In Jerusalem’s Katamon neighborhood, levelheadedness and levity prevail as rockets fly |
While many public spaces around Jerusalem were closed due to security protocols related to Israel’s war with Iran, a Monday afternoon walk down Hapalmach Street in Jerusalem’s Katamon neighborhood found locals gathering calmly at the neighborhood’s storied cafes.
As the joint US-Israel strike on the Iranian regime stretched into its third day, residents told The Times of Israel they were relatively unfazed by the frequent Home Front Command alerts sending them to shelters — even as one sounded while we were speaking.
Later on, when people emerged from shelters after the missile attack, a clown gave an impromptu magic show for children at the park, a fitting symbol of the resilience of a population that has experienced no shortage of assaults in recent years.
“Honestly, the events of the past few years have brought us to a place where we have built up a lot of resolve,” said Sarah Solomont, sitting outside with her daughter, Naama. “This might be traumatic if things started like this, but I think all of us are used to the sirens already.”
Solomont said her family had spent the past few days eating and watching movies together, “trying to veg out without feeling bad about it.”
She said she found the timing of the strike on Iran ahead of the Purim holiday, which starts Monday night in most cities and Tuesday night in Jerusalem, to be “eerie, in a good way.”
“There’s a clear irony that we’re marking the holiday that the Jews were supposed to be annihilated in Persia, which is modern-day Iran,” she said. “The difference is that now we’ve built ourselves up into a very strong country, and we’re the ones in a position of power. I hope we’ll see a big victory soon.”
Sitting nearby at an outdoor table drinking coffee, local residents Mickey and Leora said they were hoping the joint US-Israel strike on Iran would bring a “new Middle East.”
Asked whether they were scared by the frequent ballistic missile attacks, Mickey shrugged and looked to his wife. “There’s a bit of worry,” she said. “We don’t have a private safe room in our apartment or a shelter in our building, and the public shelter nearby isn’t so much fun.”
“We just hope it will be for the good, and we hope it will end quickly,” Mickey added.
Another neighbor, former city council member and mayoral candidate Ofer Berkovitch, was out walking his dog. A skilled orator, he said he was optimistic about the war and its outcome.
“These are historic days, and I think this war could dramatically change our situation,” he said. “Not that we won’t have enemies after this, but that the dynamic will be different. I pray that better days will come and that this war will symbolize a new era.”
With three children at home, the war has been a bit challenging for the family, Berkovitch said.
“We have a private safe room, and things are reasonable, but it’s not easy for everyone with the canceled plans and trying to balance family and home life,” he said. “But relatively speaking, we’re doing fine, thank God.”
Shortly after Berkovitch finished speaking, the Home Front Command mobile application sent a push notification about an incoming missile attack, indicating that the emergency sirens would soon go off. There were murmurs among the different groups as people looked at their phones and slowly made their way to the entrance of the nearest community shelter, nestled between the storefronts.
Inside, neighbors gathered over the course of several minutes, finding their places with friends as the tight labyrinth of rooms quickly filled up. The shelter was more crowded, with fewer chairs and less personal space, than this writer had seen in other shelters around the city.
“This is fine. We’re in a great historic moment with clear miracles,” said an older woman, Tali, as she stood next to a shelf of art supplies. “I’m not worried. I trust that God is watching over Israel and will give us the strength to succeed.”
Another woman, Svetlana, was sitting on a table pushed against the wall.
“Everything has been calm and orderly at home, and we are trying to be patient,” she said. “This shelter is the only thing that I’m unhappy with.”
Svetlana said she was optimistic that the war would go well. “Listen, we’ve been waiting for this war for some time,” she said. “We just hope it will end quickly for the good.”
An immigrant from the former Soviet Union, Svetlana had no reservations about being in Israel at this time.
“I moved here 22 years ago from Russia to see what this country is all about,” she said. “I’m part of this nation, and we want to be here. We’re not running away.”
Several feet away stood Meitar, a young man who held two orange balloons in his hands.
“I’m using them for juggling,” he said. “For Purim, I was booked to appear in circus performances in several locations around the country, but everything was canceled due to the war. Now, I’m going to put on a free performance in the park outside for any kids or parents who want to come.”
Meitar said he was a bit flustered during the first day of the war but things were already calming down. He and his wife don’t have a private shelter in their apartment, so they’ve been bouncing around to different locations during sirens, he said.
Shortly after the all-clear notice was given, Meitar was putting on a show in full clown gear at Haviva Raik Park, just up the stairs from the shelter.
“This was a fun day,” a child said to her mother. “Are we going to do this again tomorrow?”
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