In the Shadow of War

I'm having trouble finding the words

Photo by Cole Keister on Unsplash

Hello friends,

I don’t generally write these letters ahead of time. They aren’t meant to be selectively crafted essays; they’re meant to feel like one friend writing to another. This weekend, though, I’m having trouble finding the words. I’m too devastated to pretend nothing is wrong, so I’ll just tell you what I’m feeling.

This weekend, Hamas terrorists carried out an unprecedented attack on Israel. As of writing this, 700+ Israelis have been murdered, 2,200+ have been injured, and 100+ have been abducted. More than 260 bodies have been recovered from a party in the desert where people had gathered to listen to music and enjoy the community. Whole families have been kidnapped from their homes, including children and the elderly. Innocent civilians saw their loved ones murdered right in front of them. Grandmothers have been forced to pose with their abductors. Women’s half-naked and lifeless bodies have been paraded through the streets. Israelis were shot down in the streets and in their homes. Hundreds are still missing.

I feel helpless here in Florida. One of my friends is on her honeymoon but has to fly back to Israel because her husband’s reserve unit has been called up. Other friends are in their homes, sheltering from rocket attacks. The constant sirens and building-shaking booms have made everyone sleep-deprived. At least I’ve heard from everyone. So many people still have no answers.

There are a lot of lies being spewed about this terrorist attack. I’ll link some reputable stories below so you can get a better idea of what’s actually happening. These letters are from my heart, but right now, my heart is broken. Others have written more eloquently about the situation, so I’ll leave the explanations to them. But before I go, I’ll share a poem I wrote in 2020 after a spate of attacks against Jews around the world.

---

IN THE FACE OF SILENCE

Philadelphia, Poway, Jersey City reminiscent
of Nazi Germany. We traded cattle cars for subway trains,
but that didn't stop the bleeding.

No safe haven in New York, Paris, or Berlin.
They spit in our faces and press our backs
to the pavement. They crack open our skulls
and tell us we're to blame.

You say that we're cockroaches because
you know we'll survive, no matter how many times
you try to wipe us from the earth
or bury us in the dirt.

We will not be silent. We will curse you
through the blood on our lips
that you brought forth with your fists.

We will outlive you.

WEEKEND POTPOURRI:

• Israel at War. There are several pieces here from the Free Press detailing different aspects of the attack, including a first-person account of one of the survivors from the music festival in the desert and why this is Israel’s 9/11.

• Einat Wilf discusses the roots of this conflict and why this is the single darkest day in Israel’s history.

• Tablet Magazine explains how the Obama-era Iran deal led us here.

• i24 News is an international outlet based in Israel with updates and broadcasts in English, Arabic, and French.

• Don’t forget that Hamas is inspired by Nazi ideology. They don’t care about Palestinians. They care about killing Jews.

• If you would like to help the terror victims, you can make a donation to the Jewish Agency or the Jewish Federations of North America.