How Israel Copes with War

Israel woke up this morning to what passes for normal here for the first time since our attack on Iran began on June 12^th.

Last night the Homefront Command, which has been incredibly proficient in handling the minute-by-minute changes in safety regulations resulting from the war, published an advisory that all former restrictions had been lifted.  This meant that:

• Gatherings formerly restricted to a maximum of 30 people with easy access to bomb shelters were no longer in place.
• Schools which had been shuttered during this period are now open.
• Work places, government offices and the like are also permitted to reopen.
• Ben Gurion Airport could now return to full operation which makes it possible for ELAL, our national airline, to increase their activity to bring the remaining tens of thousands of Israelis stranded abroad home to their families.

Therefore, this morning we were able to return to the synagogue for morning prayers and safely drive around the city without the concern that a siren might go off and we would have to find a safe place within minutes.

Of course, we are not out of the woods yet. The war in Gaza continues, 50 hostages, some dead, some hopefully still alive, remain under Hamas control and people are still being killed there on both sides. Seven of our best and brightest young men died yesterday when their military vehicle engaged with a roadside bomb in Gaza which brings our military losses in the Hamas war to almost 500 people. That means some thousands of Israelis have lost their spouses, children, grandchildren, parents or siblings in a war we never wanted, but was thrust upon us after the Hamas massacre of October 7^th.

However, what has amazed me during these last days when Israel was being regularly bombarded by ballistic missile barrages from Iran is not only the general resiliency of the nation but also the fact that so many people sought spiritual solace in ways different from what was their daily experience before the onslaught.

One could only be moved, for example, by the religious activity of secular Israelis in the Tel Aviv area who were sheltering in underground shelters as well as in local subterranean metro stations. We saw pictures of communal prayer services being held, individual moments of spiritual reflection and even shabbat dinners held for dozens of people who spent last shabbat in underground garages.

In our community, in my role as Chair of the Executive Committee of our congregation, I started a program we called “7 at 7,” that is 7 minutes of words of inspiration from our rabbi at 7 each evening. To accommodate the mix of our group, he speaks initially in Hebrew followed by an English version as well (yes, it takes a bit more than 7 minutes all together but ….it does not matter). Each day more and more people joined the group and, last night, we hosted more than 50 participants.

Of course, anyone is welcome to join from anywhere in the world and people can do so by clicking on this zoom link at 1900 Israel time each evening, Sunday-Thursday:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88568703781?pwd=2pWoRacSFaGP16zYBdVObR6DMg0KFf.1

To be sure we have been blessed to have come through this war with minimal, but yet very sad, casualties and with an Iran now significantly less of a threat to our existence than they were just a month ago. While it is not yet clear how much damage has been done to their nuclear program, there is no question that heavy damage has been inflicted on that program via US involvement, while we have destroyed much the country’s military defensive capabilities. For that alone the world should thank us for doing their dirty work.

Time will tell whether the cease fire currently in place holds and whether a new Iran emerges. Nevertheless, one way or the other, their war making capabilities have been drastically reduced while, as an unintended by-product we have seen a spiritual revival among our people. May that continue as we hope for a more peaceful future.