will let him go free and promise not to target him in the future.
In the meantime, both John and I have a serious case of brain mush. I sent him to the store yesterday with short list of needed ingredients. It included a small head of cabbage for a salad I wanted to make. He came back with 4 large cabbages. What to do? I spent the day preparing for holiday season early… it should take us from Rosh HaShannah through Sukkot. I got out my crockpot and made the most delicious deconstructed stuffed cabbage. It cooked all night on low, and this afternoon I have 6 tubs filled to go into the freezer.
Deconstructed Stuffed Cabbage (meat)
I made enough for an army and it freezes beautifully. Will keep for up to 6 month, so I’ll have enough for company and for a couple winter meals too. This is my mom’s old recipe but without all the work of boiling cabbage leaves and stuffing them and all the fancy. It’s mouthwateringly delicious. A little sweet, a little tangy, meaty, with just the right amount of heat, it fires on all engines.
Ingredients:
1 kg (2.2lbs) lean ground beef
2 heads of cabbage, core removed and shredded
2 brown onions, chopped
6 cloves minced or crushed garlic
1 1/2 cup basmati rice
1/4 cup brown raisins
1/3 cup yellow raisins
1 medium knob of fresh ginger
1 large can crushed tomatoes with juice
2 TBSP sweet paprika
2 tsp dry mustard powder
1/4 cup silan (date honey)/ or regulate honey
1/2 cup water
Salt and pepper to taste
Brown the onions and ground beef. Transfer to large crock pot. Add shredded cabbage, raisins, rice, and can of tomatoes. Mix thoroughly. Incorporate all spices. Mix in silan or honey and water. It will all cook down. Turn crockpot to low heat and let cook for 6-8 hours. Remove lid and stir, adding more water if needed. Let cool and transfer into freezer safe boxes. Serve with green beans or peas and applesauce.
What else have I been making? We are eating a vey Mediterranean diet after splurging on all that food during our trip to the States last month. I am also using what we have seasonally. My husband’s favorite of all favorites is an appetizer I served two Shabbats ago. He wants me to make it regularly now. It’s extremely luxurious, yet deceptively easy to make. It’s a whipped feta that uses only a few ingredients….and oven roasted olives. Oh my goodness, oven roasting your olives takes them to an altogether new level! I was lucky to get a photo after we polished off half the dish. Once you start, you can’t stop eating it. Serious crack, this is. And an amazing way to make a delicious first impression when entertaining or for a pot-luck.
Oven Roasted Olives on a Bed of Whipped Feta (dairy)
Ingredients:
2 cups olives…a mix of black, green, kalamata (try not to used canned olives)
1 lemon
4 cloves garlic
Handful of fresh thyme sprigs
1 cup feta cheese
4 ounces of softened cream cheese
2 Tbsp honey
Zataar (Middle Eastern spice),optional
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
1/4 cup extra Virgin olive oil
Preheat oven to 200*C/400*F. On a large parchment lined baking tray, scatter olives with 2 cloves sliced garlic, and a few sprigs of thyme. Cut the lemon into slices. Lay half over the olives. Sprinkle with the olive oil and bake uncovered for about 15-20 minutes until the olives release their flavor.
In the meantime, in a medium bowl, whip the feta and cream cheese, and the honey. Add in some grated lemon rind and the 2 remaining garlic cloves, crushed. Incorporate well. It should be very smooth and glossy. it will stay good in the fridge for 3-4 days.
When ready to serve, spread the cheese mixture into an oven proof dish. Scatter olives and lemons on top. Microwave for 45-60 seconds until melts and fragrant or place in 170*C/350*F oven for 10-15 minutes. Scatter toasted sesame seeds, thyme sprigs and/or zata’ar on top. Serve with challah, crusty bread, pita or crackers.
Last week I found some Belgian Endive at the market, so I used what I had at home to create a yummy, no-fuss, elegant Shabbat appetizer. it’s crunchy, cheesy, slightly salty, a wee bit sharp, and a tad sweet. So easy to throw together, room for creativity (add some chili flakes, drizzle some honey) and a nice presentation.
Stuffed Endive Boats (dairy)
Ingredients:
1 head Belgian Endive
1/4 cup blue, Gorgonzola, goat or feta cheese… I used blue
3 very small scallions, minced
1/4 cup dried, unsweetened cranberries
1/4 cup roasted (smoked) almonds, chopped
Balsamic vinegar
Honey
(Chopped apple or pear would also make a great addition to this for your Rosh HaShannah table)
In a medium bowl, mix the cheese crumbles, nuts, scallions, and cranberries (also fruit if you wish). Arrange 2-3 leaves of endive on plate to form a boat. Stuff the endive boats with cheese mixture. Drizzle Balsamic vinegar and honey lightly overtop. Serve immediately.
