Guest Post: In Israel
[Below are the emails our friend Josh Blumenthal received from his brother, preceded by a short note from Josh. Josh and his brother have kindly agreed to share the reports with us.]
My friends,
My oldest brother (David) is visiting in Israel with his wife (Ursula). They are in Jerusalem. They have two sons there, Phillipe and Jonathan, both of whom are married and each has one child. David has written emails twice each day to a large group of family and friends and, for those who might be interested in a view from inside the country but not directly in the immediate war zone, I thought I'd share them. I've passed the first few to Fearless Leader to post as he sees fit. If there is interest, I will share more as I get them. He write in the morning and evening, Jerusalem time.
Josh
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Day One
Dear family and friends,
Thank you all for your emails, messages, and WhatsApps expressing your concern and adding your prayers for us, our children, and all those in Israel. Please excuse the general letter and the occasional embedded explanations for our non-Jewish friends.
Today is the last day of Sukkot and the day on which we celebrate the end of the annual reading of the Torah. Philippe and I had decided last night to attend the early service so as to avoid a long morning of liturgy. So, at 5:00 a.m. I got up, exercised, dressed, and we left for synagogue at 6:00 a.m. The service was very fast and very well organized and, in the middle of the reading of the Torah, the air raid siren went off. We received loud and clear instructions to go to the cellar or to get up against one of the inner walls of the synagogue. After about 40 seconds, we heard three loud blasts as the Iron Dome intercepted rockets sent to kill us. When no further siren sounded, we went outside and went on with the service. There, too, we received precise instructions on what to do in case of a siren and attack. In the midst of the service, we again heard explosions but they were far away. It was Iron Dome intercepting rockets over Tel Aviv.
Ursula was not with us. She was at home in Philippe’s apartment washing her hair. She wisely decided to exit the shower and get into the secure room. Modern Israeli apartments all have heavily reinforced concrete rooms with special windows and special doors. She was joined by our granddaughter, Keren, and her boyfriend, Ro’i. After the immediate threat passed, they left the secure room and Ursula finished washing her hair. They were all calm when we returned from services.
Then, the process of gathering information started. We listened to Israeli television, our computer, and our iPhones. The young folks followed on social media. It quickly became clear that there was something very serious going on in the south. As you probably know by now, Palestinians from Gaza used cars, trucks, and tractors to break down the fence that divides Israel from Gaza. The Palestinians then proceeded to the Israeli border communities, killing many people and seizing others. Five or six communities were invaded. Over 150 Israelis have been killed and many more wounded. The broadcasts included calls from people in these communities crying and pleading for help. It was terrible to listen to. One woman had her three children in a secure room with her and a knife, which she knew would not help her at all, and she could hear the Palestinians talking and searching for Jews.
The government called up the fighting reserves and dispatched special units to free the seized communities. But it takes time to get such forces together, to move them to the area, and for them to do their work. The government also started attacking military targets in Gaza by air though that stopped later in the day. Assembling a response force also takes a lot of time, partly because the process includes not only getting soldiers and equipment prepared but because there is a lot of internal and foreign political work that has to be done.
There seemed to be nothing for us to do but Keren and Ro’i did something very remarkable. They are both is pre-army training programs and, while Keren is assigned to the north, Ro’I is assigned to the communities around Gaza. So, the two of them checked back and forth on social media trying to find Ro’i’s friends and unit. The place he is assigned was assaulted and a rocket hit the place next to where he would have been standing. He still does not know if the farmer for whom he was working is alive. They then succeeded in finding one of his friends who is in a nearby community and established that he was alive. So, they walked over to his parents’ house. The parents had no way to be in touch with their son and so Keren and Ro’I were able to bring them the good news that he was still alive and safe.
Israel is a people which is alertly self-critical and so we have been talking about how this could have happened, and what will happen now.
Question number 1: How did Israeli military intelligence not know this was coming? It was a pretty large and well-prepared invasion. They should have known about it.
Question number 2: Why is there only a fence, albeit with electronic equipment for parts of it, on the Israeli-Gaza border? Elsewhere, there is a solid wall that would have avoided such a lightly armed invasion. The reasonable answer is that the Israelis just did not expect the Palestinians to drive over the fence and invade. They underestimated the enemy and so, they did not have a proper border.
Question number 3: Why did Hamas choose to do this now? There are three answers.
