Renewal

December 12, 2008 - 2:09 PM by DavidS · 3 Comments
Filed under: A New Reality, History and Culture, Israeliness, Life, Profiles, War

It’s been said that everyone in Israel knows at least one family touched by terror, that is. The truth is, things are far better than they used to be on that front, certainly better than during they were six and seven years ago, when there seemed to be a bus bombing or shooting attack every week – and sometimes more often.

Terrorism aims to destroy lives – and often it does. But it’s not just lives: Families are never the same, even if the intended victim survives. Communities change, kids relate to their surroundings differently. We hear about the attacks, which make news for a few days, and move on; they often can’t. So when we see individuals and families who do manage to rebuild their lives, we can only stand back and gape in awe at their superhuman strength.

I had an “awesome” moment last night, when the son of a friend of mine got married. I won’t reveal their names, but I can tell you the story: While driving home from buying school supplies for the upcoming term, Jacob and Rachel (not their real names) were shot at by Arab terrorists. With them in the car were three of their five children. The shooter got their car point blank – killing Rachel, and leaving Jacob and their oldest daughter, Dina, in a wheelchair. Rachel was several months pregnant at the time. Also in the car were two boys – Shimon, 8, and Levi, 3. Not in the van were their oldest son Reuven, 13 (he had just had his bar-mitzvah two months earlier), and Sarah, 10.

Suffice to say that the family was shattered; the oldest boy became rebellious, the second son took after him, and the youngest boy, in the car when it happened, was basically shellshocked. Jacob tried as well as he could, but it was difficult juggling his family and work obligations. The community helped – a lot – but it just wasn’t the same. Rachel was one of those “super-moms” – always there for the kids, working to help others (she was a nurse), with a golden personality, always smiling. This was a family that had lost so much – and things looked bleak.

But the family experienced a rebirth – in large part thanks to Leah, whom Jacob married three years after losing Rachel. The kids were wary at first – she was a widow herself, and had three older kids of her own – and things were rocky at first. But with love and patience, things worked themselves out. The community helped a lot, too. Plus, the determination of Jacob – and the kids – not to give the terrorists the victory they so sorely sought.

And now see Reuven at his wedding! He grew up to be a fine, sensitive, scholarly young man, a veteran of the elite Duvdevan unit. The joy on his face, and on the faces of family and friends, was unique. This wasn’t just a wedding; it was a vindication, a confirmation of life, a message to the forces of darkness – Israel, and Israelis, are here to stay.

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Tags: Arab, children, determination, driving, family, golden personality, Israel, Israelis, kids, love, shooter, superhuman strength, terror, terrorism, terrorist, War, wedding, wheelchair

“Israel Stops”

November 26, 2008 - 1:42 PM by DavidS · Leave a Comment
Filed under: General

Yesterday (November 25) was “Israel Stops” day – a day dedicated to promoting road safety in Israel. It was the culmination of a month-long ad campaign, in which several well-known media personalities (including one guy known for his promoting a traffic safety system) urged Israelis to take it easy on the road. At 7:30 PM, there was a “moment of silence to commemorate victims of the tragedies on the road,” followed by a concert in Tel Aviv, starring pop singer David Broza.

The event was sponsored not by the Transportation Ministry or police, but by a private group called “Or Yarok” (Green Light), which works to raise consciousness among drivers to develop safe driving habits. Prior to the concert, Or Yarok outfitted the Nokia Arena in Tel Aviv with 11,000 paper doll cutouts, stand-ins for the 30,000 Israelis who have been killed in road accidents since the state’s creation.

Things have been getting better on the road safety front, Or Yarok says, thanks to new, modern highways, like Road 6 (“Cross-Israel Highway”), and new road infrastructure projects in the center of the country. Israel Radio reports most accidents on Israel’s roads, and the majority are not on the nice, new roads around Tel Aviv, but in outlying areas in the Galilee and Negev. There, narrow two lane roads without streetlights are the norm, and drivers in a hurry are tempted to take foolish risks, passing slower cars ahead of them in the oncoming traffic lane. Sometimes drivers calculate wrong and aren’t able to get back into their lane in time – and that’s when you hear about the accidents where drivers and passengers are injured, or worse. Add to that the usual percentage of bad drivers, like drunk kids and sleepy truck drivers, and you have a recipe for road tragedy – which is why, unfortunately, we need events “Israel Stops,” and visual reminders of all we have lost (like in the photo).

The most dangerous roads, based on accident statistics, really are country roads that have become inundated with drivers, due to the expansion of Israel’s population. Part of the latest economic rescue program (yep, Israel has them too!) includes billions of shekels to upgrade road infrastructure, which will presumably include some of these unsafe roads. Meanwhile, there are systems like this one, which help keep drivers on track with hi-tech sensors and wi-fi alerts. What if the government were to give a tax credit to everyone who installed a system like this in their car? Any Knesset members out there reading this blog?

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Tags: accident, david broza, drive, driving, economic rescue program, Green Light, Israel Stops, Nokia Arena, Or Yarok, police, road, safety, tax credit, Tel Aviv, traffic, Transportation Ministry

Driving hazards

June 17, 2008 - 7:42 AM by Jessica · Leave a Comment
Filed under: General, Immigrant Moments, Israeliness

Every Sunday morning, the news is filled with stories of people injured and killed in traffic accidents on the road during the weekend. This past Sunday was no different, with five people killed, including a couple and their daughter. I’m always horrified to read these accounts, because the stories behind the accidents seem to be easily prevented by, let’s say, better driving, pedestrian-awareness, less passing on two-lane highways and the like.

I never feel I’m taking my life in my hands when I get behind the wheel in Israel, but I am generally aware of the need to meld the American and Israeli aspects of my personality. For instance, given that I did learn to drive in the suburban surrounds of Long Island, New York, I tend to give the right-of-way to pedestrians, cars backing out in front of me and drivers in the many roundabouts (traffic circles) in these parts.

At the same time, you can’t be a freier, god forbid, and let every other car cut you off. When I bought my first car, one Israeli friend advised me to let one person each day cut me off on the road. That way, he said, you’re allowing for your American mentality while allowing for your Israeli driving personality to develop.

Of course, all bets are off when stuck in going-home traffic in Tel Aviv on a weekday afternoon. When I found myself yesterday in the wrong left-turning lane on my way toward the Ayalon Highway, I quickly insinuated my car into the next lane, earning a sharp beep from the driver to the right. In that situation, you can either accept a window-to-window confrontation with the driver, or turn your head and ignore said driver. When the driver and I were next to each other, he beeped again, rolled down his window, and I, reluctantly, did the same, fearing the worst.

I fixed him with a tough look, and he asked, “How do I get to Azrieli?”, referring to the mall that’s next to the highway entrance. I grinned to myself, realizing that here I had assumed the worst, and this guy was just trying to get directions. I told him where to go, and made my left. But while waiting to make the final turn onto the Ayalon, I must’ve let in at least five other cars creeping up on me. Sometimes, you can just cut fellow drivers some slack.