Missiles Overhead, Peace Within: A New Routine in Israel
While the situation in Israel seems to be in a state of flux, new routines are becoming part of everyday life. For most of us in the country, it has become a strange new world where even being able to take a shower can’t be taken for granted.
Groundwork for the new routine
Since I came to Israel in 1982, the threat of terrorism has been part of everyday life. While current events determined how much it affected us, there was always an awareness that any stray package or forgotten item on a bus or train could be something else entirely. However, in 2006, the situation markedly changed when the Second Lebanon War brought war to the civilian population. No longer were missiles and weaponry aimed at fighters, soldiers, and military targets, with civilians serving as “unfortunate” collateral. I still remember being shocked by the number of missiles that Lebanon aimed, not just toward Haifa but toward residential areas relatively distant from strategic targets. That new reality has forever changed the face of war. Even in the dragged-out fighting between Russia and Ukraine, civilians are among the first to suffer the consequences of the bombing.
On October 7, Hamas attacked residential communities as well as military bases. Tragically, despite Israel warning civilians in Gaza and Lebanon to leave targeted areas, countless civilians continue to suffer. The same is true in Israel, with the continuous bombings along the northern border and in the south, as well as missiles from the Houthis. Thousands of Israelis in the north and south of the country have been displaced to the middle of the country. The losses they have experienced will take a very long time to recoup – from loss of income to loss of their homes. Not to mention the loss of lives. But this is just an overview of the situation as you know it. It’s in the news. While some news reports seek to maximize the suffering of one group over that of another, I believe that does a disservice to all involved. Suffering is suffering. How can one quantify suffering?
I am reminded of a passage from 1 Corinthians 12:26. True; Paul was talking about the church and all the “members” of the church as one body when he wrote, “So if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it.” However, if this is true for the body of Christ, isn’t it also true for all of us as members of humanity? As I read the news and consider how current events affect so many people in so many nations, I am inclined to think so. In Israel, that “suffering” has created a new normal for all of us.
The “little” adjustments
Sooner or later, Israelis with smartphones (most of us, but not all) will have downloaded two apps: Home Front Command and Tzofar (shown below).
The Home Front Command app is issued by the government and provides information for civilians. Tzofar is Hebrew for “horn” and indicates a warning – volunteers run it. Why two apps? Isn’t one enough? Well – no.
The Home Front Command app is dependent on accurate GPS to function correctly. However, for the security and safety of the people of Israel, the GPS in Israel hasn’t worked properly since the beginning of the war. This provides an added layer of safety by confusing enemy missiles with advanced GPS capabilities that were aimed at a specific target – it causes them to miss the target.
Suddenly, we are back to using old-fashioned maps, writing out instructions for how to drive somewhere, and experiencing that old frustration of getting lost when visiting someplace new.
However, we need the Home Front Command app because it keeps us advised of government advisories regarding what to do in the event of a threat, whether schools in our local are open or not, and how many people can be at a public gathering, among other things. So, everyone sets up their phones with additional areas of interest so that when something is happening where they live, they can get an immediate notification.
The other app we use is Tzofar. That is the app I use to send you photos of what is happening when a siren goes off. The app receives government alerts regarding a threat in real time. Then, because we have told the app where we are, along with other areas of interest, we get an immediate notification (often before a siren sounds) that tells us to go to a “safe room” immediately. It also provides a small map showing the general location where that particular threat was detected. When you look at the pictures that I share, the dots show the detected threat, and the light red areas are the general region potentially affected by that “dot” (representing a missile, drone, or whatever else is headed our way).
Technology and alerts in real life
Yesterday, we had a wonderful time of worship in my congregation. However, we did not meet in our building. Based on the information provided on the government website and the Home Front Command app, the elders of my congregation realized we could not meet in our hall since we don’t have a shelter. Thankfully, another congregation offered us their place to meet.
The meeting opened with an announcement regarding where the shelters were in the new meeting place and how to get to them. And sure enough, partway through the meeting (around 10:20 am), just when someone had stood up to read scripture, we started hearing Beep, beep, beeps coming from all of our phones. Everyone looked at each other, but there was no siren. Some people started heading to the shelter, and others kept flipping through messages on their phones, trying to see if it was a real alert for our area. A soft murmur of voices filled the area as people began to question what they were doing. Then we all heard the siren and started getting up to go to the shelter (there were around 100 of us). Overall, everyone was quite calm. No one was really sure if they needed to go to the shelter – the siren had been loud, but not that loud. Then, someone announced that the alarm we had heard was for a nearby neighborhood. Everyone returned to their seats. We hadn’t been sitting very long when one person’s phone started giving off the sound of a siren, almost loud enough to sound like a real one. Everyone again started to get up when someone called out, “No, it was for Nahariya, sorry…”
Some of us chuckled, and a few, I suppose, were irritated. The rustles of movement and whispering voices fell to silence once we had returned to our seats. The brother who had wanted to share before all this began got up and shared, and we had a wonderful time of worship!