In other parts of the world,our son called last night to say he had unpacked his things in his dorm in London. It’s an ultra modern building and he’s on the 13th floor. No superstitions there. Max had just come from the widely advertised Orientation and Get Togerher BBQ. BBQ. Like we’re from the US. That means Brisket. Burgers. Dogs. Ribs. We’re also Israeli. BBQ. Asado. Kabobim. Shishlik on giant skewers. Marinated pargiot/chicken thighs.
Welcome to UK wokeness. It was a smorgasbord of plant based vegan material. No meat. Some grilled tofu. Undistinguishable planks of plant based 3-D generated stuff. Soylent green???? No. The WEF has designated this year a year of high protein manufactured chemicals and plant stem cells. All cafeteria foods will be vegan by design. Welcome to 2024-2025. I’ve no doubt Max will be doing quite a bit of pub and such.
So, until next time. Settling into autumn….
Blessings and prayers for deliverance for the 100 hostages still captive.
During my short visit to the States and from emails and notes I’ve received from you, dear Readers, it is apparent that you are not getting pertinent international news that is guaranteed to affect you. So much is happening throughout the world from mass censorship, protests, restrictions on farmers, the DEI and WEF agendas, mass immigration throughout Europe of non-refugees, recent European elections and changes of leadership, and the radical Islamist agenda throughout the world. It is all working together to create destabilization.
The last week in Israel has been a rather intense one, most of which has not been reported or has been slanted so as not to offend. First, an isolated case of polio was diagnosed in a ten month old baby in Gaza. IDF paramedics quickly took several samples of water sources into Israel to be tested and the polio virus was found in two specimens. Last Wednesday, the Israeli health services sent 25,100 vials of the polio vaccine (developed by Jonas Salk and my late uncle, Harvey Neidorff, both Jewish by the way) via UNICEF and the WHO, to inoculate as many Gazan children and women as possible.
Last Friday a two-week pause in all fighting in Gaza was declared in order to ensure that the population would have the opportunity to receive the vaccine. This is not a complete ceasefire, but a temporary pause in major military activity.
Do you remember the chant “All Eyes on Rafah?” in late May? It was very popular on college campuses, and with certain politicians including European heads of state, the Vatican and President Biden and Vice President Harris. They insisted that the IDF not go into the last remaining terrorist city/hotbed in Gaza- Rafiah on the Egyptian border. Israel was accused of doing enough damage and killing enough people. It was incumbent upon Israel for its existence to eliminate terrorism: to control the Philadelphia Corridor on the border, finding and blowing up terror tunnels and smuggling routes between Egypt and Gaza. To find and eliminate terrorists and weapons stashes. And to find and bring back remaining hostages, alive or dead.
Several high level Hamas leaders and commanders of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad groups were killed or captured as of the past three weeks. The new head of Hamas is Yaya Sinwar, mastermind of the 7 October incursion and massacre in Israel. Sinwar was a senior terrorist serving a life sentence in Israeli prison for plotting terror and for murder. While incarcerated, he received two university degrees and became fluent in Hebrew, studying Israeli life and culture. He was successfully treated by Jewish doctors for a brain tumor before his release in 2011 in a massive prisoner swap (1000 convicted Palestinian terrorists for one IDF soldier, Gila’s Shalit). Last week, it was reported that Sinwar was hiding in Rafiah tunnels, changing location every day. He surrounds himself with 20-22 of the Israelis taken hostage and is dressing as an old woman in a burka as a disguise (leading to several really funny memes).
Also in Rafiah, last Tuesday, in the tunnel system, the IDF was in pursuit of a group of 14 terrorists. After an intense firefight at the approach of the tunnel, the elite Shayetet Brigade found an old man sitting, bound in an underground shaft. He spoke to them in Hebrew. Farhan Allkadi Qaid had been held captive for 11 months. He was not Jewish. He was a Bedouin Muslim man, 52, father of 11. He worked as an unarmed guard at the agricultural processing center at Kibbutz Nahal Oz. He was rescued by the Israeli soldiers and Shin Bet (Israeli FBI) and flown by helicopter to Soroka Medical Center. Over 40 pounds lighter, Qaid was in otherwise good condition. He described how he witnessed the slow death from starvation of his 82 year old cell mate, Aryeh Zalmanovich. His testimony included witnessing Hamas murder captives and torture others including operating on hostages without the use of sedation. Qaid himself underwent a makeshift surgery at Al Shifa Medical complex to remove a bullet to the leg….without any anesthesia. He was reunited with family at the hospital and release to his community on Thursday. All of Israel was rejoicing over the rescue of another hostage. It did not matter that he was not Jewish.
