Israeli Emissary – A Taste of Modern Israel in Central NJ

Although the international Jewish community is ultimately connected through religion and the State of Israel’s existence, the American population does not understand modern Israeli society. Generally, Americans are taught about biblical Israel and the Jewish connection to it, but they are unable to catch a glimpse of 21st century Israeli culture.

While native Israeli’s are living that culture, American tourists are not privy to it. On their trips to Israel, very few Americans visit the small kibbutzim and moshavim (Israeli villages) found scattered throughout the Negev and Galilee, speak to the indigenous sabras on the street, or dine in the eateries filled with locals.

Federation is doing its best to change this ongoing phenomenon. On August 22, 2008 Sael Abecassis of Sderot arrived in Newark airport and begin his one year term as JFCNJ’s new shaliach (Israeli Emissary). Five days later the past shlicha, Miri Hassan, returned home to Beer Sheva. 

In September 2006 Federation created its Emissary program. The initiative looks to give Central New Jersey residents, both young and old, a firsthand look into Israeli life and culture. Although the shaliach officially works for Federation, he/she spends much of his/her time visiting local schools, synagogues and organizations. There, he/she provides a glimpse of what everyday life is like in Israel, by among other things, offering cooking classes, teaching Hebrew (both traditional and slang), singing Israeli songs and discussing Israeli politics. The program, currently supported by the Herb Seidel 21st Century Fund (a division of Federation’s Community Endowment Foundation) will soon be funded through Federation’s operating budget.

According to Stanley Stone, Federation’s Executive Vice President, the goal of the Emissary program is to bridge the gap and “to form a connection between Israel and members of the community,” so that people here can learn firsthand about Israeli society. He said that “short of taking people to Israel, we thought one of the next best things was to bring a representative from Israel here.”
Former Israeli Emissary Sael Abecassis describes a “routine” day in Sderot.

Lately, a number have people have asked me to write about Sderot.  I thought about it and decided that I would tell you about my daily routine.  We all have one, right?

Monday I finally get my Regilah (a week vacation from the army). 
FUN! A week at home - I don't remember the last time I had so much time off.

10:30pm
I get home pretty late, but no matter, I'm at home.  I heat up the food that Imma made me for lunch.  As the food is being heated the siren goes off, that distinct sound right before they start yelling "red alert."  I yell. "Red Alert! Get down," but I actually run to get my little brother, five-year old Amit from his room.  On the way down; BOOM!  The rocket hits.

10:45
I am enjoying the home-cooked meal my mother so lovingly made for me.  As I am taking my first bite again the siren goes off, "Red Alert."  We all run down to the living room, which is our safe room.  Whenever there is a rocket attack we run there.  Its walls are thicker, so if a rocket does hit my home we stand a better chance of surviving it. 

Back to my first day home. I run down the stairs, my sandwich in my mouth. (I made one just in case my food had to be mobile).  My mother yells at me, "How many times have I told you not to eat in the living room?"  I answer, "I don't have the energy to fight; I'm hungry and the only safe place to eat is here.  What am I supposed to do?"

11:11
I go upstairs take off my uniform and get into bed.  I can't be bothered to shower; I'm just too tired.  All I can think about is my Regilah and all the things I hope to do during my week off.  I fall a sleep with a smile on my face, knowing I finally can get some long awaited rest.

11:47
"Sael, Sael, Sael get up, Red Alert we have to get down stairs".  I run to Amit's room; then we are all in the living room again.  I'm tired, damn it, but Hamas just won't let me sleep. "Ahmed please for God's sake, wait until morning. All right, good night everybody."

1:10
Another "Red Alert." We run downstairs.  It's so depressing; it's the middle of the night.  Have they no shame? 

5:40
A wake up call,  Hamas style.  We run down stairs.  Abba; "Wow, what a nightmare.  Why do they wake up so early? Don't they ever get tired?"  Amit counts 7, 8, 9, 10…… we say psalms, four qassams hit, one of them nearby.  I grab some bandages and run outside.  It wasn't as close as the loud noise had led me to believe, so I go back to sleep. 

6:10
Damn! Another one; everyone is downstairs already.  They've given up trying to sleep in their beds.  Abba is on the couch half asleep and Amit lies on top of him.  Shlomi my brother is asleep on the carpet.  Only my mother is awake watching T.V.  I ask her, "Haven't you had enough of your soap operas?"

