Dear Friends,
Shalom. I'd written more than once that we don't have sirens here in Kiryat Shmona, only the speaker system, to tell us to go into the shelters. Well, I was mistaken.
Two nights ago, I was levitated in the middle of the night by the siren "rising and falling", i.e. indicating that "this is the real thing". After that, it got quiet again. The next day, several people were discussing it; Moti, one of the two soldiers assigned to our neighborhood center, explained that it was automatic. When they think or know that rockets have been fired, they'll send us into the shelters, using the loudspeaker system. Some sort of automatic detection device, evidently capable of knowing more precisely where the Katyushot are going to hit, automatically trips the sirens in the target communities. I'd heard on the radio that the people in Haifa have about a minute after the sirens sound to get into the shelters; I assume that lead time is significantly lower here in the Galilee. The other night, no rocket fell on Kiryat Shmona after the alarm sounded, but apparently one or more fell in the area around the town.
This morning was different. Very early in the morning, we heard the loudspeakers tell us to go into the shelters. A short time after that, the sirens sounded, and then the rockets started crashing into the town and area. Suddenly, all the lights went out, which frequently happens in such circumstances: a piece of shrapnel hits a high tension wire or huge transformer up on the pole, and the neighborhood loses electricity. I was a little surprised, therefore, when the electricity came back on a short time later. But that was not to last. During the course of the day, the electricity went off and on several times. It turns out that one of the shells hit the sidewalk between two buildings, not far from an electric pole. The force of the blast bent it or pushed it, and it was listing at an angle of 30o-40o, but was still intact. Of course, the street was closed off. The electric company was trying to right it, as much as possible, and that's why the electricity was cut off intermittently throughout the day. The alternative is to replace it, a long process which would require turning off the electricity in the entire neighborhood for a day or more. Now's obviously not the time for that!
A couple of other shells fell in the town, but damage was relatively minor. Several fell in the fields and hills around us, setting off fires. Luckily, the buses to Eilat managed to get off without mishap before the rockets started falling.
We had several other barrages during the morning, and everyone was told to remain in the shelters. Of course, that meant that none of the stores or supermarkets were allowed to open. As far as I know, none of the other rockets did a lot of damage; most seem to have fallen in the area around us, rather than within the town limits.
All of that had an unexpected consequences. When the volunteers who take the meals on wheels to the elderly and disabled did their routine check of the shelters, everyone jumped on them: they were hungry. Having sat in the shelters all morning, with no chance to go out to shop, or too scared to go to their homes, those in the shelters hadn't eaten anything for most of the day. Much later in the day, a family man sheepishly came into the center. He hadn't been able to shop that day, his wife hadn't been able to cook, and his kids were hungry. He volunteered to pay for the meal.
We hope that this occurrence won't be repeated, and that the situation will revert to what we call normal here: a "window" of a few hours duration, during which people can shop, bank, etc.
Of course, there's another complication tomorrow. (We Jews do tend to create them for ourselves!) Tomorrow (actually, already today) is Tisha Ba'av - a day of fasting to commemorate the fall of the Second Temple. The meals we've been distributing are cooked at the kitchen of the "soup kitchen" - run by Chabad. When the social worker brought the meals to us this morning, he announced that Chabad is closing its kitchen for the fast day. Understandable, and those who are fasting tomorrow are worthy of respect. Although many recipients of the meals are fasting, many others are not, especially the elderly and disabled. I was quite concerned for a while.
I've mentioned in previous e-mails that people from all over the country have been extremely supportive and helpful, volunteering, sending us contributions, etc. This afternoon, the Golan Heights Regional Council contributed two vans worth of fruit, vegetable - and hot meals. No one asked them to, as far as I know, and it was not specifically coordinated for today - they've done something similar twice before. So, I'm certain that we'll manage with the meals tomorrow, too.
If I seem preoccupied with meals, baby formula, etc., I apologize. Understand that we've divided up the various jobs in the center, and I'm the one dealing with getting the meals ready for delivery, giving them out to those who pick them up, etc.
Let's hope that we, the other communities of the north, and the soldiers in Lebanon, have nothing worse to contend with tomorrow than a missed meal.
Have a quiet night,
Marsha
