War Diary 3

Wednesday: August 2, 2006
8th of Av 5766


It's erev Tisha B'Av ( The Jewish Day where much evil has befallen the Jewish People, and we lost our two Holy Temples.) I can't help but have this eerie feeling that in the next 24 hours, something will get worse on the home front for Israel. But I will ignore this gnawing feeling and concentrate on what has happened in the past, and hope for a better future. This morning I drove into the city with my husband on a mission to purchase items for the Israeli northern families who are today refugees. Many of them ran in their cars to flee the bombs and rockets slamming into their homes. They didn't have time to take things with them.

Our community has absorbed at least twenty families from the north, many with 5 children or more. Last week my husband and I made a visit to where these families are staying. We knew they needed things so we went up with clothes, toaster ovens, even a TV for them to watch the news if they wanted. "Oh", they said. "How nice, thank you. You know, everyone we meet here keeps asking us if we need something, but really, we don't need anything right now. We already were given pots and pans, plus sheets and towels. We really are fine now."A few days later, word came out that the children from the north don't have anything to play with, to keep them busy, except for going to the playground, and it gets hot midday. Then, I got an email that someone wanted to donate some money to purchase things for the refugee children.So, we went to work. After numerous phone calls to cell phones given to me by some of the central people who have already helped these families, I called to ask what they or their kids might need. Phone call after phone call, "No, we really have enough for the moment". And then they told me, "Anyway, we are planning to go back home on Sunday. We think things have quieted down and we plan to leave then." This was the sentiment of the majority of families I spoke with. Somehow, I think they will be here longer. I spoke to them in the morning. ....It is now close to evening time, and since then, over 150 rockets have slammed into the northern communities once again in a barrage of whistling explosions.


The residents of the north are back in the bomb shelters again. It's stuffy and hot down there. But its hotter ouside, with the raining katyushas. Though my sister in law is still not taking us up on our offer to host her and her kids (she is tough), others have found their way to families inside their homes. One is an old army buddy of mine, and he happens to live in the same city as my sister in law, near Haifa. he said, "There is no more of what we knew up there". The cities have absorbed so much impact (The northern city of Tzfat with its quaint cobblestone streets and old city/artists section, has absorbed HUNDREDS of Katyushas. ) Many of the buildings, the gardens, the pasture land with cattle (many cattle hit) have been smashed and demolished. Thousands of families will not have apartments and buisnesses to go back to. They are homeless. More later, for 'War Diary'. Have a meaningful and easy fast.