Muslim Bedouin hostage rescued by IDF, treated by an Orthodox Jewish doctorReunited with his eldest son in Israel’s Soroka Hospital, Beersheva
Whether it is common knowledge or not, Israel has been involved in fighting a major war on several fronts: of course, in Gaza. There is the daily threat of Hizbulla in the North, raining down rockets and suicide drones several times a day for the past 11 months. The Houthis are a true threat to the port city of Eilat on the Red Sea. They have been blocking several sites around the Gulf of Aqaba and the Gulf of Aden in the Arabian Sea, attacking freight liners that dare to enter the area. All are Iran proxies, including Syrian rebels bordering the Golan Heights. Then there is the threat of a Fifth Column, the enemy from within. These are growing Muslim Arab Israeli communities within the borders of the country. Not all, but many have become increasingly hostile to the Jewish and Christian citizens. I will write about this particular problem very soon.
Another unreported threat and war is occurring in Judaea and Samaria. This is the area termed by Yassar Arafat and the media (in the 1970s) as the West Bank. I will also write a blogpost on this particular swath of land next week (I am in the process of doing a paid piece on this subject. Bear with me…) Samaria, the northern part of this piece of highly contested land, is Israel’s Biblical heartland. Much of the writings of the Tanach (Old Testament) occur in Samaria and Judaea. Besides random kibbutzim and Jewish towns, much of the area is desolate and settled by Bedouin and Muslim cities. The city of Jenin, for over a century a hotbed of terrorism against Jewish communities, is labeled as a refugee camp. This sprawling city has been labeled a ‘refugee camp’ by the UN for over 50 years now. It is a known nest of smuggling of cash, weapons and drugs from Jordan into Israel.
The local Imams regularly call for resistance and for intifada against Jews. Intifada is a term that means armed resistance and destruction of the Jewish state of Israel to eradicate the land of Jews and Christians and make it a place for only Palestinians/Muslims.
Why and how does this affect you?
There are cries throughout Europe and the US to “globalize the intifada.” Take this seriously. It is not just a bunch of ignorant university students. These radical Islamists want to create terror and chaos throughout the world to bring it into submission to Allah. They would like nothing else than to impose Shariah law. It is no joke. Look at Detroit and other cities in Michigan, Minnesota, and Illinois. For them it is a matter of violence and dominance. In Israel, we see the threat and take it seriously. Every week here there is an attempted stabbing, suicide bombing, car ramming. Much of it takes place in the ‘West Bank,’ but sometimes it breaks through.
Last week alone (including this past Saturday night), 3 separate suicide bombers were killed in what we call “work related accidents.” Two men were planning to blow themselves up in Tel Aviv. One at a synagogue and one on a crowded street. Both of their suicide vests containing pounds of explosives, went off prematurely (in an empty parking lot and in an alleyway) before the terrorists could reach their intended locations. The other terrorist was in the process of planting a car bomb in Gush Etzion when the detonation device misfired, killing him, thwarting his plans to drive it into a city in Judaea, blowing everything to bits there.
Just yesterday, three Israeli police, two young men and a woman, were killed in a drive-by shooting close to Hebron, Judaea. Hebron is the site of the Cave of Machpelah, the tombs of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca and Leah, the patriarchs and matriarchs of the Judaeo-Christian faiths. Today, it is mostly Muslim, with one small neighborhood surrounding Machpelah which is Jewish. The terrorist was found after a lengthy search and eliminated. Saturday, an IDF soldier, Elkana Navon, 20, was killed and three others wounded during clashes with Hamas terrorists in Jenin. There are growing numbers of Hamas associated units acting in local Arab villages on Israel’s border with Jordan.
There has been a surge in the number of illegal weapons flowing into Israel from Jordan on behalf of the Iranian backed Palestinians militias. According to Uri R., a valley resident, “ Small Palestinian villages surround the Jewish communities and they now each have a Hamas squad in it. It is a frightening situation with an all too porous border. We are continually being shot at. The IDF is trying to hold down the roads, as the terror cells try to plant IEDs on the roads and within their own towns to deter any military (IDF) presence.” Daniel Rosenfeld, a resident of Moshav Shadmot Mehola reported, “ Thee used to be a sort of coexistence here. Residents of Tubas and Tamil, which have become Hamas strongholds, used to come to our house for coffee. The man who built my house is from Tubas. October 7 put an end to that idyll.” Their villages are expanding at such a rate as to choke off and isolate the Jewish settlements there.
