Living with Rockets: Pessah was a BLAST!

Shalom from Sderot!
 
We came home after a long vacation - and were greeted by Kassam rockets. Well, we expected them. While being in Jerusalem and travelling to all different places, we didn't have to constantly be on the look for shelter. Coming back to Sderot meant getting back into the routine of driving around with the windows open (in the heavy heat) and constantly being aware of where to stop and find protection.

On the trip back from the capital, we listened to the radio. I think the politicians use vacation time for making decisions and statements that they don't really want people to hear - and then they can say "But why didn't you protest then, when I said it?" What's the rumor about Syria being promised the Golan? What kind of "peace talks" have been going on about my future while I was enjoying a holiday with my family?

Also, those in the News business choose what they want to air. It would be too bad to ruin everyone's holiday by harping too much on the 2 guards killed Friday in Netanya or about the infiltration of 2 terrorists by Kissufim (western Negev) or about the car bomb in Kerem Shalom (lit. Vineyard of Peace) and the 8 wounded victims... No, we'll mention them in passing, and talk about the "peace talks".  (Should really be "piece talks" - since they're sitting and dividing my country into pieces, like a puzzle!)

There were Kassam rockets during the whole vacation - right before the Passover holiday, during the intermediate days (a 4-year old was hurt) and in the past days. As I'm writing these lines, a barrage of Kassams were fired at Sderot. This morning we were awakened at 6:20 am by Kassam warnings - at least 3 fell. Where I work, in Nahal Oz we have been told to stay inside today, since there are warnings from Gaza.

My friend from Sderot spent the Pessah seder in Yevul - where families of the displaced community of Netzarim live (after the transfer of Jews from the Gaza strip in 2005).  Throughout Pessah they were awarded with many mortar shells - these people have suffered so much!  They were kicked out of their homes and are building new communities in the Negev - and instead of quiet, they are again experiencing these attacks that they used to have because they lived near Gaza. Now they're in pre-67 borders - why should they have to suffer?

So we continue - the Kassam missiles are a routine happening and we are ignored, because Sderot isn't really important or strategic enough for anyone to notice.

Thank you, Reader, for wanting to know what's happening...