Scared, Tired and Crabby

We are still not OK!

Business and Iranian missiles. How the hell do we keep going?

Since October 7^th, we in Israel have been living in the parallel lives of dodging rockets from Hamas and the Houthis, conducting life and business as usual and even reveling in the precious joyous moments – weddings, the birth of children and grandchildren, but this last period of missile attacks by the Iranian regime somehow feels different.

So, I want to share with you how I am feeling, what you need to know about the situation and how you can show your support.

How do I feel? It’s been quite the rollercoaster. We still have hostages rotting away in Gaza. The world continues to condemn us for protecting ourselves and doing our utmost not to harm civilians, often at the risk of our own children. It’s like the Gulf War, Covid and October 7^th all rolled into one. Everything is on hold – no large gatherings are allowed –  no school, entertainment, prayer services. We are warned not to wander too far from a safe room.  It’s back to the medieval times –  missile attacks are usually at night –  so we try to restrict wandering outside to daylight hours.

After the past couple of years, I thought I understood what we are dealing with and how to cope. The Hamas, Hezbollah and Houthi rockets were largely intercepted by our Iron Dome.  Luckily, our government cares about protecting us. When the first Iranian missiles were sent over, I felt like I didn’t know what to expect – how effective are they? What kind of damage can they cause? How worried should I be? And, as a friend from Clubhouse pointed out, the first two attacks did not target residential, civilian areas. This time, it’s different. We have suffered human loss. In the tens, Jews, Muslims, children.

Somehow, the Iron Dome is not enough. And, the attacks are incessant. We don’t get the all clear to leave the safe room before we get another alert to go into the safe room.

So, how am I? Scared, tired and crabby.

And, now what do you need to know about the situation?  First of all, the relations between Iran and Israel were not always acrimonious. Until 1979 when the Shah was pushed out by the Ayatollah Khomeini, Israel and Iran had very warm relations. Many Israelis visited and did business there. After that, Iran became very hostile, cut off relations and deemed Israel the Little Satan to the Big Satan, America. Israel has been warning the world about the dangers of a nuclear Iran. Yes, it is not just a danger to Israel, but the entire region and, of course, the Free World.

Iran has been arming its proxies including Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis. Israel has been under attack by all of these groups culminating in the October 7th massacre and the ensuing rocket attacks from the North and South.

Israel planned very surgical strikes on Hezbollah for years and succeeded exceptionally with the Beeper strikes. Now, Israel felt that it could wait no longer after planning  –  again for years- to strike Iran’s nuclear capabilities to defend its citizens.

The proxies have been weakened, and as the Israeli government has warned, Iran is dangerously close to enriching enough uranium for nuclear, military capabilities.

We Jews tend to believe the threats of our enemies who promise to eradicate us.

• May 2025: “We will open the gates of hell” if Israel acts – IRGC Chief Hossein Salami
• May 2024: “The divine promise to eliminate the Zionist entity will be fulfilled” – Supreme Leader Khamenei
• April 2023: “We have said that they will not see the next 25 years” – Supreme Leader Khamenei
  Source: AP News

*Special Thanks to the Israeli Government site on Rising Lion.

And, yes, the strikes have been incredibly strategically planned. For months, Mossad smuggled hundreds of quadcopter drones into Iran. Israel used camouflaged weapon platforms hidden inside civilian vehicles within Iran.

Important to note again, Israel does everything possible to strike military targets and avoid civilian casualties.

The vast majority of Iranian people appreciate our striking out against a vicious, tyrannical regime that has tortured and murdered them for years. Israel has always supported the Iranian people. Our Ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan was the only diplomat who publicly protested the arrest and murder of Mahsa Amini when the Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi spoke in the General Assembly Hall.

So, now, how can you support us?  First of all, spread the word.  Help us convey to the world that we are safeguarding everyone from a dangerous nuclear Iran.  We are defending our citizens from the threat of annihilation.  Oh, yeah, and we are human beings trying to raise our children in peace.

Send a quick message of support. I can’t tell you how much it means to get the messages from people I grew up with in Elmira, New York!!!  All expressing support, praying for me and my children.  Yes, just a short message –  thinking of you.  Praying for you.  Hope you and your children are safe.

And, yes, continue to support our businesses. We may be tired, but we don’t stop working!!

So, what helps me to keep going? Hugs from my kids, tea and sympathy and kvetching chats with good friends, exercise and making videos singing as I come out from my Boomboom room.  This seems to truly lighten peoples’ hearts when I post these. My father used to say, “If we don’t laugh, we will cry.”  So, I choose to sing and laugh.

Most of all, I wish a safe and peaceful future for my new grandchild!  Hoping all of my fellow Jewish sisters and brothers and allies are safe and well.  Please take care of yourselves.

Don’t worry.  We are strong.  We are Israel.