As a result, IDF presence in Judaea and Samaria has grown significantly. A third battalion has recently been added to rout out the nests of terror and protect the Jews living in the area. People are welcoming the added security on the roads. Older armed IDF reservists are actively engaged in organized patrolling of their own communities, checking border fences, making sure the roads are cleared and watching for the increased threat of Islamic snipers from neighboring towns. Last week, the IDF raided a mosque and found an explosives laboratory within. 17 people were arrested.
The news from Rafiah Saturday night sent the nation reeling. Six more bodies were discovered close to the place where Qaid Farhan (above) was rescued. It turns out that Hamas operatives knew Qaid had been discovered and was possibly giving intelligence to the army and Shin Bet. They heard soldiers drawing closer to where they were keeping the hostages. All six were executed at point blank range with gunshots to the head. This was after almost a year of torture. Names of the recovered captives were slowly released on Sunday morning.
The executed hostages include American Hirsh Goldberg-Polin, 23; Master Sargent Ori Danino, 25; Eden Yerushalmi, 24; Almog Sarusi, 27; Alex Lobanov, 33 and Carmel Gat,40
All eyes on Rafah. Kidnapped to Rafah. Tortured in Rafah. Executed in Rafah. But the world’s eyes remained closed. The news misreported as usual. Six young people stolen from their loved ones and then deliberately murdered is not a tragedy. It is a war crime. But the eyes of the international community remains shut.
The pain is horrific, shared by all our Israeli brothers and sisters. A fear has gripped many that any remaining captive will be assassinated. I can’t begin to imagine. But it is being used to Israel’s detriment. We have once again become a nation even more divided than before this war began. Immediately, opposition party leader, former Prime Minister Yair Lapid held Netanyahu and the current government responsible. Mass protests, demonstrations and disturbances were called for. Playing right into the hands of Iran and Sinwar, the national labor union called for a massive strike. At 6am today all people in the labor sector and service industry, educators, universities, medical centers, transportation, dockworkers, drivers….would hold a nationwide halting of work. Protests, which started last night blocking freeways, are being held in a nationwide Day of Disruption. An immediate complete ceasefire in exchange for hostages is being called for. Due to lack of personnel, Ben Gurion Airport was closed again this morning creating a huge snafu. Only this time, it was at the hands of our own people.
The majority of the Israeli population, on the other hand, believes in the necessity to complete the operation of eliminating terrorism. As many hostages which can be rescued remains top priority. Evil must be eradicated from the area. Jailed terrorists should not be traded and the radicals must not be allowed to regroup and attack again as they have promised.
The funeral of Hirsh Goldberg-Polin was held last night.
Our country is torn in two once again. The media, both Israeli and globally, is on the side of the protestors. They did not just ‘die’ while in Gaza, they were shot in the face numerous times making the identification of the bodies more difficult. Funerals are being held throughout the land, with the irony of two of the funerals being held up because of protesters blocking the roads. How to go forward? Israel is at another crossroads and needs prayer – lots of prayer. We pray for wisdom for the government and peace within our society. Together and united we will be victorious.
6 dead- or 6 murdered?Israel says??? As if it’s unbelievableTalks always rejected by Hamas Not working. Not dependent upon this newsOnce again, they did not just die, they were executed
Red sky at night, sailors’ delight– Red sky at morning, sailors take warning.
We landed home in Israel early Friday morning. There’s something special about flying with a plane full of Israelis. It’s tradition for all the passengers to give a hearty round of applause to the pilot when the airplane lands. It’s their way of saying thank you and I just love it.
My Hebrew nickname on social media is “eemahleh,” little momma. As we got to the train station, the conductor said, “Shabbat shalom, Savtahleh,” which translates little grandma. After the past week with all the grandkids (6 and counting), it suited me quite well. The airplane was jam packed with returning vacationers. ElAl is the only airline flying in and out of the country now. The train out of Tel Aviv was more than packed, with lots of soldiers on leave for Shabbat. Caked with dirt, many were serving in Gaza. I absolutely love the fact that a young woman was going through the train cars handing out Shabbat candles and prayers and miniature challah breads. This is home!
After shopping and cooking for the weekend, I was more than ready to fall into bed early. John and I were emotionally and physically drained. We slept soundly until 11am. Max, whose bedroom is downstairs, was incredulous that I had actually slept through all the action. At around 1:30am, Hizbulla launched three missiles on their way to Haifa. Iron Dome took them out almost directly overhead. Max said that two explosions were incredibly loud and that they shook the whole house.