(1) It is hard for Americans or Europeans to understand but Palestinians hate Jews. Hate is a very central motif in Palestinian, and indeed in Islamic, culture and religion. Even if they are not fully equipped, they are ready to kill Jews. I know that those of you who are progressives will not agree with this but you have never been bombed in church or in synagogue.
(2) The Palestinians want to disrupt the US-Israeli-Saudi peace initiative, mostly at the instigation of Iran which is one of the main reasons for the initiative, but also because they do not want the Saudis to make peace without doing something for them. Palestinians do not want a Palestinian state which would also recognize any kind of Jewish state. “From the (Jordan) River to the sea” is what they want; i.e., the destruction of Israel and the establishment of a Palestinian state over the whole area. And they do not want Saudi Arabia, or anyone else, to settle for anything less than that.
8:00 The siren has just sounded again and I am writing from the secure room. Unfortunately, Philippe, Nili, Keren, and Ro’I are out in the car on their way to Ro’i’s house. I can hear the explosions of the Iron Dome … 8:05 We are still here. Since there is no further siren, I presume it is clear but will remain here for a while.
3The Jews were praying. It is a holiday of joy today, “the time of our rejoicing.” We dance with the Torah and sing. Non-religious Jews were on their way to the beach or the mountains for the last day of this eight-day holiday. Jews were not attacking Gaza. Jews were not attacking Palestinians anywhere. They were praying and that is reason enough to attack Jews. Ironically, many of the people who are now captives of Hamas in Gaza are foreign workers from Thailand, the Philipines, and elsewhere. Hatred is not rational.
8:20 Philippe and Nili are safely back. I will stop for dinner.
Question number 4: What is likely to happen next? We know nothing; the government will decide. But there is a common opinion among many that Israel will first finish recovering territory invaded, releasing as many hostages as possible, and then retaliate very strongly. The price the Palestinians will pay will be high, as it should be. Killing and capturing civilians in a surprise attack is not justified. Most of the world seems to accept this though it should be self-evident to all. Then, the bargaining will begin. The hardest part will be the price Hamas sets on releasing the hostages that were taken to Gaza. It’s always like that. We just hope and pray that HIzbollah, who are also Iranian agents in Lebanon and who are better equipped, stay out of the conflict and refrain from opening up a northern front. Israelis practice how to wage such a war but it would be a difficult one.
All our plans are up in the air. Some of the Hamas Palestinians have commandeered Israeli cars and are driving around looking for victims. So, we cannot just drive around the country to visit friends or new places. Most civil aviation has also been suspended. In addition, school and other public events have been canceled. We’ll see what happens. Our departure to Switzerland is scheduled for the 17th.
We are expecting further sirens tonight. Still, off to bed with prayers for peace.
Very best from all of us,
David and Ursula, and family
Day 2A
Dear friends,
We have been overwhelmed by the number of you who have sought us out to comfort us and to pray for us. It has been very important to the whole family. Thank You.
8:30 a.m. The night was quiet here; only two sirens early in the evening. Friends in Tel Aviv, however, are reporting nearby buildings that have been struck and severely damaged by rockets that made it through the Iron Dome shield. No reports on deaths, yet. In the south, however, matters are not good. The Palestinian terrorists have not been fully driven out of Israel and there are fierce battles going on. Over 300 are dead and over 1600 are wounded. That is a very large number for a small population. Proportional comparisons with 9/11 American losses are horrific. The situation of the hostages -- estimates say about 50 soldiers and civilians, including women -- is very, very painful. Previous hostages have remained in Palestinian prisons for years, often subjected to torture, and the price for redeeming them has been punitive. The pictures of Israelis being beaten and dragged around by Palestinians are very, very hard to see. Hatred goes a long way here. Meanwhile, retaliation from the air goes on but no entry into Gaza so far. Also, there is some activity on the Lebanon front, which could be really dangerous.
Meanwhile, Benjamin has kept in close touch with us from Dallas. He did point out that his whole family is here! Philippe and family, Jonathan and family, and ourselves. If the war should expand to the northern front, we could all die. This is a terrible situation for him to be in. Benjamin also reported on the observance of Simhat Torah in his Dallas synagogue. (Simhat Torah is the celebration of the conclusion of the reading of the Torah and the beginning of the next cycle. It is characterized by dancing, drinking, eating, and great joy.) The rabbi began by saying two things: First, the chain of observance has never been broken and now is not the time for us to do that. And second, that, if there are people who cannot celebrate because they are dead or hostages or under fire, then we must celebrate even more strongly for them. A very beautiful thought. So, they danced with fervor, though they were not happy about eating. The standard prayers for the State of Israel and the troops that defend it were particularly moving, as you can imagine. Of course, this being Texas, there were a lot of guns in synagogue.
