Day 423 of the War: More Devastating News

This evening, I returned from a 10-day trip to the US. I had dreaded going because of the  imminent return of Donald Trump to the White House, but surprisingly, no one I met mentioned his name. Somehow, I sensed that people were quieter and more subdued, perhaps not looking forward to another four years of unrest.

It was difficult to be away during a time of war, although while I was gone, the ceasefire in the north came into effect.

On my way home, I stopped in New York City. I chose to take a bus to the city instead of flying on a small plane to JFK, as I’ve seen too many flight cancellations, especially in winter, and buses are generally more reliable. Still, as we were driving through a snowstorm in upstate New York, a large piece of ice flew off the roof of a truck ahead of us and shattered the huge panoramic window at the front of the bus. It was a frightening moment, and everyone jolted, but the driver remained calm and said nothing. He didn’t ask if we were okay or offer any comments. Neither the truck nor our bus stopped, and the drivers didn’t exchange details. We simply kept going.

The next morning in NYC, I tried to attend a rally with the families of hostages at Central Park uptown. Unfortunately, I arrived late and missed it. Apparently, rallies in New York City, at least the one that took place on that chilly Sunday morning, are punctual and brief—quite unlike our protests and rallies in Israel.

That night, I flew back to Israel on an El Al flight from JFK. The plane was full of ultra-Orthodox families and Hasidim who had spent the long Thanksgiving weekend with their families in the US. Although it was packed, the flight was calm, and the crew did an excellent job accommodating everyone’s requests and handling the large number of suitcases. They were professional, kind, and patient.

When I arrived in Israel, I walked down the walkway to the arrival hall. On both sides, there were posters of the hostages, now adorned with personal messages written by many people alongside their photos.

When I got home, I heard the devastating news about Captain Omer Neutra, a 21-year-old lone soldier who had immigrated to Israel  from the US to join the army. He was killed in combat on October 7, and his body is still in Gaza.

The contrast between people casually going about their Sunday routines and the grim reality we face in Israel right now is almost unimaginable.

Bring Them Back Now!