When we were in the States all of our friends and family were glad we had decided to return… for good. Many thought we were crazy for living in a war zone. For being so far from family. For being away from America. But this is home for us now. And we have been spared most of the action. We are safe thus far and have no fear of things to come.
Things to come happened last night. Both John and I had a difficult time falling asleep, which usually means we need to pray (and I need to take my melatonin). It was unusually quiet with only the sounds of jackals in the distant hills. No jets. No drones. Finally, we drifted off, but I was awakened around 5am to the sound of jets and distant booming, kind of like rolling thunder. For a second I thought I was back in Florida, and that another storm had moved in. But the sounds continued and the room had a red glow to it. I looked out the window, and the sky was flashing red and gold. The jets circled overhead and the sky grew lighter with the dawn. The booming stopped by 8:30.
As it happened, Israeli intelligence spotted the thousand missiles on launch pads pop up in southern Lebanon. That and the letter the government received from Hizbulla operatives (they have official letterhead???)
At 4:45 am, over 100 IDF jets from airbases all over the country made a preemptive strike against Hizbulla. The terrorist group had been preparing a mass attack against Israel targeting Tel Aviv, military headquarters and intelligence, and central Israel. Over 6,000 targets were hit including rocket launch pads, missiles, drones and more. They, in return, fired off over 300 rockets and drones at northern Israel. There were two direct hits on homes in Akko. This is far short of what they intended to do. Thee were no reports of casualties in Israel. It’s a huge blow to Iran and its proxy. Thank the Iron Dome, the IDF and especially G-d, for His miraculous protection.
Photos taken by a resident of neighboring Ma’alot
Supposedly, that was all Hizbulla intended to do as “payback” for Israel’s killing of their general, Al Shukri. As of a few minutes ago (I’m writing this on Sunday afternoon), Prime Minister Netanyahu warned “Israel isn’t done yet. This is only the start of changing the game in the north.” Home Front Command and our local municipality have issued directives to limit both indoor and outdoor gatherings (we are invited to a wedding September 4). All northern beaches are closed to the public today. We are to be prepared and to stay within access to a bomb shelter if sirens are heard. We are on extra high alert over the next 24-48 hours.
Ben Gurion Airport and all Israeli airspace was closed last night. It finally resumed operation at 10 this morning. It’s a good thing we made it home when we did. This morning, we had to travel to Ma’alot to pick up our dog. I got pictures one of the men at the kennel took earlier in the morning (see above). They are much closer to the Lebanese border than we are, and although the traffic was much lighter than usual, no we were not scared traveling the roads. Patrols were out, and we proceeded as usual.
Getting back to our city, I decided to do some more grocery shopping to last us for the next week or so. We were surprised with how many people were in the store. Everyone we spoke with felt the same sentiment. Israel has been putting up with these terrorists for way too long now. Thousands of rockets and suicide drones have been unleashed upon us since 8 October. Over 80,000 people have been displaced from their homes for the past year. They are true refugees, giving up home and businesses. Everyone wants Israel to finish off Hizbulla (not the Lebanese citizens) and restore safety to the North. Just do it and get it over with.
Also this morning, the Houthi terrorists of Yemen blew up an oil tanker causing over 150,000 tons of crude oil to pollute the Red Sea. This is expected to cause an ecological crisis larger than when the Exon Valdez incident. Will all of this go reported by the mainstream media?
It is widely believed that the ongoing war with Hamas in Israel and with the Houthis and Hizbulla have just been a distraction used by Iran to cover up its nuclear weaponization. Iran is thought to be a née week or two away from a nuclear bomb. All it needs is now in place. It has the delivery methods ready. All that is needed is additional work to make them nuclear capable. The only nation acting to stop them is Israel. U.S. intelligence agencies previously assured the world that the Iranian regime was not interested in weaponization. Unclassified documents are now stating otherwise.
In the meantime, the bombing seems to have stopped. The ‘first phase’ of the attack against Israel has been declared over by Hizbulla. Nazralla, the leader of Hizbulla, is supposed to make a televised speech at 6pm. The IDF was extremely successful in fending off a massive attack against its citizens today. We sit and wait. Will any of this be covered on your news, and if so, in what way? More updates to follow.
A lovely reminder at the entrance to our city declares that “G-d is King. There is no one else but Him.” “Ayn ode mil-van-DOE”. We have no one to fear. We have the L-rd.
We waited at Ben Gurion International in Tel Aviv for hours and hours as our flight out of the country was delayed. It turns out ElAl had been evacuating stranded Israeli vacationers from Europe, North America and other destinations around the world. When something is happening, Israelis want to be home. Before we even boarded, our designated flight had made a stop in Larnaca, Cyprus carrying a full plane load of returning Israelis. All other airlines had canceled all their flights earlier last week. Hence the major delays.
