Driven to War - A Personal Note.

 I thought to take a moment and share what's happened to me in the last few years for those who have followed this blog in the past. I can't share pictures of my grandchildren - even if their parents would allow it, I wouldn't dare.

When I closed the blog 5 years ago, Elie was happily married to the most amazing young woman. She's so perfect for him. They now have three gorgeous girls, the youngest was born 4 years ago. I love watching them interact; my granddaughters are delicious, smart. Days after Elie's youngest was born, my daughter gave birth to twins. Each time the three little ones are together, I just stare at them in wonder.

Before closing the blog 5 years ago, I had already written about Shmuli, his beautiful wife and his son. Shmuli is doing great, building a successful career and a wonderful family. Like Elie's children, Shmuli's love to come to my house, play with the absurd collection of toys I keep buying, and eat. When my children were young, I would feed them before taking them to their grandparents' house and yet, the minute they arrived, they ate as if they were starved. I never understood it, and yet, that's what happens with my house, and I love it.

David finished the army and took some time. He went to the States for a summer working at a camp and drove all over the place. He's now studying computer science in university and as this war unfolds, was called up, sent home and put on notice that he'll be called. Yesterday, he took a car and drove hours to deliver supplies to the soldiers.

When I started this blog 16 years ago, I had no idea where the journey would take me. I remember writing that my children were where I had always dreamed they would be. That is true today as it was then. 

They have served this country with pride and honor. They continue to serve - Elie as an ambulance driver and first responder, David as a medic and first responder, Shmuli as someone who gets things done, makes connections and helps others. My daughters have served this country, both through the Sherut Leumi (National Service) program where they worked with challenging children giving them love and care. Both continue to help others.

I have built a life with the man I love in the land I have loved since I was 13-years-old. It is hard to believe that I have lived in this country for 30 years. We have been to war so many times; been on the brink even more times. 

And yet, we have never been in a war such as this; never experienced the agonies of the last 11 days. Ironically, it is not anger that drives us into this next war. It is determination. No people have the right to do what Hamas did to Israelis. That it was unprovoked. That they spent 2 years planning this murderous atrocity, tells all there you need to know about their culture.

That we have called on the citizens of Gaza, and given them 30 hours and counting to move out of danger, tells you all you need to know about us. We could have punched back within an hour of the attack, flattened Gaza and turned it into the world's largest parking lot without blinking an eye, without risking a single soldier.

My sons are all that I could have dreamed them to be, as are my daughters. Not many parents in Gaza can say that today. Few have lived up to the potential because their society limits them from the start. 

I have no time to pity Gaza now. They had two years to contemplate the morality of the horrors they willingly chose to unleash upon this world. No country in the world would react differently. Ironically, the US attacked Afghanistan on October 7, 2001, roughly three weeks after the September 11 attacks by other Islamic terrorists.

We go to war now - nothing on this earth, or I should say no country or person on this earth can stop us. We have every legal right and a moral obligation to end Hamas now. We have asked, ordered, facilitated the evacuation of their citizens and ours. Unlike Hamas, we will fight "man to man", soldier to soldier. That they will hide behind civilians is inevitable. All other times, we have backed down because we valued the lives of their citizens as we value the lives of our own.

This time, this time is different. Hamas has no understanding of the level of our fury. We are like the lioness protecting our young. Even now, instead of realizing their mistake and seeking to offer back our hostages as a means of lessening the inevitability of our upcoming response, they tease us with videos and threaten our hostages.

Never in the history of man, has a people been led by such blundering idiots. Know your enemy is the first law in war. Oh my God, we know our enemy well and they, they have no clue. They sneer and say we love life as their way of saying we are weak.

Loving life is our strength. Loving life is our determination. Gaza, if I had any compassion left in me, I would pity you for your ignorance. But when I feel that compassion rising in me, I look at the pictures, I read the names, I think of the children.

And between my tears, I think of my children and grandchildren. We are a nation called to war, driven to war. And so, we fight.

We are the lions of Judea. Never have you heard us roar as we are about to. Threaten our people and we fight back. Attack our land, and we fight back. Our children? Our babies? Attack them and you die. Nothing less.

Hamas, prepare to die.