2006-07-13-Updates from front
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Judy Lash Balint
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July 13, 2006: Citizens'
updates from Israel
Jewishsightseeing.com, July 13, 2006
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2006-07-13-Updates from front |
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July 13, 2006: Citizens' updates from Israel Jewishsightseeing.com, July 13, 2006 |
| By Judy Lash Balint As we file these stories, Haifa is under Katyusha attack. The rockets rained down on Tsfat this afternoon, causing several serious injuries, and neighboring Rosh Pina and Hatzor Haglalit were hit too. Our first report comes from Gershom May in Hatzor Haglilit, who describes the two Katyusha hits this afternoon. Our second report is from Jerusalemite Kate Willner, who describes the atmosphere at her hi-tech office in the Har Hotzvim tech. park in Jerusalem since the war started: Both Gershom and Kate are immigrants from Seattle, WA ---------------------- From: Gershom May, Hatzor Haglilit: E-mail: warpedworm@aol.com We were awakened by a call from our friends in Seattle this morning. They were in a panic to know if we were OK. They'd already heard about the katyushas falling in Rosh Pina, the town right next door to us. We were stunned. We'd not even heard them impact. So, we were caught off guard. But we assured them. All is well with us. So, even after the Rosh Pina katyusha, for us in Hatzor it was business as usual. Everyone casually going about their business. Hoping that the local Supermarket wasn't out of their favorite products. Some were stocking up. Just in case. And others were doing their normal pre-Shabbat shopping. Things were still calm until just after 1 p.m,. Suddenly, there was a sudden sound of Poom, poompoom, poompoom, poom, poom. With the accompanying concussion shudders of Katyushas landing up on the hill toward Safed/Tzfat. Then, about 5 minutes later, though in broad day light, the first wake up call came in Hatzor. Just a few meters above the ancient site of the Tomb of Honay HaMa'agel. The first Katyusha landed with a loud and ominous BOOM, followed by a thud, and then, the shudder of the concussion reverberated across, and down the hillside right into Hatzor. I was working on the porch doing a welding project. Most people either ran to the streets, or those that lived on higher floors flocked to their windows to watch the smoke that began billowing up from the hillside. Then we saw the accompanying fire in the tinder dry grass, and trees. The spotter planes that have been circling Hatzor since yesterday quickly focused in, and circled around the impact area. Many people had coffee cups in one hand, and a cell phone in the other. Some gleefully telling friends and relatives what they were witnessing. And, it was exciting. Many were either excitedly talking with neighbors and pointing toward the hillside impact area. Or, they were on the phone seeking a place to go down South. Yet others were answering frantic phone calls. Like my neighbor who received a call from her daughter in Tel-Aviv telling them to please run away and come to them. The neighbor up and across the path decided for them. The best thing to do, was to go to the Kinneret, just a few miles south of here, and go swimming. I watched as they went up the steps carrying their picnic supplies, blankets, and gear. Headed for their car. Then, the second Katushyah hit on the hillside. SUDDENLY, there was a sense of urgency in the air. Shortly thereafter, there was a huge increase in the traffic into Hatzor. Some began opening up long unused bomb shelters. Unfortunately, some had been turned into someone's private storage space. Still other neighbors were gathering to watch the hillside. And wondering if they will get to see a Ketushyah actually land! Others were also trying to catch a glimpse of the news on Television. Or listen on the radio. Our almost totally blind friend called in near panic. She had just moved, and she had no idea where the bomb shelter is in her neighborhood. And, there is no program in place to help the disabled in emergencies. She panicked even more when she was late getting home. No one would talk to her except my wife who got her to calm down and seek out the neighbors for help. I checked out the shelter that our neighbor said was for us. It was already being filled to capacity. Our blind friend called at 4 p.m and told us that her brother had been able to talk his way through the police barrier coming into town and she was leaving with him. I went to daven Minhah (afternoon prayers). As we ended Minhah, the police were driving through the streets announcing that everyone was ordered into the bomb shelter. I checked with our neighbor who has the local shelter turned into their storage space and asked If we can go in with them. They said, sure. They were trying to get out of Hatzor, and go to Tel-Aviv. We were welcome to the shelter. We've prepared a large backpack of goodies, water, my Siddur/Tefillin, etc.. Now, we're sitting here, with some of our other neighbors trying to decide if we should actually go into the shelter. Decisions,decisons. ----------------------------------------- From Jerusalem: By Kate Willner: katewillner@gmail.com Things were suddenly different at work yesterday. The news had gone around like a brush fire about the attack by Lebanon; our men killed, and the powerful military retaliation from Israel. The young men here are usually relaxed and in good humor, but yesterday they were...well, I don't know exactly, just different. I noticed there wasn't much of the usual joking around. The young man next to me was staring pensively off into space at one point, and commented to no one in particular that he wondered when his reserve unit would be called up. I looked around at our 11 person team—8 men, 3 women. At least 6 of the men are under the age of 45. I imagined how our work space would sound and feel without their wonderful masculine presence—it would be real hollow. Things were different today at work, too. I entered the building through those tall glass doors into the lobby (it's huge; glass-walled on one side and ceilings that must be at least 2 stories tall), & I was surprised to see the usually near-empty area crowded with men, all facing the direction of the Kotel and praying. There were no smells of food from the cafeteria that is just off the lobby—it's a fast day marking the beginning of the Three Weeks before Tisha B'Av. There was just the wind whipping energetically through when the outside doors were opened, and the soft intoning of prayers. The feeling I got from weaving my way through the praying men is similar to the feeling of having our soldiers in the streets with their Uzi's—it feels safe, just in a different way. I am so glad I made Aliyah...every Jew should be able to have the experience of every day life with people praying on city buses and in the lobby of their place of work. My company is providing bagels to break the fast tonight, as well. Link to previous story
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