HEBREW U LAW STUDENT AND NEW IMMIGRANT:
____________________________________________
I'm sitting here, writing to you all, from my Jerusalem
apartment. It is approximately 2:15 p.m. my
time, and I'm waiting for a film crew to show up, to photograph me for a news
story. "Young woman moves to Israel all alone," or some other similar
title. They're late.
Yesterday I was about to do an interview with a cable news channel when I got a
call. "Sorry, someone just decided to blow himself up in the center of
Jerusalem. Interview will have to be moved."
Can't argue with that.
The phone just rang. It was my mother, calling from America to see if I was
okay. I wonder why she's
calling. And then I put the two together. For the second day in a row, a film
crew is late to interview
me because some murderer decided to kill innocent students. At lunchtime. In
their own cafeteria.
This attack, although I was nowhere near the scene, is extremely disturbing to
me. The bombing took place at Hebrew University, in the cafeteria in the law
school. Students in the law school are just finishing up their finals. Also in
the cafeteria were a large number of overseas students, part of the Rothberg
School for Overseas Students at Hebrew University.
I am also a law student, and I hope to finish my education at Hebrew University.
I too was once a
participant in the Overseas Students program. I've eaten in that cafeteria.
A thought dawns on me. I have friends in the middle of finals in the law school.
Just yesterday a sweet, Australian guy I met at Shabbat lunch called me up. We
made plans to have dinner next week. He is a third-year law student at Hebrew
University. Do I still have a date for Sunday night?
And so like many Israelis, after we've been attacked, I make the requisite phone
calls. To make sure
everyone's okay.
But everyone is not okay. At the moment there are 7 dead, over 80 injured. My
phone calls went smoothly, and my parents were reassured, but I can think of 87
pairs of parents who are not as relaxed as my mother is right now. Their bright,
ambitious children are changed. Some of those smart, talented students won't be
taking any more finals, worrying about their grades, or which course to take.
After such an event, as a recent immigrant, I'm always asked if I regret my
decision. Would I feel safe back in America. Do I wish I had waited until
"things calmed down a bit"?
Not for one minute.
When my people are suffering, and they are suffering badly right now, I am glad
that I can suffer with them. The good in this country outweighs the bad. The
people of the State of Israel are remarkable, amazing people. In tragedies like
today's bombing they pull together. Unfortunately everything has become such a
common occurrence that we are always bound together tightly.
On the news I saw a clip of a student, knapsack slung across his chest, trying
to get away from the horror and carnage that was sprawled across his campus.
Seconds later, I saw him carrying the body of one of his fellow students, blood
dripping from the stretcher.
Instead of final exams, these students said goodbye to friends and lovers.
God Bless all of the injured victims of today's attack, the families of those
killed, and the people
of Israel.
