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This Is Why Jews Won't Flee Israel

(Jerusalem Post) Zina Rakhamilova - It has been 10 months of war in Israel with no end in sight. The days following Oct. 7 were the worst of our lives. It became a regular occurrence to hear from friends and neighbors: "My cousin died at Nova" or "My friend from school is a hostage." There was a devastating sadness everywhere. Our streets were plastered with hostage posters, half of our cities felt empty because so many reservists were called up. I received more phone calls than I can count from friends and family, begging me to get on a plane and leave. Yet the thought of leaving felt worse than running into a shelter from rockets. Tens of thousands of Israelis - civilians and reservists - had rushed back to Israel to help the Jewish state in its time of need. There was a collective understanding that if the Jewish people don't have Israel, then we have nothing. Staying in Israel after October 7 meant I experienced more pain than I had ever felt in my life, but I also saw acts of kindness and unity that exist nowhere else in the world. The way Israeli society rallied and went above and beyond for one another was beautiful and made the whole situation easier to digest. Now, reports are coming in about the impending attack from Iran, but Israelis are still going about their day. Many are asking us why we would stay in a war zone. The answer might not be a logical one, but the reality is that Israel needs both its army and its civilians. Those of us who choose to stay in Israel during these times do so because this is our home, and we have decided we will not allow terrorism to dictate our lives.
2024-08-11 00:00:00
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