How we get through this - A first-hand account of what’s happening in Israel

I live in Bat Yam, one of the central areas of Israel which was hardest hit last night. Among the 50 ballistic missiles launched overnight, the one which fell in our community was said to have been the most devastating – as 61 buildings were damaged, six of which, according to our mayor, Zvika Brot, will have to be completely rebuilt from scratch.

This is the older area of the city, with construction from the 60s, where no bomb shelters were part of each apartment, unlike today’s buildings. Reports have 20 missing, six dead, including two children, and many wounded. The footage sent to us is like something out of a war zone. Every car parked on the street is now scrap metal.

But how did it come to this and how do we get through it?

This is the heavy price we must pay to guarantee our protection – one which doesn’t have the looming threat of nuclear capabilities that seeks to erase us from the map. It means, at least for the next week, that when we go to sleep, it’s likely that most central towns will be hit with multiple rockets, a great many of which will not be intercepted. The alarms will be non-stop, and we will be told to remain sheltered for long periods of time.

For those who have no safe room, they are most at risk, but, again, there is no other alternative. Because the damage was so extensive, it is reported that the IDF has “issued a rare and urgent evacuation warning to Iranian civilians in Farsi and Arabic, signaling a potentially imminent escalation, with targets in or near Iranian military weapons manufacturing facilities and associated institutions.” (Israel Realtime, Tinyurl.com/IRWAC)

Our beautiful coastal city has been shaken to its core, and the texts and calls are endless, as everyone asks if we’re okay. We are, but not because we live in a newer building which has a safe room in every apartment, but because I believe God’s mighty hand has kept us safe.  

Life, as we knew it, prior to October 7th, came to a complete end, and although this latest round of escalation is a relatively new development, there is an urgency to turn to one’s faith in a new way, understanding that we are in uncharted waters where anything could happen. During these times, the comforting words of the scriptures take on a whole new meaning, and, for me, that was personalized in Psalm 27:5 – “For in the day of trouble, He will conceal me in His tabernacle; in the secret place of His tent, He will hide me.  He will lift me up on a rock.” 

The Jewish people have a rich history from which to draw upon, encompassing thousands of years of lessons learned, the most dramatic of which culminated in our salvation from the bondage of Egypt and our journey to the Promised Land.

As the Angel of Death passed over, the homes with blood on the doorposts were spared. It is the genesis of our Passover holiday, commemorated each spring.  Today’s deadly rockets are reminiscent of that period of time where so much destruction and death took place for those who didn’t have the divine protection and covering of El Shaddai – literally God Almighty. It is why the Hebrew letter “shin” which looks like an upwards three-pronged fork still appears on the mezuzot, hung on the doors of most Jews, reminding us that God is our shield.

It is this same God, who promised to preserve us as the people He formed, so that we could be a light to the nations who would benefit from all He did through us.  And despite our own many failings, He, nonetheless, re-established us in the land He gave to us, restoring it to its former glory, while protecting us through decades of wars and nations who constantly rise up against us.  Will he suddenly abandon us now in our greatest hour of need?

The lesson to be learned from this is that we are a people who must be totally reliant upon the God who regathered us from all the nations and brought us home.  While He has given us the know-how and wherewithal to develop one of the greatest armies in the world, as well as all the many advancements we’ve been able to accomplish over these last 77 years, these are all part of the endowment which has been granted to us for such a time as this.

Consequently, to forget that without our Protector, we are nothing, would be a tragic mistake which we cannot afford to make. Today, is, indeed, the “day of trouble” as mentioned in Psalm 27:5, and we are in need of the concealment from an enemy who does not know the God of Israel, as they foolishly try to come against Him and His plans.

The secret place of His tent is where we rest, knowing that He is that rock upon which we are lifted until He completely wipes out our foes, and He will!  Israel is the eternal, irreplaceable land and people whose destiny is assured. It is that comforting knowledge which fuels the fight to go on, battling the evil of our time – not only for our sake but for all mankind who must also look to the Almighty as their only source of protection!

Our town has been pummeled but our determination to defeat the enemy is unstoppable, because we are the people chosen by God, whom He has equipped to take on that battle, and so we will!  For those who continue to pray for us, you, too, share in our sure victory, encouraging us when things look bleak.  

The good news is that we already know how this all ends – something that our enemies have failed to understand. No matter how hard they try, they cannot win this war and will die trying to do so. Theirs is a futile effort which will only end in their own demise.

So, while some may ask the same gnawing question, “Where was God’s protection for those who were killed, there is no human comprehension as to how the Almighty works – just the assurance that He does! He is the ultimate 24/7 keeper of Israel who neither slumbers nor sleeps (Psalm 121). 

And that is how we get through this!