So how can ElAl fly under threat of MidEast war and Iranian attack by drones or missiles? I had heard from a retired IDF general a couple years ago that ElAl is the only airline in the world that has anti-missile defense on every plane. I also heard that this was just an Urban Legend, so I did some sleuthing on my own. After learning what I now know, I will never fly another airline into or out of Israel. The Israeli chutzpah is inimitable and they are resolute in their service and safety to their customers. So what makes them so confident?
Every aircraft is equipped with state-of-the-art, cutting edge technology (there are many secrets) that detects incoming missiles. Originally called Flight Guard, the system was first developed by the IAF in 2004. It detected any missiles that came into the airplane’s vicinity and diverted them using flares which emit heat, thereby tricking or re-routing the missile’s trajectory. Basically, the flare throws the missile off its intended path of destruction.
In 2015 the airline updated to an even more advanced system, called CMUSIC. It was developed by Elbit Systems in Karmi’el. Instead of relying on flares, CMUSIC is a Directed Infra-Red Counter Measure designed specifically to thwart surface-to-air missiles that target planes. It disrupts the missile’s sensors by using high tech AI guided lasers. CMUSIC is fully automated with a less than two second response time from the time a missile is detected. This system allows the pilot and co-pilot to continue to fly the aircraft without interruption. ElAl is the only airline that does not pause their flight service during wartime while it maintains the utmost security in protecting its passengers. The patented system has been sold to protect the private planes of heads of state, like Air Force One.
We flew out of an imminent war zone and into a Category 1 hurricane, Debby. Yes, I had to play the latest Israeli hit song, Hurricane, because that’s what it seems our lives are like now. The day we flew out, my 97 year old father-in-law, fell and broke his hip. We raced up the Florida coast in a driving rainstorm so that we could get to the hospital. The feisty and determined old Air Force Colonel made it out of a successful surgery on Tuesday and was moved into a rehab facility this morning. So our visit has taken quite the twist.
I’ve noticed that since we’ve been in the States, all eyes are fixed on two things: the Olympic Games, Olympic Highlights, Olympic Athlete interviews and the upcoming US election. Despite current escalation in the Middle East; massacre, rioting and government crackdowns on freedom in ‘B@tsh!t Bonkers Britain;” foiled ISIS terror attack on the Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna; Pakistani Islamist Massacres of the Hindus; and other world events, Americans are steadfast in their sports with the political scene coming in a close second.
Back in Israel, construction has commenced on our house. The landlady has sent us photos of the work in progress. The roof is being fixed and waterproofed and the mold problem is being excised from the ceiling and walls. The huge concrete planters are being leakproofed. New windows will be put into the skylight and the house will be re-stuccoed and re-painted. I can’t even begin to imagine workers on the roof when a red alert sounds. Have these people become so immune to threat of missile fire? Lordy, I hope that once the house is fixed, it will stand intact if a full blown war does happen.
In the meantime, quite a few Israelis are passing the time waiting for Nasrallah and the Ayatollah to plan and execute their attack. It’s usually announced ahead of time, but things seem a little muddled now. Iran is giving indication that they only wanted to ‘punish’ Israel and not involve any other nation’s armies. The Israelis are doing what they do best: comedy – in the form of stand-up routines, short video clips and memes for social media.
One person jokingly tweeted, “Nasrallah: Maybe tonight, maybe tomorrow, maybe in a week.” And the responses flooded in. Some include, ”Exactly what the cable company just told me.” And another, “Me when someone asks me when I’m starting to study for exams.” Another person joked, ” My dad: So when are you finally moving out?” Israelis are the most unserious group ever. During trying times, what better way to cope than to laugh?
A friend of mine did a hysterical comedy short about trying to shop for survival food for the family. Snacks, carbs, snacks, carbs, and everything misspelled into horribly transliterated English. Another family filmed themselves during “The Long Wait” with the father napping in front of the TV, one hand with an open book on the rise of Islam, the other hand still in the popcorn. The kids all asleep during an infinite game of “Monopole” (misspelled Monopoly). The dog asleep and snoring loudly. Mother and baby curled up in the comfy chair. And lastly, the cute post of the person marking days off the calendar with the caption “Waiting for Khameni to fire off his rockets already.” It’s been two weeks since the threat came down and the Isrelis are restless.
