Alligators

On not being alone

Shabbat shalom my dear worldwide family!

As we watch and wait, we are texting our friends and family in Israel, watching and reading news, and calling and texting each other. And now, though not yet officially Jewish, I feel like one of the tribe.

Late last night I was texting with Jewish friends here, people I’ve never even met. We were all up a few times in the night checking the news. First thing in the morning, before six, I checked on my Israeli friends. Fellow bloggers posted, GADI TWEETED ME BACK!!! and Ari wrote! I had sent Ari my piece on how I will not be protesting, and he was concerned for my safety here! Isn’t it amazing how Israelis are in the middle of a war and they are still worried about us in the US? It’s like they know we don’t have the solidarity and community of Israel to support us, and they worry about us.

After October 7, I felt so alone. I checked on all my Jewish friends, then wrote my first piece in support of Israel and against antisemitism here. After the initial flurry of sharing the piece, everyone seemed to disappear, attempting to live their lives as normal. My non-Jewish friends either cut off contact outright, ghosted me or just had no idea what I was upset about. I was so sad.

Then I met Ari, and he managed to wrap me up in Israeli community over What’s App phone and text. I could sleep some again, instead of being up all night with nightmares and visions of what was happening to the hostages. I think it hit us all somewhat differently, but as a survivor of multiple sexual assaults, that was the part that haunted me.

Then, gradually, came all of you. And now I am part of you.

As frightening as it is to think of our friends and family in bomb shelters, to pray that the Iron Dome holds, it is amazing to be in community with all of you while we do it.

Mike Doran had a great article in The Free Press. He’s Gadi’s co-host on Israel Update and an expert on the Middle East. I have to subscribe to Tablet… it’s not free anymore. $25 a month… a few paid subscriptions would cover it, so feel free to subscribe and note that your subscription is to pay for Tablet.

Tablet changed my world. It was this article that pushed me to speak up. My friends were in positions where they could not speak out for fear of professional consequences, even as they had the same nightmares I did. I couldn’t stand to sit back and let this happen without at least trying to do something.

And now, so much time later, you are my people. You’ve accepted me as one of you, official or not.

A relatively new friend of mine keeps noting, “You chose this.” As a very good thing, to put it in context. I suppose I did, but it chose me. I never had any question. I wondered if I would officially convert, but supporting Israel and standing with the Jewish people was inevitable. I never had another option. I mean, there was never any other option. [I’m trying to teach myself to use the word “I” less. It’s a trick my writing teacher taught me. He hates first person narrative. I wonder if I could write an entire novel in first person without using “I.” ]

I have little to add to the political discussions… I am an uncomplicated Zionist who believes that Israel should exist and defend herself. If the US was attacked - again - I would believe that we should defend ourselves too. The regime in Iran that was building a nuclear bomb tortures and murders women for not covering their hair. How the whiny leftists can make common ground with that, while demonizing people who have values like ours, is beyond me. But… we are getting used to it now.

Thank you, Israel, for defending the free world. Thank you for stopping Iran from making a nuclear bomb. Thank you for being the light of the world. Thank you to my Israeli friends for being on the front lines, and thank you to those of you who write for bringing us along on your journey. I miss you so much even though we’ve never met.

Next year in Jerusalem? Coffee in Tel Aviv? Can I come to Shabbat dinner?

I heard this morning about an Israeli in the US who gets too close to alligators on the golf course. I briefly wondered: what is the bigger threat to Israelis? Iranian drones, or alligators? Depends on where you are. That was before the missiles hit. Now I’d say the missiles are a bigger threat, but only if you are in Israel. If you are in Florida, watch out for alligators.

It’s a silly thing, but the fact that I can have that conversation makes me feel like a part of you. We may be up to our eyes in alligators, literal and metaphorical, but we’re in it together.

Iguanas are kinda scary too.