By Maian Rahvalschi, Community Shlicha
Shock and Solidarity: My Experience During the Recent Attacks in Israel
With my fingers scrolling up and down, left and right I hope and pray for good news.
Friday night (11:30 PM EST, 6:30 AM Israel time), I was just about to go to sleep after a great dinner in the sukkah, when my phone started blowing up with alerts about rockets being fired at the south and center of Israel. Understanding that this is the sad truth of being an Israeli, and after checking in with my family and learning that everyone is physically safe, I go back to scrolling on Facebook to see some of the posts and continue getting some updates. You can see people were caught by surprise by this, but they were using humor at this point joking about the Bruno Mars concert that’s scheduled and that they hope will not get cancelled, and how they went into the building stairwell wearing their pajamas only to meet their neighbors for the first time.
As the minutes progressed, the horrible truth started sinking in. The truth is that this was an organized attack on my home from the air, land, and sea, and that we are all caught by surprise, just like we were 50 years ago, almost to the date. I’m glued to the screen, watching Israeli news, and trying to make sense of the horrifying reality that feels more like an apocalyptic nightmare I wish I could wake up from. Fortunately, my family is physically safe, but my heart aches from my people, my home.
The horrifying images and stories are heartbreaking. Innocent women, children, men; HUMANS! That are being murdered, abused, and kidnapped from their homes, the place where one should feel safety. These images and stories cannot be overlooked, they cannot be forgotten. All this is happening for the simple crime of being born a Jew.
The helplessness and fear I feel being far away from my home is extremely paralyzing.
Being far from my family, my friends and my home is always a bit of a struggle, but on days like these it’s doubled and tripled. And though one would think I’d feel alone and out of place, the amount of love and care I’ve received from the people in this community and the friends I’ve made in my year here in Baltimore is something I cherish during this chapter and will cherish forever. So many texts from people checking in, wanting to make sure my family is safe, that I have everything I need, offering to just be there.
I know at times like these all seems lost, but the people of Israel are stronger than anyone can even imagine. And though the reality of this war is only now starting to settle in and become clear, I know that the nation of Israel lives and will always live. The Israelis are not alone in this.
I carry the memory of the fallen soldiers and civilians in my heart and sending strength love and my condolences to the families of the fallen. Am Yisrael Chai! May we know better, more peaceful days soon.
Maian Rahvalschi is The Jewish Agency’s Senior Shlicha to The Associated, working with both Jewish Educational Services and The Macks Center for Jewish Connections. In Baltimore, she uses her expertise in Israel education, working with local educators and the community as a whole, to create engagement opportunities for people to connect to their Jewish identity through their connections to the State of Israel.
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