That was yesterday.
Daily challenges
This morning was a little bit different. In Israel, Sunday is a normal workday, like Monday is for most of you. Given the circumstances, most of us check our phones when we wake up to see what had happened during the night. The picture below shows that we had a relatively quiet night, with most of the alerts aimed at different regions in the north, ranging from a Haifa suburb to the Golan Heights.
I suppose the next question all of us ask ourselves is, when will the next siren go off for my area? We go to work and hope that nothing happens while driving, walking, or taking the bus or train to work. The previous week, there had been quite a few morning alarms, and I have to be honest: I wanted to get to work before they went off again. No one wants to take a chance being outside while missiles are flying overhead, nor under the falling shrapnel, should Iron Dome intercept them before they have a chance to land.
Today, I had to leave work early to have blood tests and see my cancer doctor. I hadn’t been in the cancer clinic very long when a siren went off. The waiting room was rather full, but everyone got up in a rather practiced manner and briskly walked toward a protected stairwell. We all waited for the requisite 10 minutes and then headed back to the waiting room. Everyone looked for seats, and the soft buzz of talking filled the air. Just another day, and at least the siren is done for the day.
Barely 10 minutes later, the siren went off again. Many of us had surprised looks on our faces – twice within such a short period? Most of us got up and headed back to the stairwell. When I headed back to the waiting room, a nurse called me to her office. It was my turn for my blood tests. We joked about getting our morning exercise done. Blood was drawn, and I was able to get back to my office and work.
When I went home today, my cats were very happy to see me. Of course, they were, FOOD time! Happy and well-fed, Pharoah crawled into my lap for a cuddle. And then came three more sirens, rather rapidly in succession, at 15:40, 15:56, and 16:00. Talk about exercise! For me, it is simpler at home. I don’t have a protected room, and the nearest shelter is more than a 60-second walk from my apartment, so I simply stand in the hallway next to the front door where the stairwell is. No outside walls, no windows, about as safe as one can be considering that nothing will protect from a direct hit. For my cats, it was a different experience. When the first siren sounded, Pharoah leaped off my lap and looked around fearfully. Cleopatra Fluff-fluff joined him, and they watched me carefully, looking for clues on how to respond. When an explosion reached our ears, they both jumped, and I flinched. Then, when a few minutes of quiet had passed, I knew it was time to sit and write this post for you. They sat, too, as close to me as they could. And as I write this, I am smiling. Why? Read on.
Peace in the new routine
This is where dealing with the new routine differs for many of us. I’ve talked with some of my neighbors. They are truly terrified of what could happen. One neighbor whom I saw today on my way home said, “I can’t stop shaking,” and then ran back inside from her outdoor errand. I had no time to offer words of encouragement. That was how fast she scurried back inside.
While fear is a constant companion for many, each of us responds differently. A friend of mine is one of many who has developed a routine for when to take a shower, what supplies to have on hand, and how to do so as fast as possible so she isn’t caught “wet” when a siren sounds.
We all “suffer” what happens differently. I won’t say I am unaffected. Sometimes, when the siren goes off, I feel like crying. Other times, I tense up, wondering if I’ll hear a boom this time – an indicator of how close the danger is. Yet overall, I feel myself mostly being calm. It is what it is. As I’ve thought it all through, I realized it’s because I really do know I am in the good hands of my Lord. And these thoughts make me smile. He really is with me. I am not alone. His peace carries me in a way that is impossible to explain. Those of you who have also experienced that peace that passes understanding understand. As I shared with others after the Dessert Storm War in 1990, I am safer here in Israel, in the center of HIS will, than anywhere else outside of His will. I believed that then, and it is still true now.
Takeaways for you
I’ve shared all this with you for several reasons. Firstly, it helps you to picture what life is like here, not just for me but for all the people here in Israel. Being able to picture this can guide your prayers and provide insight regarding things you may hear in the news. We all hear about the strength and resilience of the Israeli people. But most of them rely on their own strength, and behind their resilience is a great deal of pain and suffering.
Secondly, you can share this information with others to help them understand what life is like in Israel right now.
Finally, and more importantly, I pray these thoughts will encourage you in whatever “storm” or “war” you are living in right now. Please don’t compare your struggles and challenges with mine. Neither of our situations is worse than or better than the others. Each of us is different. God is working in each of us differently. But don’t doubt it – He is working! Whatever your situation, remember to keep Jesus on the throne of your heart. Let His promises be your fortress. Remember, He has promised, “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).
While writing this post, I’ve been enjoying some peaceful music on the radio, called Abiding Radio – Instrumental. I listen to this station quite often. They play many hymns but with only music. If you’ve been looking for a nice radio station with good music and no ads or talking, you’ll enjoy this. I listen on my phone and via a connection to my stereo. Enjoy!
