Kibbutz Nahal Oz - We'll meet again

The 12-day war with Iran is over, for now, but the war in Gaza isn't over yet, and we must do everything we can to bring home Omri Miran and 49 other hostages.

Night comes and it's quiet now

Longing comes, to see and embrace you

What I'm going through, it's more than words

I have everything here except for you.

You are going through difficult days again

How do you protect yourself and what about the smiles

What are you thinking, this is difficult in words

I have everything here except for you.

We'll meet again and it'll be good

It'll be soon, soon

The two of us together, it'll be good for us

Don't worry, it'll be soon, soon

What can I tell you and this is only a letter

What can I describe for you and how to make it interesting

What can I tell you - I can't find the words

I have everything here, except, for you

We'll meet again...

Thank you, Moshe Kaye, for the lovely translation of Arik Einstein's timeless classic, performed here by the Nahal Oz community.

Vaadat Charigim - Odisea

One week in. It's crazy how quickly you can get used to a new situation, like not sleeping a full night and adjusting all your routes so you'll be near a bomb shelter. I've taken to walking my dog along the route of the underground light rail, so we'll have a dog-friendly shelter if needed, but the siren caught us once while we were in a small side street, and we took refuge in a nearby private building shelter. It was packed, and I felt a bit uncomfortable as the 'outsider', but one of the neighbors kindly offered water, and my dog loved the attention. With places closed and almost everyone working from home, or not working this past week, there was an early Covid vibe, only this time we are encouraged to be with other people, and I'm grateful to have neighbors I feel comfortable being in the shelter with at 3 am. But the home front updated the rules, and workplaces are encouraging workers to return, a strange situation when schools are still closed.

The threat from Iran has always been in the back of the mind, a matter of when, not if. Despite the danger, I feel okay with suffering a bit now if there is a chance that we won't have to live with an existential threat in the future, but only time will tell how this will play out.

When missiles will fall on Tel Aviv's streets

What will we wear? What music will we like?

And what will we do till then?

When Dizengoff Center will collapse into itself,

And the city within the city will vanish along

Please, please, please, please, kiss me at the end of the world

When missiles will fall on the central station

And the black city will disperse into the air,

And devour the White [city]

We will all be done in a great shock wave,

Let's live today as if it were yesterday

Please, please, please, please, kiss me at the end of the world

Thank you to youtube user @snurts for the translation!

Liraz - Roya

It started on Thursday. As I was rushing to finish the work week, news came in that there might be an attack on Iran. This wasn't a far-stretched possibility, considering the stalled talks with the U.S. and, yes, also Netanyahu's fragile coalition, which was on the brink of falling apart due to tensions with the ultra-Orthodox parties. But we all agreed that if there was something, it would be sometime the next week, right after Netanyahu's son's much-discussed wedding. On Thursday night we were busy getting ready for Pride weekend, which was supposed to make a festive comeback after last year's low-key event due to the war. And then the siren woke us up at 3 am. At first I thought it was a missile from Yemen, which we've somehow gotten used to. But it was strange that there was no information in the red-alert app. We soon learned that Israel had attacked Iran, and we were instructed to be alert and near a shelter in case there was immediate retaliation. I understand the rationale behind this, especially when not everyone has a shelter in their house, but I was pretty annoyed that I had been woken up by this very loud FYI when no rockets had been launched yet. My thoughts turned to Caitlyn Jenner, who had just landed in Israel as a guest of honor for the Pride parade. She had come to Israel to support us, and now she was stuck in the country during a war with no option to leave due to the closed airspace. But the next day, after Iran's first retaliation attack, a photo of her sitting in a shelter with a glass of wine went viral and lifted our spirits. We'll get through this. This isn't another attack, and things will be different this time, as we learned when we woke up to sirens later in the night and again early this morning, seeing the devastation of the missile strikes targeted at civilian areas.

There's still so much uncertainty, but I want to share the words the singer Liraz Charhi posted yesterday to her followers in Iran: "My sisters and brothers, freedom is coming. Don't be afraid - the songs we wrote together are coming true, we sing together. Music will connect our hearts until the day comes when we will all live, free. We are with you, closer than ever. Our dream to live together, without dictatorial rule - so close. A new day is coming when you can rejoice, dance, sing, hug and kiss in the streets. We will sing again in Freedom Square in Iran and Israel. Soon. Love and support you, Liraz". 

I vow to myself, myself

To fly my flags

tall and high

To gaze upon the horizon

With my valor

And march towards the fantasy

A heavenly innocence 

Filled with goodness

Pure and translucent as rain

Our body will glide over the ocean

My voice is intoxicated,

And you, facing me, so real

My fantasy

I wished for peace in the world

But could not understand

Who is fighting whom

I will not lose my hope

You'll see, our hearts will cross

My fantasy