From the other side of the world, I feel guilty for leaving. But this vacation has been planned for months now. I pray an alternative resolution to this whole mess comes before any further violence occurs. I pray for the protection of the Israeli citizens. And during these Three Weeks/Nine Days, I dread the 13 August or Tisha b’Av, a notoriously disastrous day for the Children of Israel worldwide.
For those of you who tried using the link I gave for providing needed gear to the soldiers, here is a correct and direct link:
Causematch.com/bc
Gia displays his new protective gear
Gia came over to thank us for the gear and had John put the vest on. He was elated. Gia patrols the Northern border between Israel and Samaria (aka West Bank). It’s more than dangerous with hidden roadside IEDs and armed militants.
What more can I add? We pray the Psalms mostly in addition tomorrow other prayers. I listen to what in America would be called worship songs, mostly in Hebrew. Everything is packed for our trip. All the laundry is done. The house is fairly clean. The saferoom ready to go. This morning I gave John a haircut. Watered the garden. Made tuna salad. Made egg salad to last through until Sunday. We will be eating our Shabbat dinner earlier than usual tonight.
After three days of mourning all the terrorists that were taken down, Friday night marks the intense waiting period. Iran, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and possibly Turkey have vowed combined and punishing retribution. It could come as soon as tonight. Israel stands as ready as she will ever be. More communities were evacuated from places close to the Lebanese border. Whole cities. Small kibbutzim. Factories using hazardous materials were ordered to shutter and secure by noon yesterday. Citizens have been told to stay close to shelters and be familiar with surroundings. No panic. No fear. Just be aware.
We were told to not use cell phones to film UAVs. I have had two friends in the States tell me to “never trust the government. By not photographing, they are trying to cover up something.” I have spoken with three tech people here in Israel. All have said the new UAV technology hones in on GPS signaling. By using a cell phone to take photos, your whereabouts could be tracked. Use caution. You don’t want to invite a surprise guest to your home.
We have not talked with our children. Our son is in camp. Our daughters do not listen to the news. We don’t want to worry them unnecessarily. Our plans to board a plane Sunday night for the States have not changed. We have planned this family reunion for six months now. It will be the first time the whole family has been really together with quiet, quality time, in almost 15 years. We have weddings, anniversaries and births to celebrate. We will be there….
We pray for angelic protection for all the troops as well as for all the citizens of Israel. We pray for a Divine shield of protection to fill in any gaps not supplied by Iron Dome, David’s Sling or the Arrow. We pray that the Spirit of G-d will be within and upon every single troop and all the members of our government. We pray that every stronghold of the enemy will be torn down. We pray that there will be no fear for the L-rd of Hosts goes before us.
As one of my favorite rabbis, Rabbi Michael Barclay of Ner Simcha in Westlake Village, CA (do we miss you now, Rabbi Michael!!!), the darkness might seem impenetrable, but there is Light and Light always defeats and follows the darkness. A new day is dawning. Just hold fast, hold onto HaShem and wait for that glorious Light which always appears. It’s just over the horizon. Day always follows night.
In the meantime I leave you with this update…. It is full of news you might not get in your country.
What I am listening to: (it is customary not to listen to music during the three week period leading up to Tisha b’Av on 13 August, but these are special times and I pray best with music….no apologies)
It’s been a tense couple of days. Netanyahu returned to Israel from norm his US visit early Sunday, Israel time. Immediately the war cabinet was convened to discuss a response to the Hizbulla attack on a Druze town in the Golan Heights that killed 12 children and injured scores more.
Yesterday, Lebanon also sent munitions laden drones over the Mediterranean Sea in attempts to blow up Israel’s Karish oil and gas rigs. As an aside, under the former Prime Minister Yair Lapid, half of the revenue received from the extraction and sale of the fuel go directly to Lebanon. It essentially gives Hizbulla another cash stream, so it doesn’t make a lot of sense that they would want to take it out. In another attack, shrapnel from another Hizbulla missile launched deep into the Northern Galilee hit a 30 year old man on Kibbutz haGoshrim. He was outdoors gardening. By the time the ambulance came, there was nothing they could do to save his life.
Late last night (Tuesday) the IDF announced that Fouad Shokker, aka Sayid Moshen was killed by a precision missile in a Beirut neighborhood. Moshen was the second in command of Hizbulla under Nasrallah. He was the military leader responsible for planning and carrying out terror attacks and military strategy. In 2017, the US offered a $5million bounty as one of the leading faces of a terrorist organization working under Iran. He played a key role in the 1983 attack on the U.S. military barracks in Beirut during the Reagan Administration. 241 American servicemen were killed. He was also wanted for the assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Harari. And he planned the Madj al Shams missile strike last Saturday.