Keren and her boyfriend, Ro’I, are going to volunteer at the children’s hospital. Nili is going to help her brother by baby-sitting their 3-year-old child. Philippe is out and around. Everyone has been asked to stay off the streets so emergency vehicles and police can move freely, and to keep the doors locked at all times. We, the elderly, are useless. Raphi called us. He urged us to leave Israel but that is a major operation for two elderly people, in addition to being a rat-leaving-the-ship response. The best thing we can do is stay at home, stay hydrated, eat properly, and keep ourselves out of the health care system. The last thing the Israelis need is an 83-year-old woman who is unstable on her feet and an almost-85-year--old man with a suprapubic catheter and an external bag running around on the streets. What happens if we are out and the siren sounds? Who will have to risk their own lives to help us? And if we get hurt, the hospitals do not need an unnecessary injured person. Ursula cannot even go shopping, an otherwise familiar activity at which she has talent. I think that writing these letters is about the most I can do. Thank you for reading them.
I will write again later in the day.
Blessings,
David
Day 2B
Dear family and friends,
6:57 p.m. Everyone is expecting action tonight so I’d like to get this written while I still can.
During the day, we have checked in with friends:
A former student has a son who is now in Rome but has been called up. He and the members of his unit who are with him pressed El Al to get them to Israel so they can report in for duty. And they succeeded.
A cousin has a son whom he dropped off for a pickup this morning, direction Gaza, to join his unit.
A colleague wrote and said that he, being my age, cannot go but he has five (!) grandchildren who have been called up and are on their way south.
A friend of Philippe’s has three sons and one son-in-law who have left for the south.
Another former student who lives here had his recently married son called up, leaving behind a wife and three children under five.
And there are more such situations, all over Israel.
At services in the synagogue this morning, there were only old men and some approaching that age.
During the day, the ingenious and caring energy of the Israelis has come out in great force in order to provide for the soldiers and the [refugee] families. Soldiers are arriving at ill-equipped bases. Families fleeing the south have to housed. So do the families of the 1800 wounded people who are hospitalized.
Keren and Ro’i signed up for the volunteer program at the giant local hospital. They prepared food and left for the hospital a little while ago. They will probably return late.
Philippe and Nili found out that the army units have sent out calls for blankets, food, chicken, toothbrushes, toilet paper, water, cereal, bread, vegetables, and much more. So, they went to a special place and bought a large quantity of the necessary items and dropped them off. The people at the drop-off points were well organized and said, “Just leave it here. We know what to do to get it to those who need it.”
Nili found out that one of the local schools (now closed) is receiving 150 families who have fled the south tonight. So, she and Philippe bought the items listed above, plus paper, paint, and other art materials that Nili needs to do artwork with children (which is what she does all year long, and is very good at). She will spend some time there tonight helping the families get settled and will return tomorrow to work with the children. Philippe has even volunteered me to work as a trauma therapist. I’m not qualified and the Israelis have a well-develop protocol for this kind of work. But I will listen, as best I can.
And then, there are the funerals. Nili just learned that she lost a cousin and the two of them are off to do what they can for the family. She is not the only one.
Schools have been closed. Bus transportation is very limited as the busses are being used to transport soldiers to the south.
The Jewish Insider is a newsletter issued in Washington, DC, every day on Jewish themes. The current issue has a very clear summary: https://mailchi.mp/64aca2aebd8a/lessons-from-a-yom-kippur-war-hero-50-years-on-785079?e=[UNIQID].
We wish you a good night. I will write tomorrow.
Blessings of peace.
David
Day 3A
Good morning, everyone,
9:51 a.m. We are now in the third day of the war.
In Israel, there is a military censor who controls all the news, and the media voluntarily cooperate. Americans don’t have that but it is needed here, partly for security reasons but also so as not to frighten and discourage the population. As a result, dramatic videos released by Hamas and others are not shown on Israeli TV as they come out. Nor are the complete death, injury, and hostage statistics released even if the government knows them. Here, news is released as gently as possible. So, here is what we know this morning: 700 dead; 2200 wounded; and over 100 hostages held in Gaza. That is terrible, just terrible. Remember that each dead, injured, or captive person has relatives and neighbors, so these casualties are not numbers accumulated somewhere around the globe. There are family, neighbors, friends, co-workers, school chums, and so on. Everybody knows somebody. Better to release the information gradually. On the third day, the deeper truths are beginning to come out.
