“After October 7, I couldn’t leave my house. The shock of what I had seen and the reality of our situation kept me indoors. But eventually, like so many others, I had to find a way to return to some kind of routine.”
We had to move forward for the sake of our children and our country. Yet, even as we try to resume our lives, the trauma of what happened is still with us. I believe the entire country is suffering from some level of post-trauma, and we each have our own ways of coping.
Being near water has been a form of therapy for me. With its vastness and strength, the Mediterranean Sea helps me find peace. I enjoy surfing because it allows me to become part of something much bigger than myself. It reminds me that there is a whole world beyond the conflict and chaos we face.
However, the reality of our situation is never far away. I witnessed a car-ramming terrorist attack just a few meters away from me, something that still haunts me.
The most difficult moments are when I hear sirens and explosions while my children are at school. Not knowing if they are safe is a fear I live with every day. We try to maintain a sense of normalcy for our children, but we are always prepared for the worst. Our bomb shelter is stocked with food and water, and we are ready to react at a moment’s notice.
In these challenging times, I find comfort in spirituality. Believing that there is something greater than ourselves helps me hold on to hope that, in the end, everything will be alright. Despite the darkness we are going through, I believe that better days will come and that we will find meaning in all of this.
Produced in association with ISRAEL21c