It is Monday evening here in Haifa, the end of another day of mixed signals and emotions. We were awakened at around 6 AM by the sound of air raid sirens, really loud and aparently quite close by. Pat and I looked at each other. Should we go to the shelter? We decided to stay in our bedroom, the safest room in our apartment. It turned out to be a false alarm.
The morning was quiet. Pat managed to straighten up the living room and I did two loads of laundry. It is important, I feel, to live as normally as possible. We walked to our nearby shopping center, met some friends for coffee. The streets were unusually quiet; many stores in the shopping center were closed. Some opened as we sat and had our coffee. I decided to use the opportunity to get a haircut; no waiting. Then we went to the supermarket with our shopping list. Everything as usual. It felt good to be outdoors, to socialize with friends and to carry on our life here.
Shortly after we returned home the sirens sounded again. We quickly made our way to the shelter in our building. We could hear the "boom" of the rockets as they hit. This time there were several boom sounds in succession. They seemed to be closer.
There were about a dozen people in the shelter. Among them were two religious families. I did not even know they lived in the building. There were three young boys among them. The men in the families were praying and then the father of the youngsters began reciting Bible verses with them to keep their attention. A really fascinating sight. (Here my writing was interrupted by the sound of the sirens and I headed for the bedroom)
We stayed in the shelter on and off most of the afternoon. Every time we started to leave the sirens would sound again. Unfortunately there were several significant hits in Haifa.
Just before dinner we talked with friends of ours who live nearby, who are planning to leave for the US on sabbatical in August. She works for the Ministry of Health and he is on the faculty at Haifa University. We quickly arranged to meet at our apartment for dinner; informal, casual, no fuss, but most enjoyable. Pat made something; they brought leftovers. We had great conversations. So the evening passed.
I have to say that I am really not afraid nor do I feel foolhardy being here. I usually avoid things like fireworks; I cannot stand the noise! So far I'm OK. There is something about being here together with Pat and other folks in the building and in the city that provides a measure of support.
People living closer to Israel's norther border have greater difficulties. Tourists are gone, crops are not being picked as the rockets continue to fall.
That is enough for one sitting. We appreciate your thoughts, prayers and phone calls.
B'shalom, Frank
The morning was quiet. Pat managed to straighten up the living room and I did two loads of laundry. It is important, I feel, to live as normally as possible. We walked to our nearby shopping center, met some friends for coffee. The streets were unusually quiet; many stores in the shopping center were closed. Some opened as we sat and had our coffee. I decided to use the opportunity to get a haircut; no waiting. Then we went to the supermarket with our shopping list. Everything as usual. It felt good to be outdoors, to socialize with friends and to carry on our life here.
Shortly after we returned home the sirens sounded again. We quickly made our way to the shelter in our building. We could hear the "boom" of the rockets as they hit. This time there were several boom sounds in succession. They seemed to be closer.
There were about a dozen people in the shelter. Among them were two religious families. I did not even know they lived in the building. There were three young boys among them. The men in the families were praying and then the father of the youngsters began reciting Bible verses with them to keep their attention. A really fascinating sight. (Here my writing was interrupted by the sound of the sirens and I headed for the bedroom)
We stayed in the shelter on and off most of the afternoon. Every time we started to leave the sirens would sound again. Unfortunately there were several significant hits in Haifa.
Just before dinner we talked with friends of ours who live nearby, who are planning to leave for the US on sabbatical in August. She works for the Ministry of Health and he is on the faculty at Haifa University. We quickly arranged to meet at our apartment for dinner; informal, casual, no fuss, but most enjoyable. Pat made something; they brought leftovers. We had great conversations. So the evening passed.
I have to say that I am really not afraid nor do I feel foolhardy being here. I usually avoid things like fireworks; I cannot stand the noise! So far I'm OK. There is something about being here together with Pat and other folks in the building and in the city that provides a measure of support.
People living closer to Israel's norther border have greater difficulties. Tourists are gone, crops are not being picked as the rockets continue to fall.
That is enough for one sitting. We appreciate your thoughts, prayers and phone calls.
B'shalom, Frank
posted by Frank and Pat Fischer at 12:27 PM
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