There is agood BBC verified reportthat sets forth how it happened. Be sure to study the second map. Some of the horror films referred to in the article are listed in the report and I hear that some of them are available on American television and also on al-Jazeera news. (Al-Jazeera’s editorial stance is virulently anti-Israel but their reporting is not bad.) The Jerusalem Post was been taken down by a cyber-attack but it is now functioning again. And, especially for those of you in Atlanta, there is thestatement of Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt, Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism.
Israelis refer to this as “our 9/11” and there is much truth to that. Most of us in this group remember well sitting in front of our television sets for hours, following the developments, feeling helpless as well as deeply angry. That is how it is now, except that this surprise attack did not last one hour. It is still going on three days later. As of this morning, Hamas terrorists still occupy Israeli territory and are still holding hostages.
The invaders were of two sorts: untrained invaders who came across the border on motorcycles, bicycles, and even on foot. Their job was to kill, or take as hostages, as many people as they could, and then retreat into Gaza. They did this well. The other sort were trained special forces who were heavily armed. Their job was to invade communities and military bases, kill and seize hostages and equipment, and then move further into Israel. Some of them stole Israeli cars, police and army uniforms from the dead, weapons, ID cards, etc. If needed, they have contacts in the local Palestinian community who will hide them. Some of these terrorists are still on the loose, which is why all apartment doors have to be locked and one never opens a door to anyone. Will we ever know if we got rid of all of them?
The other 9/11 effect is that, as time passes, we are getting eye-witness reports from survivors – from refugee families and from soldiers. These circulate from mouth to mouth and on social media. They are not exaggerations; we wish they were, but they are eye-witness accounts. Do you remember the videos of the people who jumped from the Twin Towers on 9/11? They were there. They disappeared. And then came the eye-witness reports. That is what is happening now and, with it, the reality is being established.
Many of you have asked, ‘What can I do.” As I indicated in yesterday’s letter, the soldiers and the refugees need all sorts of basic help. If you are in the U.S., you have to contribute to a properly licensed charity. Here are three suggestions: (1) TheFriends of the Israel Defence Forces(FIDF). They are a tax-exempt organization that gathers funds fornon-militaryneeds of the Israel armed forces. (2)United Hatzalah. This is the group that roams all over the country on their specially equipped motor scooters giving first aid to anyone in need. And (3), the localFederation of Jewish Philanthropiesis well-organized to accept and funnel donations to the right organizations. There are, of course, many more but these three are central and their administrative costs are minimal.
Two related concepts to help us understand what is going on:
In Islam, there is a concept calledtaqiyya(also called kitman). It is the legal permission or obligation to deceive one’s enemies. It was developed by the Shi’ites because they were persecuted by the mainstream Sunnis and needed to protect themselves. So, it became a virtue to deceive the enemy. Eventually, this permission or obligation was extended to political enemies. (Saying this, even though it is true, is to expose oneself to being called “Islamophobic.” I know. Be careful to whom you say this.) Hamas has now come out clearly with an admission that they have been planning this assault for years and, at the same time, they have been deceiving the enemy (Israel) by misleading the Israeli government and public into believing that they would talk violently but not engage in a really sustained violent war against Israel (seehere).
I think that that is partially true. Hamas has always wanted to destroy Israel. A statement to that effect is a clause in its founding constitution. Hamas also tried several times to fight Israel, and failed. It is only after the growing penetration of Shi’ite Iran that taqiyya became a policy. And yes, the Israeli government fell for it, a fact now widely acknowledged in the Israeli press. To understand what is going on, we need to know this. (Think, too, of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action which allowed Iran to build ballistic missiles and also to build up its nuclear arms program so that it is just under the limit.)
We also need to know that the game of chess, while it originates in China, is known to the west through Persia (Iran). The Iranians are master chess players, a game in which deceiving the enemy through the use of pawns and other agents is crucial.
The Israelis are deeply grateful to the United States for its military and moral support, though it could move a little faster. And they are deeply upset, but not surprised, at the great support Hamas has gotten from Palestinians, Muslims, and leftists all over the world. (Do you remember the pictures of Muslims jumping and dancing for joy on 9/11?)
