18 | MAY 2 • 2024
J
N
A
pril 13 was one of
the most stressful
and eccentric days
I have experienced since the
beginning of the war.
The reports flowing from
Israel put me and many others
in the Jewish
community
under immense
pressure as we
heard of the
massive missile
attack Iran
launched at
Israel.
From the news
I was listening to, it seemed
like it was the beginning of a
third World War. And being
so far from home made it
seem as if things in Israel
were much worse than they
actually were.
All that day, I was busy
keeping up with the news,
following closely and counting
the seconds until the missiles
that were launched reached
Israel’s airspace. It almost
resembled those terrible,
frightening moments on Oct.
7, when we watched from afar
how horrors were happening
in our home, to our people,
and we could not do anything
to help.
But as the reports kept
coming in, I was filled with a
sense of relief as we watched
the news and saw how, one
by one, nearly all missiles and
drones were intercepted. Each
threat was removed by the
advanced air defense systems
that include groundbreaking
technology and strong
diplomatic ties with allies
in the region and the world.
These two elements took years
to establish and strengthen,
precisely for a critical moment
in our nation’s history, as the
one we witnessed on April 13.
This policy has proven to be
Israel’s best and most effective
security strategy. True, there
were hits in two locations in
Israel, and a young girl was
seriously injured by shrapnel
from a missile. But the huge
gap between the disaster
that could have been and the
actual results of the attack
made me at least feel uplifted
and brought a renewed sense
of security and confidence,
which had weakened since
Oct. 7.
As I was listening anxiously
to the news, my family
members in Israel were
sleeping comfortably in their
beds. Even my friends who
ran to the safe rooms with
their children in middle of the
night realized that the booms
they were hearing came from
the launch of the interceptor
rockets, and the greatest fear
was from falling shrapnel and
not from a direct hit of the
Iranian missiles, few of which
actually managed to penetrate
Israeli airspace.
The next morning, the
main concern of Israelis
was that the schools were
canceled during one of the
most stressful times for the
country’s residents — a week
before Pesach, right in the
middle of the spring cleanups.
And once again, Israelis’
biggest enemy was chametz
crumbs in the kitchen drawers
and not the Iranian Ayatollah
regime.
What an unimaginable
reality.
Many people in our Jewish
community ask me — What
can we do? How can we help?
How can we support Israel
during such times?
For the past six months, my
answer was relatively simple.
Beyond financial support to
the Emergency Campaign for
Israel, the most effective thing
you can do is to pick up the
phone and call or text your
family or friends in Israel.
Show them you are here for
them; tell them they are in
your thoughts and prayers.
But today I have another
answer to that question.
We have a phenomenal way
to show our support and
solidarity for Israel!
WALK THE ZOO
IN WHITE AND BLUE
On Tuesday, May 28,
at 6 p.m. we will hold a
communitywide event in
support of Israel at the Detroit
Zoo. Walk the Zoo in White
and Blue in honor of Yom
HaAtzmaut, Israel’s 76th
Independence Day.
We, the Jewish community
of Detroit, also deserve to
Show Support for Israel
– in White and Blue
Come together at Detroit Zoo event on May 28.
Lior
Zisser-Yogev
Special to the
Jewish News
OUR COMMUNITY