About a month ago I read about a phone app called “tzeva adom” (code red), an Israeli early-warning service. Intrigued, I installed it (it was free) and tried to see what information it could provide. All the menus were in Hebrew — and in small print at that—making it hard to read quickly. I almost deleted the app—I figured I would be better off getting news updates from Israeli English-speaking newspaper websites such as haaretz.com, but I got distracted and the app stayed on my phone.
A few weeks later I heard a strange alarm coming from my phone. The screen was flashing “tzeva adom Sderot,” a red alert for the town of Sderot. Suddenly the notifica- tions started coming every few seconds, listing the names of small towns and villages in the south of Israel. For the next week, my phone went crazy—the notices were coming fast and furious, listing names of bigger towns and cities every day: Be’er Sheva, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem… Each “tzeva adom” was referring to a rocket—or series of rockets— fired from the Gaza strip towards the Israeli cities. By the time I opened my eyes in the morning, my screen was filled with updates, and it kept buzzing all day long.
After a few hours I silenced my phone—the constant beeping was making it impossible to work and was unsettling to my children. I simply watched the buzzing screen, flashing the names of towns I love and places I have never heard of. I have to tell you that this little app provided one of the most powerful experiences for me. Every time my phone buzzed, thousands of Israelis ran for cover, having 15 seconds or less to reach the bomb shelter’s safety. I read the news and letters from friends and family members who were afraid to take a shower for fear of not being able to make it to a safe place when the sirens went off. I read about repeated PTSD among the children growing up in the south of Israel, children whose playgrounds and kindergarten classrooms are built as
bomb shelters… Every time the “red alert was sounded, they had to run for cover. I could silence my phone and go about my life…
By the time I got to write this column the fragile ceasefire has been renewed. The operation “Pillar of Cloud” ended without the ground invasion of Gaza, allowing most of us to breathe an uneasy sigh of relief. As we mourn the loss of life on both sides of the border, we also know that the timing of the fragile ceasefire helped avoid many more deaths that are inevitable in any military action.
Here at TE we have renewed our conversations about Israel and peace, continuing to search for ways in which we can engage with each other, reveal and debate our differing positions in a respectful environment of a loving community.
I want to draw your attention to a special program we had planned months ago when working on the TE calendar for the year. On January 12th we will hold a second in the series of TE “Divrei Laila” events, following the great success of TE Soap Box in November. We will be discuss- ing the “green line”—or the lack of it—on the maps of Israel. While the exact details and the members of the panel are still being worked on by Debbie Elkin and members of Social Action Committee that organizes this event, I encourage you all to save the date and make sure you come and join in.
I am looking forward to my phone not buzzing red alerts any time soon. Being a realist, I will not be removing the app just yet…
Wishing you all peace and quiet, happiness and joy as you celebrate Chanukah! I look forward to seeing many of you at our Shabbat Chanukah celebration on December 14th at 6pm. Check the website for more details, and sign up for dinner!
Praying for Peace…
