The New Israel
Reflections and anecdotes about the new normal.
By Jodi Upin
I’ve traveled to Israel twice since the terror attack of October 7, 2023. The first time from November 27 to December 10 was with the Sar-El organization (Volunteers for Israel). This was yet another amazing and unique Sar-El (an acronym for “Service for Israel”) experience. We packed medical supplies for the field and prepared bullet proof vests for the soldiers. My heart is full for having been in Israel during this difficult time, but very happy that I could contribute in some way.
There were 27 members of our group from all over the world: Israel, US, Canada, France, UK, Chile, Columbia and Spain (including the Canary Islands). We ranged in age from 27-82. Some of the group had been there for months; others like me, just a few weeks. There were Jews and non-Jews in the group, but all of us just wanted to support Israel.
Israel during “Operation Iron Sword” (the war in Gaza) was an amazing experience of bearing witness to the hostages in captivity, the war in Gaza, and the celebration of Chanukah -- yet another celebration of a miracle of the survival of the Jewish People. Take time looking through my photos of the art people have created to keep the hostages a central point of Israeli life during this time. Every time I have visited Israel, someone always says to me, "It is an interesting time to be in Israel." This one I'll never forget.
The plaza for the Tel Aviv Art Museum (known as Hostage Square) and Diezengoff Square in midtown Tel Aviv have been turned into gathering spots for people to honor the hostages. Art exhibits have been created and are on display there. I spent a good part of one Shabbat afternoon at these locations viewing the displays and watching people contemplating them. It is very moving to see and be a part of this experience.
My second trip was from May 21-30 with the Steering Committee of the Minneapolis Jewish Federation’s Partnership2Gether program, the 10-year long sister-city relationship of Minneapolis with Rehovot, Israel. On this trip I toured the area invaded close to Gaza, known as the "Gaza Envelope."
Since my recent return I have been turning around in my head what is different now that Israel is at war. As a visitor I still do not feel the full impact of what has happened to this country. Everything has been turned upside down. The entire country is dealing individually and collectively with a huge trauma. It will take generations to heal and recover from the events of last fall.
My own small experience barely scratches the surface of life in this new Israel. Here are a few of my observations and anecdotes from people I visited with while I was there:
• People generally seem friendlier and nicer to each other.
• The cities as a whole feel much quieter. Big tour buses are not crowding the streets, the shuk is much less crowded, and you don’t need a reservation at most restaurants.
• When the air raid sirens go off, your phone starts buzzing with everyone you know checking in on your safety.
• Your host gives you instructions of what to do if the sirens go off and we are in a car together.
• The Airbnb information includes what to do in case the sirens go off.
• Checking into a hotel also includes instructions to follow when the sirens sound.
• The hotel breakfast room is also the dinner room where dinner is served to evacuated guests of the hotel.
• In addition to restaurants, hotels and pharmacies in the area, Google maps also show where the public bomb shelters are located.
• Waze and Google map GPS have been scrambled so enemies cannot locate congested areas
• The yoga studio adds to their website, “The studio in on the lower level, come practice with us.”
• The primary schools rotate the days that some of the grades attend because there is not enough room in the shelter for all the students at once.
• The preschool does a drill each morning with the children going to the shelter in the specified time (90 seconds).
• In the housing market, homes with safe houses in their apartments are selling at a premium.
• When on leave, soldiers must carry their weapons with them. It is common to see a person walking on the street with their spouse and or children and a machine gun slung over their back.
• Yoga mats sales have increased. People are buying them to keep in their cars in case they have to get out of the car and lie on the ground if the sirens go off.
· People advise you not to take a shower “on the hour” because Hamas tends to fire rockets at civilian population on the hour…so that is when the siren go off and people need to go to the shelters.
• The daughter of my Shabbat host asked her father to help her write a letter to soldiers. She wrote, “Please be very, very, very careful because very bad people may want to kidnap you.”