Fear. Uncertainty. Anxiety. Those are a few of the words that describe what goes through many of our minds when we think about what’s going on in Israel at the moment. Every day we receive a notification on our phones or a post on Facebook: “Jew stabbed while walking down the street” or “Car rammed into Israeli citizen while waiting for the bus.” We hear everything that is happening and wonder why anyone would ever leave his or her house when there is such a big risk.
But what is it really like being in Israel today? I asked a few Stern students who were there during winter break. Were they nervous? Were they scared to go to the Old City or wait for a bus? Was the atmosphere different now than it was the last time they were there?
Sophomore Rachel Lelonek said, “I have to admit, I was a bit nervous my first day [there]. But after that, the hesitation to go places like the Old City dissipated, and [I] enjoyed every moment.”
Another sophomore student, Adira Koppel, said, “I honestly felt fine the entire week I was [there]. I think the country has done the right thing by taking more precautionary actions such as having police officers check the busses at certain stops.”
I spent my winter break in Jerusalem with my family. I walked to pick up my niece and nephew at daycare, and I went to town with friends. I am not going to lie: yes, I felt scared at times. I looked over my shoulder when I walked alone at night, and I was nervous while sitting on the bus to Bar Ilan. But did I hide out in my sister’s house the whole time? Of course not. Despite all the recent attacks, life has gone on as normal.
But frankly, the situation in Israel is much worse than what is being depicted in the media. The people of Israel have had to learn to live with these acts of terrorism. They have learned to live with the fear and with the uncertainty. They go through every day knowing that every time they leave their houses, they could be doing so for the last time.
These people have learned to live with the fear and the danger that they face on a daily basis. This shouldn’t be something that they fit into their everyday lives, and yet it’s the reality. Nonetheless, if we give in to the fear, the terrorists win. We must continue to do as Israelis do everyday: be careful, be aware, but continue to be.