4 | FEBRUARY 16 • 2023
PURELY COMMENTARY
M
y name is Michal
Neuman; I am a
proud ShinShinit
in Metro Detroit. ShinShin is
a Hebrew acronym for Shnat
Sherut (year
of service).
Each year,
Federation’s Israel
and Overseas
Department
brings
ShinShinim for
a year of service
where we work in Detroit’s
community, running programs
and making connections.
I spend my days at
Federation, Hillel Day School,
Temple Shir Shalom and any-
where else that is looking for
a little Israel infusion. I am so
happy and grateful to be part of
this incredible community, and
I enjoy every moment of my
service.
Although I thoroughly enjoy
my time here, the past weeks
have been extremely difficult.
In my hometown of Jerusalem,
two brutal terrorist attacks took
place. Both on Friday night, Jan.
27, as Jews walked to and from
their synagogues for Shabbat
services.
When I saw the news, I was
heartbroken. Seven people were
killed just for being Jewish. My
initial thought was that I had
to get on the first flight home,
back to Jerusalem. How could I
leave my country during a time
like this? I read about each of
the victims and felt like I had
lost friends and family mem-
bers I had known my whole life.
That is part of what it means to
be Israeli and one of the main
reasons I am here this year.
I wasn’t sure how I could
carry on with my weekend
working at a Shabbaton for
Hillel Day School. How could
life go back to normal? Seven
of my sisters and brothers had
just lost their lives. I followed
the news closely throughout the
weekend, worrying about my
friends and family, knowing I
have very little control over the
situation being so far away. That
is part of being a teenager in
Israel, praying that your friends
make it home safely from a fun
night out and that your family
members return home from
work and school every day.
The following day, there were
two more attacks. Thankfully,
there were no serious injuries.
The next day I was getting
ready for Sunday school, carry-
ing on as usual. Here, nothing
stopped. Restaurants were still
open, buses were still operating
and life went on.
In Israel, every national trage-
dy is a personal tragedy. Life for
Israelis throughout the country
stops, and everyone feels the
devastation of losing a loved
one.
By Monday Feb. 6, everyone
had moved on. People here
returned to their weekly rou-
tines while I was still struggling.
It feels incredibly lonely mourn-
ing a loss no one expects you to
be so impacted by. How do you
explain the sense of family we
have in Israel? I have 9 million
family members I think about
and worry about daily.
I am going back home in a
few weeks to visit family and
friends. Returning home after
leaving always feels funny, but
safety is a concern this time.
I take the bus daily; I eat at
restaurants and go shopping
at the mall. Most people in the
United States don’t think much
about these simple daily tasks,
but for me, it feels like life or
death.
When I initially heard about
the attacks, I read all about
them on an Israeli news site. I
checked American news chan-
nels to see what they reported.
I was shocked that most news
sites didn’t even write about
the attacks, and those that did
mentioned the prior IDF raid
in Jenin, criticizing Israel. Other
news sites reported all the
deaths as “alleged.
”
Reading those reports about
Israel was painful; it felt like a
stab in the back. The casualties
would not be “alleged” if they
reported news from countries
other than Israel. Israel’s pre-
vious governmental decisions
would not be criticized in the
same report as a terrorist attack.
The double standard is unfair,
and it is dangerous. Innocent
people were murdered, yet the
killing was justified and under-
stood by the media.
WE ARE STRONG
Moments like this make me
even prouder to be Israeli. We
are strong; we don’t give in to
fear. We protect ourselves, and
we always stay united.
When I finish my year of
service here in Michigan, I
will return to Israel in August
and enroll in the Israeli army.
Many of these terrorist attacks
target soldiers in uniform, and
in September, that will be me.
While my American friends
and peers will be in their soph-
omore year of college, starting
“real life,
” I will serve my coun-
try. I am excited and proud to
join the army, but these attacks
are very concerning. How will I
wear my uniform proudly and
yet fear for my life at times?
How will I ever feel safe while
protecting my family?
There is no correct answer;
these are all dilemmas an aver-
age 18-year-old faces daily in
Israel.
These attacks are devastating
but will not stop us from mov-
ing forward. We will continue
loving and supporting Israel
and working throughout this
incredible community daily to
share that passion.
I have received so much love,
warmth and support through-
out my time here, and I am so
lucky, grateful and honored
to be here in Metro Detroit,
bringing my Israel to you every
day.
Michal Neuman is from Jerusalem and
is studying psychology and law. She is
one of four ShinShiniot working in Metro
Detroit this year.
Israeli soldiers on
guard in the Old
City of Jerusalem.
Michal
Neuman
guest column
What it Means
to Be Israeli