The IDF strike was carried out mid afternoon by an F-35, drones and a precision guided missile. The missile struck the exact room in the exact apartment in which he was staying. Shocker’s bodyguard was also killed in the strike, which sends a clear message to terrorists in hiding that Israeli intelligence is accurate; that hiding is futile; that the military capabilities of Israel are undaunted and supreme.
For us, it was actually a fairly peaceful night. We tried to watch the Peseid meteor shower, an annual event in our family, but had little luck seeing any ‘shooting stars.’ Just as well. We woke up in the morning to the big news.
Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas, worth a cool $4billion, had been assassinated. Just yesterday he was celebrating the inauguration of the new president of Iran in Tehran. He met late last night with Iran’s Supreme leader, Ali Khameni and another leader of the Islamic Jihad movement. Israel did not take credit for it, but Hamas announced Haniyeh had been killed at 2 am in his Tehran home (one of several), in his bedroom. His bodyguard was also eliminated. supposedly, it was a precision guided missile strike from a drone that came straight through his window.
As I write this according to Israel breaking news, according to an Iranian report, one of Haniyeh’s bodyguards leaked the information to the assassins. The report alleges that a short-range Spike missile, from the Israeli American Spike missile program (Israeli developed/US manufacturing), known for its accuracy, was fired at Haniyeh’s bedroom, in northern Tehran from within Iran. The missile reportedly penetrated his bedroom, killing him immediately. Sky News, Arabic, has quoted Iranian sources stating that the building where Ismail Haniyeh was staying was attacked by a missile launched from a nearby building.
So we are now on ultra super high alert. It is strangely silent here. No jets. No helicopters. No drones. All airspace north of Hadera (just north of Tel Aviv) has been halted. Ben Gurion Airport is still open. I’ve heard from 2 vacationing friends that they are taking the next airplane back to Israel today in the event the airport closes. We are supposed to leave for our vacation on Sunday night. Fingers and toes crossed.
In the meantime, I have received messages from the Home Front Command to take all red alert warnings seriously. To be prepared. For what, they didn’t say. So it’s a waiting game. Keep busy is the word of the day.
Our dear, sweet next door neighbor has been called back up to the reserves, we found out last night. Gia has helped us so much and always looks out for us – carrying heavy bags, watering our plants when we are gone, checking up on us, bringing meals when John is hospitalized. He and his wife Yanna have an adorable 4 1/2 year old son, and Yanna is pregnant again, due in late October. Gia serves in an extremely dangerous area. I asked him about the protective gear he was given, and he showed us. It was pathetic. Old and worn. The helmet looked like something left over from a M*A*S*H set and the ‘bulletproof’ vest had straps falling apart and smelled like cat pee.
The IDF is great at some things, but other things…. Anyway, I immediately got on the phone and called up Chaya Hitin, the American Israeli Wonder Woman I wrote about two weeks ago. She and her friend, Dani Mael, have formed Unit 11741 to be of direct help to provide the soldiers with lightweight state of the art protective gear. She was able to hold a helmet and vest for Gia (4000 plus soldiers are on the direct waiting list!) and he was able to pick it up this morning. It is nothing short of miraculous, the things we can accomplish when we all work together.
Chaya was saving the life of a soldier. We were saving the life of our neighbor, a husband and father, so that he could put his life on the line for his country to save us from bad guys. Seriously. There is a Jewish saying that ‘to save a life is like saving the whole world.’ And as my husband, John, said, “We all pitched in and did our mitzvah for the day.” Actually, it was John’s wallet that did the mitzvah (fulfillment of a Biblical commandment or in modern vernacular, a good deed).
So as we wait…. and tick off the minutes as Iran has promised retribution…. I beg you once again. Please. Please. Help us protect our civilians by getting much needed, modern protective gear for our soldiers. It is they who are holding off the advancement of terrorism and evil in the world. A helmet costs only $275. And a bulletproof vest with ceramic plates costs about $800. They are now being manufactured directly in Israel. Go in with a group and sponsor a soldier today. Please. Please. Please. Go to unit11741.com today-
Gia proudly displays his new helmet and swag bag of protective gear
Breaking news: Iranian IRGC commander Amir Ali Hajizadeh warns the people of Israel. “ Be prepared to tell the Zionists what the punishment for shedding the blood of a guest (Haniyeh) in our home.” Cue the creepy organ music-
Not over yet, my friends!
Breaking breaking news: on all the TV stations… Tehran has just raised The Red Flag of Revenge over their main mosque in Tehran. Not a joke, Man. The Religion of Peace actually has a red flag of revenge. Is this kinda like the pirate 🏴☠️ Black Spot?????
Israel Dreams 