On October 7th, I woke up in the comfort of my bed. I shook off my blanket and went about my morning like normal, picked up my phone, and opened up to Instagram like usual. To my shock, the first thing that popped up on my feed was a video of an innocent woman being kidnapped by a terrorist shouting "Allah Akbar." Confused, I dove into my Instagram feed and my friend's stories. My initial thoughts were, why? Why does this keep happening? Why am I safe, but they're not? Knowing I couldn't do much when finding out made me feel sick and nauseous.

Family

I couldn't help but think that I was in the safety of my bed and could go outside without worrying about the dangers of being attacked by terrorists as Israelis had to. Immediately, my mind went to my mom's cousin who lives in Israel. I thought of him, his wife, and his kids. How terrified they were, and how terrified I was for them. I couldn't shake the fear I was holding for them. My stomach was in knots. My breath fastened, and my heartbeat quickened. I ran to my mom's room and questioned her about any updates on her cousin. Thankfully, my mom was able to inform me that he and his family were safe and in hiding. I never knew how much relief the word "safe" could bring until that moment.

Hope

Videos and pictures were flooded all over my feed: graphic pictures and the disgusting truth of what Hamas is doing to Israeli citizens. In spite of all the graphic content, we are also shown videos that provide us glimmers of hope, such as this powerful moment of IDF soldiers singing the Israel national anthem, Hatikvah, while getting ready to defend their country. The national anthem, Hatikvah, translates to "the hope." A lyric from the anthem that speaks to me is, "Ha'tikvah bat sh'not al-payim," which translates to "Our hope is not yet lost." With all the vile events occurring in Israel, the IDF shows us how these beautiful words can empower us and keep hope alive.      

What can we do to help Israel?

What actions can we take to help show our support for Israel? Showing our support can be shown in various ways. It's essential for people who aren't aware of the situation to be educated about it, from discussing the situation with your non-Jewish friends or anyone not aware of the situation to sharing educational, social media posts, along with reporting any hate on social media you come across that shows support for Hamas. Additionally, attending rallies in your area to show your support for Israel.

Here's the schedule I found with all the information you need. Lastly, you can donate to help fund the Israeli Emergency Fund and the IDF Emergency Fund, including more things Israel needs help with funding. This is the link with information on what they need help with funding and where to donate. Am Yisrael Chai!