fbpx

[Amy]: There are no siren warnings for incoming Katyushas

[additional-authors]
August 8, 2006

We crowd into the elevator in the empty Haifa mall and
take it down to the parking lot on -2.

There are no sirens down here.

There are no siren warnings for incoming Katyushas, no
whistle of the rocket overhead, no boom of the
explosion or and no vision of the smoke cloud after.

That’s why this is an enclosed shelter; an extra-safe
shelter with no windows that can shatter, no open
areas where a blast can enter.

And that’s why we’re down here, this handful of the
StandWithUs group, those who were not afraid to come
to Haifa, in the North of Israel, as scheduled.

It’s rather dark down here, even though it’s 11 A.M.,
the time when Nasrallah told Sky News reporters he’d
be sending another round of Katyushas into Israel.

And so we go downstairs to wait, to wait to visit the
summer camp that’s been set up down here.

The municipality of Haifa has set up four mall parking
lots into a playground, of sorts. There’s still the
oil stained asphalt of the garage, the colored pillars
with numbers on it so people can find their cars, but
there are no cars. Instead, a few dozen kids and their
parents playing games and making crafts.

“Yesterday there were more than 200 kids,” says Mira
Steiner, an employee of the Haifa municipality, which
has set up these summer camps, and sent its workers to
run them. When she says yesterday, she means the
Monday, the day the Katyushas hit Haifa, for the first
time in weeks, surprising its residents—shocking
them. Depressing them. Keeping them at home the day
after, even though it’s probably safer here
underground.

“They express themselves in artwork,” Steiner says,
pointing around the room at kids making paper plate
turkeys; the walls are papered with coloring book
pages filled in and other evidence of time spent here.

Today there are two social workers here too, to deal
with yesterday’s trauma. And even though the children
are hidden down here, away from television and radio
and katyushas and rubble, “they always want to know
‘Was there a siren? where did it hit? how many
casualties were there?’ And every day some kid steals
the microphone and fakes the sound of a siren,” says
Steiner. “But it’s not funny. Peoople are so anxious.
They are so nervous.”

Today, after an hour in the shelter and giving blood
in the empty mall upstairs, there has been no siren.
We leave the kids, and resume our tour of Haifa.

Did you enjoy this article?
You'll love our roundtable.

Editor's Picks

Latest Articles

Celebrate Rugelach Day

Like many enduring recipes – traditional rugelach dates back centuries in Eastern Europe – it was passed down, adapted and refined in kitchens through multiple generations.

Ban Antisemites from World Cup Soccer

Our nation’s leaders should exclude those whose behavior violates America’s fundamental moral values. That will send a message to athletes and aspiring athletes around the world that the United States rejects bigotry.

The Golden Rule: What Does It Mean in Practice?

We are being commanded to be kind to others, but we are not being asked to be angels, especially when dealing with those who do not share our values, including those who are our enemies.

Israel and America

As Israel turns 78, its alliance with America is being questioned from all sides. What is the wise path forward?

The Essence of Prayer

While prayer and meditation seem similar, they are different. Prayer involves praying to a higher being. Meditation is more about focusing on yourself and your inner dialogue. Together, they can help you become more centered.

How We Got Here

Part history, part memoir, part farewell letter to her native land, “Stained Glass” tells its agonizing story with restrained anger, but more so, deep sadness.

Casting Our Votes

No endorsements. Just three possibilities to consider as we prepare to navigate an increasingly complicated political landscape before we cast our votes for these three critical offices.

Where Independence Begins: What Israel Understands About Freedom

Israel’s path to independence unfolded under conditions where the outcome remained uncertain until it was achieved. No external mechanism could deliver it cleanly or without cost. It took shape through sustained effort in an environment defined by risk.

Lies in the Air, Facts on the Ground

We sing no matter what. When the hostages were held in Gaza, we sang in their honor. When another week of bad news hits us, we sing. Our singing is our fact on the ground.

More news and opinions than at a Shabbat dinner, right in your inbox.