Wednesday, July 23, 2014

What It Means to be a Jew in the United States when Israel is at War

I had planned to write about the rest of our staycation today--but I'm all about blogging from the heart, and that just wouldn't be from my heart right now

What is on my heart today?



This place. Israel. My family is there...right now. My cousins are preparing to go into Gaza to relieve troops that are tired from fighting. My friends dot the country, north to south. But even without all of those personal ties, I quite simply love Israel. And when you love something like that, watching it go through this is heart-wrenching.

So what does it mean to be an American Jew during this war?

It means...checking the CNN every twenty minutes or so for updates. And then double checking on Google just in case something even newer is up.

It means...checking Facebook because you desperately want to talk about what is happening, and then feeling frustrated at some of the talk you see.

It means...walking around on eggshells, distracted for days.

It means...reading the names and stories of the dead, and then seeing their photos--and the images of the normal, mischievous boys that could have easily been my husband or brother or son hit you like a slap in the face.

It means...feeling very different from the rest of the world, that continues on as if everything is normal.

It means...feeling frustrated. And angry. And alone.

It means...living in one place while your mind and heart are thousands of miles away.

Libi bamizrach, vi'anochi b'sof hamaarav
My heart is in the East, and I am at the end of the West.
--Yehuda HaLevi

A few more photos of the country I love:







What are YOU thinking about today?
Posted by at

14 comments:

  1. It's so sad!.Hopefully all the fighting will end soon!.Prayers to you, your friends, and family!.Beautiful place!.

    ReplyDelete

  2. It means downloaded Red Alert and hearing that alarm every.time a rocket is sent into Israel. That sound is frightening...

    ReplyDelete

  3. Really beautiful post. I am praying for peace! I so want to go to Israel! It looks like an amazing place. I loved Anthony Bourdain's show about it too.

    ReplyDelete

  4. Another important post. Thank you for showing that life does not continue as if nothing is happening, even from afar.

    ReplyDelete

  5. thank you keshet. you write so beautifully and have reminded me that we are all a part of this horrible situation. my thoughts and prayers are with you and for your your friends and family and for a peaceful resolution to come soon.

    ReplyDelete

  6. Flapping wings north face factory outlet slowly falling behind more than a thousand young disciple also will fall down. Cross holding flowers  increasingly cold body, mind filled with the intention to kill the whole person the north face outlet exudes an air of Xiaosha arctic.

    Everyone from the peak north face factory outlet of the main Court has been less than one hundred meters. Dragon bands. the north face outlet This is a main Court building before the peak, you want to enter the peak of the main .

    Dragon Court must embark on the order, because the order arranged above the Dragon Taking a circle, repair person can north face outlet online not control the instruments used to fly or take the Wicked peak main Pavilion.

    ReplyDelete

  12. Thanks a lot, Thanks very much, Thank you very much, dan Thank you so much

    ReplyDelete

  13. No hubo respuesta fue perfecta, todo el mundo ha estado haciendo mal. Pero nunca amarla, si no tiene sentido.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment! I love hearing your thoughts:)

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)