It is about a month or so since the real craziness began in Israel. You remember, that was when the terrorists grabbed Gilad Shalit. In the blink of an eye the normal state of affairs was thrown for a loop and then Hizbollah jumped in to the fray.
Out here in the galut we stayed glued to our computers, exchanged emails, got on the telephone and began our own moblization to support our family, friends and companions in Israel. The JBlogosphere began pushing and the community rose to the occasion.
I have no doubt that we have been part of the battle and been working hard to do what little we can to help Israel. It is important, critical and crucial work combating the misinformation and propaganda being promoted and purveyed throughout the world about what is happening.
In the age of the Internet information circles the globe in moments. A katyusha lands in Haifa and from thousands of miles we see it happen in real time. The IDF responds and we see it. During the most intimate moments we are there.
How many pictures have we seen of mothers/fathers wailing over the caskets of their children. There is little to no privacy. Their grief is our grief, their pain is our pain. We share it all. And though it is good that in some small way we are able to be a part of things there is a danger of sensory overload.
The adrenalin rush of fear, excitement, hope and anxiety is not something that you can maintain. There has to be some down time. You have to be able to push it aside and engage in some normal behavior because it is just not healthy to walk around like that.
For those of us who are not in the line of fire it is much easier to say and much easier to do. But the sad reality is that this is not going to end tomorrow and probably not the next day or day afterwards.
The reality is that we are in this for the long haul and if we are going to be there then we have to take care of ourselves so that we can be there to help.
I cannot speak for anyone else, but I can say that I am going to mix it up a bit. For my own sanity and sense of well being there is going to be a mix of posts. I’ll still be on top of everything but I need to throw some of the old stuff back in.
Am Yisrael Chai
And as a Christian, you have my vote (in support of Israel and those who support Israel), my support, and my prayers….
I haven’t been blogging about Israel because I feel like there’s nothing I could say that hasn’t been said so much better by others. But them what I am writing about feels so trivial and petty. Sigh.
As a side point, I appluad the comment from “Jewish Blogmeister”. It’s always been a pet peeve of mine when the term “galut” is used to mean “outside of Israel”, rather than “chutz la’aretz”. This time of year especially we have to remember we’re all still in galus/galut. May this be the year that the day on which it began – 9th of Av – becomes the day on which it ends!!
Great – I read the blogs from America to get my mind off things too. The Israeli blogs are focussed on what is happening here.
good idea… they know we are still praying and thinking and doing our best to help along with getting on with our own stuff.
JB,
Ok.
SJ,
Right there with you.
Sea,
It is important.
I feel the same way. Have to keep our sanity.
I hear you loud and clear. I feel much the same way.
“over here in the galut” you mean chutz laeretz…we are all still in galut until mashiach, no?