I’ve got a very busy couple days coming up – tennis on Friday morning, a Kabbalat Shabbat guitar gig in the early evening, dinner with my son and his fiancée, and lunch on Shabbat with an old friend.
It would be nice if Iran, and its proxies – Hezbollah and Hamas – could give an indication if they’re going to follow through on their threats to punish Israel for its alleged responsibility in the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran while a guest of the Islamic regime.
Iran’s Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has already tweeted about “our duty to take revenge,” and we all remember that surreal evening in April when he ordered the launch of some 300 drones and missiles toward Israel and the resultant night of fireworks, screwed up sleep cycles and anxiety.
No quiet weekends since October 7
This time, a little advanced notice, please, if you’re planning to disrupt what passes here for a ‘weekend.’ (Anyone who calls an Israeli Friday and Saturday a weekend without a trace of irony has probably never experienced a real Sunday).And whether it’s fact or just anecdotal perception, it seems like there’s rarely been a weekend since October 7 that has passed quietly.
Going backwards, last Saturday witnessed the massacre of Majdal Shams in which a Hezbollah-fired rocket murdered 12 perfect youth and children out playing and enjoying their day of rest.
The weekend before, the IDF attacked Houthis in Yemen for the first time, following the deadly drone attack that killed one Tel Aviv man.
The Saturday before that we saw the army’s targeted killing of Hamas strongman Mohammed Deif.
Back in June, eight soldiers were killed in an APC explosion in Rafah, and, just to point out that it’s not all horrific news, the weekend before that saw the dramatic rescue of four Israelis from their Hamas captivity in Gaza.
All of this, in just the last month and a half! So, Iran threatening to attack because it’s embarrassed over being humbled by Israel’s intelligence prowess is ‘katan aleinu’ (below our capabilities). We’ve been through worse.
On Thursday, the streets, cafés and restaurants were bustling, as much as they can be during a war, with 115 hostages still being held after 300 days of captivity. It seemed like most of the country was more concerned with Israel’s hopes of gaining a medal at the Olympic Games in Paris than an impending attack from Tehran.
Of course we should be concerned, follow all the instructions from the Home Front and take every precaution to assure our safety if, indeed, we’re attacked while we try to enjoy our few hours of respite from the working week.
Authorities have issued statements assuring Israelis that there’s no need to stock up on staples or hoard essential items. But I’m not sure if everyone is listening. One acquaintance ran out and purchased 60 cans of sardines, just in case the siege is a long one. It might be nutritious, but who would want to be in a closed shelter with him?
Still, no judgment on vices and coping mechanisms. We all need them. Mine is improving my backhand. Also playing the guitar. Also seeing my son and his fiancée.
So, Ayatollah, if you’re going to attack, please wait until after Shabbat. We don’t have much of a weekend, but let us enjoy what little there is.