I will close this letter with a report from Brooklyn. Our grandson, Raphael, was there for Simchat Torah and he writes: “Last night, my friends and I embarked on a ‘tahalucha’ – a chabad tradition on simchas Torah to go to smaller shuls to celebrate with them in their small communities. We were of course dressed in our suits and chabad hats but what happened next was truly touching. During our hour-long walk, groups of New Yorkers would approach us and assure us of their unwavering support for Israel. They provided us updates on stories we hadn’t heard and pledged to contribute to the foundations helping our soldiers abroad. We gave them a heartfelt blessing and went on our way.”
Blessings and prayers to you all,
David
Day 3B
Dear everybody,
7:00 p.m. This afternoon, we visited a live-in school which, because schools are closed, was opened by the director to house families fleeing the war in the south. This is the school Nili discovered yesterday and to which she and Philippe brought goods. It is a lovely place with orange and grapefruit and pomegranate trees filled with ripening fruit. It was filled with the 150 families. The boys were playing soccer. Ursula wanted to join but she is no longer fast enough to keep up with a group of 9-10 year old boys. The girls were playing together. There was a room full of toys and another in which Nili was working on arts and crafts with a few girls and one of the mothers. She also talks to them about faith and confidence. There was a table full of food and anyone could go up and help themselves. Somewhere upstairs, there must have been bedrooms. While we were there, a group of teenage girls from the neighborhood came to give a performance for the children.
I asked who supplies all the material and food, and Philippe said that there is a WhatsApp group for the neighborhood and, if they need anything, they send out a message and folks from the group go buy what is necessary. That includes bedding, diapers, and clothing, as well as food and games. One of the boys will have his Bar MItsva there this weekend.
And there were no sirens, which was quite a novelty for kids who have had sirens going off many times a week for most of their lives, and who have just escaped a pogrom.
Meanwhile, the supply chain to the south is a smooth-running machine by now. People stand outside supermarkets and say, “Here is a list of what the troops and families need. Just buy it, put it in the shopping cart, and bring it to me.” That person then loads up a car and drives to the south where he is met by troops or others. They take and distribute the food, games, clothing, toiletries, and other items that have been bought. Can you imagine the populace running logistics for the army?
But all is not so rosy. About ten minutes from Jonathan’s house and a few moments from a former Atlanta student who now lives in Israel, word was spread by the Palestinian leaders in the adjacent village that the Palestinians should take knives and go kill Jews. They did try. Fortunately, the Israeli security services were able to intervene and eight (!) Palestinians from the adjacent village were arrested with knives ready to kill.
Here is another link to theJewish Insider. Be sure to read the twitter addressed to Congresswoman Tlaib by Ambassador Herzog of Israel. And be sure to read the story entitled, “A Father’s Love” (get a handkerchief).
Benjamin Reich, the son of a former student and a “lone soldier” in the Israeli army, fought to return there and succeeded. He reports that, as he was landing, he saw the American navy vessels that have assembled off the coast of Israel. His family is not the only one who is proud of him.
Many of you have been kind enough to include us and Israel in your prayers. A true story: During the Gulf War when Israel was constrained from acting by the U. S., the Chaplain’s Office organized a prayer-for-peace rally on the quadrangle and, since we did not have a rabbi on campus at the time but I was teaching there, the Chaplain asked me to pray on behalf of the Jewish community. I knew the Chaplain well and I said to her, “Bobby, I know you want a prayer for peace but, in our synagogues, we are praying the Psalms that ask God to smite our enemies.” Being very respectful, she said, “Well, David, if that is what you are praying for, go for it.” I arrived on the Quad and heard one speaker after the next intone prayers for peace and then it was my turn. I explained that we, at Emory, had a half-dozen Jewish and non-Jewish students in Israel in the direct line of rocket fire from Iraq (we were then expecting gas bombs to arrive on the rockets) and that I and my wife had children living there, too. We certainly wanted peace but the Psalmist has taught us to pray for victory over our enemies. And then I read one of the strike-our-enemies Psalms. After it was over, a number of people came up to me and said, “I’ve got a son on the ground there” or, “I’ve got a son on a battleship there. Thank you for praying for victory for my boy.”
I don’t remember which psalm I read then, but I’m attaching one for you to consider. There is a text and a commentary in the footnotes.
Blessings to all of you. We wish you (and us) a good night.
David
(He attached a copy of Psalm 83 with commentary, which I have sent to FL as an attachment. I forward all of this with some concern, even trepidation, for I am personally not comfortable with praying for victory rather than peace.)
[I will publish the commentated Psalm tomorrow once I figure out how to preserve the formatting somewhat.]
Thank you, Marque, for passing this on to us.
Josh, thank you for sharing. My prayers are with you and yours.
Thank you.