Recovery. After the brutal attack on an innocent family.

So how does a country recover from the horror’s of last friday night?

It doesn’t. Not really. My impression is that people just absorb the horror into their psyche, bury it somewhere, and hope it doean’t come out anywhere noticable. Having spoken to many friends, it appears I was not the only person to check doors and windows this week. Nor was I the only person to check on my kids at least 6 times on sunday night. And I suspect I wont be the only person feeling somewhat uncomfortable getting into the Purim spirit.

So far, here is a collection of some of the most inspiring responses from the country:

1) The daughter, age 12, was quoted as saying “I will be strong and succeed in overcoming this. I understand the task that stands before me, and I will be a mother to my siblings.”

2) A well known supermarket owner, Rami Levi, pledged to provide the family with food until the youngest orphan turn 18 years old.

3) A  US [somewhat controversial] chat show host Glenn Beck summarised the story, including pictures of the parties in Gaza, and asked the world “is this normal???”

Glenn Beck on the Itamar Massacre

I would list more but as Husband has banned me from looking at the internet in case I see the horrendous pictures which have been released, it’s not so easy. I am glad the world will see the true horror,  perhaps it will sink in, but I personally have a threshold.

Of course the obvious coping technique at times like these is distraction, but somehow this felt disrespectful to the family. For me, there are times when only Neshama [Carlebach] will do, and so I spent a healing hour listening to her music last night, whilst doing some meditation and trying to cleanse my mind of the obvious thoughts of anger, hatred and fear that were encircling me night and day. We have a “music appreciation” section at the end of my mummy & baby group where we usually listen to a lullabye or something else relaxing, and this time I asked the mothers if they would join me in thinking for a few moment about this family, the events in Japan, and in short how lucky we are to be able to enjoy our children, whilst we listened to one of her more haunting tunes. I was a little hesitant – this is not a religious group of women – but I think they found it somewhat therapeutic. Incidentally, if you fancy something a little more upbeat, I recommend her version of “Am Yisrael Chai” – I taught Jojo how to bang on the floor to that one which he rather enjoyed, though of course I doubt he realised what I was thinking about as I did this….

Earlier this evening I drove to a rather random far-flung yeshuv by the name of Tzurit for a lovely yoga class. Beautiful hilltop place. Peaceful. Beautiful twinkling lights all around you. Anyway I had to ask directions at the petrol station coz I thought I had missed it. Very nice arab bloke obliged, but that didn’t stop me thinking “please please for G-d’s sake don’t stab me”. Irrational maybe, as this is the North, but unfortunately I think we do have to look over our shoulders even here.

And so the country now gears itself up for Purim. As hard as it is to feel much like celebrating, I imagine many would argue that we should davka celebrate the chag. After all, it does follow the prescribed formula of most Jewish holidays [They tried to kill us. We survived. Let’s eat.] and this theme unfortunately still resonates today, where we appear to be surrounded by people who still want to kill us and who still seem to get away with it … even in today’s “modern” [/civilised/politically correct/”Oh look! We have the UN!”] world. I suppose this is the point of Ta’anit Ester… to cater for our mixed emotions. Unlike previous experiences outside of Israel, Purim is a National Festival here. Everybody celebrates it.

I am off to scoff a sneaky humantaschen before the fast. [Really must stop calling them that, I forgot they call them Oznei Haman here, if you say humantaschen to an Israeli they think you are sneezing]. No I am not fasting as I am still feeding a small baby but I suppose I can live without sugar for a day.

[May Hashem send strength to the survivors of the Fogel family and their friends and neighbours. Am Yisrael Chai.]