We’re Tired

If you are asking how we’re doing during this challenging time, that’s the short answer.

Here’s the long answer.

We’re tired of being woken up by the blaring wail of sirens at midnight, or at three in the morning, or at both hours.

We’re tired of running to our reinforced saferooms and our public shelters, sitting on the floor uncomfortably as we all stare at our mobile phones for the latest information about where the missiles struck.

We’re tired of hearing the boom of ballistic missiles overhead as they are blown up by our anti-ballistic rockets.

We’re tired of returning to our beds, unable to fall back asleep as we fearfully await the next missile attack.

We’re tired of turning on the television news to scenes of the night’s destructive toll – people injured and killed, buildings bombed, cars burnt, craters and piles of debris everywhere, homes lost, lives interrupted.

We’re tired of being unable to go to work, unable to send our children to school and to kindergarten, unable to go shopping even for the most essential things without worrying whether the next missile attack will catch us somewhere where there is no nearby shelter.

We’re tired of seeing our airport closed and international airlines canceling all their flights to Israel.

We’re tired of canceling our weekend plans and our summer vacations.

We’re tired of watching the bombing of Iran, even if it means we’re taking out their nuclear sites and military facilities, because we know it will result in further missile strikes against us.

We’re tired of the world dismissing our need to confront an Evil that seeks to destroy us while it lies blatantly about enriching uranium for peaceful research.

We’re tired of hearing that America bombed Iran because this is Israel’s war, when it is the war of the entire civilized world against this Evil.

We’re tired of seeing Iranian citizens fleeing Tehran, unable to overturn their theocratic repressive regime.

We’re tired of all this, and more.

We’re tired that we still have 50 hostages held by terrorists in Gaza, and whose freedom is not a priority of our government.

We’re tired that our prime minister refuses to take responsibility for what happened on October 7, 2023, in the greatest tragedy to befall the Jewish People since the Holocaust.

We’re tired that our soldiers are fighting every day in Gaza, and we’re tired of seeing their young faces on the news, the latest casualties of a seemingly endless war.

We’re tired of the entire world shouting cries of ‘genocide’ as we do our best to avoid civilian casualties.

We’re tired of fighting terrorists who dig tunnels under hospitals, hide their weapons in schools, take cover behind civilians and steal the aid provided by humanitarian organizations.

We’re tired of how Gazans are suffering.

We’re tired of our inability to throw out our corrupt, right-wing, extremist government.

We’re tired of the government giving limitless funding to the ultra-Orthodox and letting their young men avoid compulsory army service.

We’re tired of our right-wing government moving endlessly to curb media freedom and overturn our judicial system.

We’re tired of our government allowing the establishment of more and more settlements across the West Bank.

We’re tired of what we’re doing to the Palestinians.

We’re tired of regarding our Arab citizens as second-class.

We’re tired that the most corrupt prime minister we’ve ever had is about to get credit for finally confronting the Iranian nuclear threat.

We’re tired that the most corrupt prime minister we’ve ever had is allowing extremists to do anything they want, just so he can remain in power.

We’re tired that the most corrupt prime minister we’ve ever had is prolonging the trial that is meant to hold him accountable for his corruption.

We’re tired of inflation, of the lack of affordable housing, of the traffic jams on the highways, and the crowded national parks.

We’re tired of all this, and more.

Yet, despite being tired, we love Israel. We love its religious importance, its amazing history, and its colorful traditions. We love its high-tech, its stunning nature, its beaches, and its nightlife. We love its youth and its hope and promise for the future.

We’re tired, but we will continue to fight for our country because this is home.

Originally posted on The Times of Israel.