Shabbat begins

It is almost 10 PM on Friday night, Shabbat, and the beginning of a long weekend. The Jewish holiday Shavout is Sunday at sundown until Monday sunset. In Tel Aviv we have had over 30 hours without a siren. I got almost 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep, a luxury the people in the south near the Gaza border are not getting.

We taught online again today and because of that I was able to go to yoga at noon! Don't worry--the studio is in the basement of a building and has a bomb shelter in it. There were definitely more people out today than the last few days but that could be people out preparing for Shabbat dinner and/or getting what they need before everything closes until Sunday morning. This was the first time I've been to a yoga class that began with, "the bomb shelter is over there in case we hear a siren." Near the end of class her Red Alert app went off but it was rockets down south so no siren for us. 

This evening I met up with some local friends and we hung out in a public park (that has a public bomb shelter) then went out to eat at an Italian restaurant. I know it seems weird but it IS! Going out to eat seems okay because there are shelters all over the place as most buildings will have a protected space. However I have not gone on a run since all of this began because I would be too far from a protected space. In Tel Aviv the sirens give us 90 seconds to find a shelter.

I can't describe what it feels like. It isn't like anything I have ever experienced. All day long I keep thinking I hear the siren starting. At any boom-like sounds I think is the Iron Dome is intercepting rockets, but then I realize it is kids running around upstairs or construction on that building across the street. The locals tell me this is normal.

The US Embassy sends out alerts frequently these days to which I am subscribed as a participant in STEP (Smart Traveller Enrollment Program). US citizens and nationals can register with the State Department if you are traveling or living overseas. I've done it for all of my overseas trips because it seems like a really good idea for the government to know where I am. 

Anyway, here was the majority of tonight's message. You can access all of the security alerts here. 

Before I head to bed, I want to say that people have been wonderful in reaching out to me. Thank you all so much!! However, I'm not great at responding quickly.  I have about 7 WhatsApp voice notes in my inbox that I haven't listened to yet. If this is your, please forgive me! I was so tired today and I just couldn't tell the story again today. I WILL respond to you but it may take me a day or two.