Pillar of Defense

I woke up this morning to the sound of planes flying overhead. Since Jerusalem, Israel is not on a flight path, hearing planes in the morning means that something is happening.

Over the last five days Hamas has lobbed a constant stream of hundreds of rockets into Israel, aimed at over than 4.5 million civilians. The Israeli Air Force has responded, pinpointing those who are firing the missiles.

What is special about the Israeli Air Force?

 The pilots?

The planes?

Their mission to protect the Jewish people and Israel?

       That they would abandon a mission to protect Gazan civilians?

Last month I was privileged to participate in a Sefer Torah dedication at an Israeli Air Force base in southern Israel.

It was an impressive event,

Ashkenazim and Sefardim danced together

as they held the Torah scroll high in celebration.

The name of Operation “Pillar of Defense” comes from the Torah text.

Friday night a warning siren went off in Jerusalem. Neighbors who had never spoken to each other huddled in their stairwells together for safety.

Jerusalem is quiet now, but to the north and to the south the rockets keep coming from Gaza.

May the prayers and good wishes coming from around the world

   protect those who go to fly and fight to protect us.

Oops, more planes just flew over…