Reflections on Rocket Fire in Israel May 10-11, 2021 (so far)

 

Yesterday when the civil defense sirens sounded in Jerusalem I had some inkling that something was going to happen.  There had been helicopters circling our apartment area just prior to the 7 rockets that were shot at Jerusalem from the Gaza Strip ruled by Hamas.  This time I knew the protocol unlike when I was in an apartment here with Jemma and 3 other grandchildren in 2014 and the sirens suddenly blared.  This time I knew to head to our safe room, close the steel shutters, close the steel door, and remain sequestered until the danger had passed.  This time was much easier because I had no children to care for, only Charlie to direct into the room.  While inside the room we downloaded the “red alert” app to let us know whenever rockets were being fired at communities in Israel.  The pings on the app came fast and furious showing us multiple rockets being launched at the same time.  The rockets are still being launched towards other locations in Israel (one day later) but my phone only shows the current “red alerts” rather than a cumulative total of all that have been launched.  Let me give you an example:  14:39:01 Nitzan  14:39:01 Beer Ganim  14:39:10 Nitzanim  14:56:40 Kerem Shalom  14:58:16 Nachal Oz  14:58:16 Alumim 14:58:32 Saad  14:58:32 Nachal Oz  14:58:32 Alumim  14:58:40 Saad  15:13:10 Nir Oz  15:13:32 Kissufim…..and the list is growing.  According to the Jerusalem Post so far more than 400 rockets have been launched at communities in Southern Israel.

Yet, it seems that life here in Jerusalem is not standing still.  People are out doing what they need to do…shopping, going to work, children are in school.  The train is running, busses are running, but there’s no doubt that people are wondering if the sirens will go off here again and if we will hear explosions again too close for comfort.  There is some comfort in knowing that the Iron Dome system is fully operational!  Yet there is real worry for all those who are in harm’s way.

As back to normal as life is here…it must be remembered that this is not the case in the communities under constant barrage of Hamas fire.  When someone only has 15 seconds from the time a siren is heard to the time they must be in a shelter in order to have protection, there is no letting down of one’s guard.  There is no school as usual and businesses without bomb shelters are not open.

So, let’s hope and pray that this insanity will end soon…and life can actually be normal rather than appear to be normal.  Although peace is more than quiet…I would settle for quiet right now!