6:30
No use in going back to sleep, I'm awake. I get into the shower.

6:33
"Red Alert." Again. 
"Sael get downstairs".
"I don't want to. I'm in the shower."
"Sael get down stairs, I'm not going to ask you again".
"I don't want to."
Suddenly, there's a loud boom.  My mother says, "You idiot! I told you to get down here."

7:10
I start my rounds, going to visit family and friends.  First I visit my grandparents.  It's freezing outside.  I get in the car; the window is open, so I can't help hearing the sirens; it's another "Red Alert."  I speed up to a protective zone and run inside.  The first rocket hits just as I open the door, the second just as I enter the protective zone.  I have the strangest conversation with a person from the neighborhood.  He tells me to wish my father good health and tell him that he was my favorite teacher.


8:10
I receive a phone call from Zlil (my girlfriend).
She says, "What a horrible night! How did you cope?  You don't have any beds in the living room." 
"We exercised, running here and there," I answered." 
"I'm worried about you.  My mom says you can sleep here." 
"We'll see, but I don't think so." 
"I don't care what you think.  I told you, I'm worried."  
"Come on.  I don't want to fight on my first day of vacation. 
"OK, when are you coming to see me?" 
"Soon."  

9:10
I walk into Zlil's house. Again there's a "Red Alert." We run quickly to their protective room.  The whole family is there. 
"Hello Sael.  You're on vacation?  That's so nice!  We haven't seen you in a long (BOOM) time". 
"Yeah well you know the situation.  There've been a lot of military operations lately."

9:40
I call my mother "Imma, Zlil and I are going shopping in Ashdod."  "Excellent" she says, "better that way. Today is just one of those days.  You're better off away from here.  A missile fell near Savta's Mama's house and she's is panic stricken."

2:40- My dad calls "Sael is there a chance you can pick up Amit from the kindergarten?"
"No Abba I can't I'm in Ashdod."

4:50
I get a phone call from Imma.  "When are you coming back Sael?"
"Soon, we are on our way." 
 "Believe me it was better if you were in the army.  Today twenty missiles fell here.  Well, enough of that.  Are you sleeping at Zlil's parent's house tonight?" 
"I don't know.  I don't really want to." 
Zlil yells at me. "What do you mean you don't want to!!!!
Zehava (Zlil's Mother): Don't worry, it's settled.  He's sleeping at my house tonight."

5:30
We get home.  "What is there to eat I'm starving?"  There are leftovers.
"Sael, heat up some food for you and Zlil.
"Sael eat quickly," Zlil beckons me, "I don't want to get hit on the way home."

6:00
On the way back to Zlil's, house, there's another "Red Alert".  We run quickly into to a neighbor's home. 
"Hurry, Sael. How are you?  At least we get to see you because of these Qassam missiles.   Would you like something to drink?" 
"No thank you."

6:40
 "So, Zlil, what movie are we watching tonight? I feel like watching an action flick." 
"Order it already Sael I'm getting tired."

Anyway, it's just been another regular day here in Sderot.  Well, maybe it's not a regular day.  It is, after all, my vacation.  What am I so bitter about?  Nothing happened to me.  I'm OK, my family is OK, and that's all that really matters. 

…But there are unusual days, like the day Zlil's mother heard a "Red Alert" and her sugar levels started going crazy because of the stress, causing her to be hospitalized a couple of times.  

So what if my brother Amit, like all the kids living in Sderot, has  nightmares, or that and many children suffer from severe cases of Attention Deficit Disorder?

And I didn't tell you about the house of Aunt Pneena that was destroyed, and that she by some miracle made it in time to the protective zone of her house. 

Did I mention that twice already rockets have fallen next to my grandmother's house, and all the windows have been destroyed? Since then she can only fall asleep with the help of medication.

Did I mention that everyday distraught families come to seek help from my mother and that Abba has to stay; that it's his job?

Did I mention that in Smadar Kindergarten, which Amit attends, there is a small Western Wall?  Or that when they pray and put notes in it, they don't ask for the usual stuff like an I-Pod, a ball, a Bratz doll, a bicycle, Wii, or a Sony Play Station?  The only thing they pray for is for  the "Red alert" sirens stop.  Because the sirens scare them -  and because the situation is intolerable.

I haven't even started telling you about my cousin Ela, who three years ago was murdered by such a rocket while protecting her brother.  When the rocket was fired they had no where to hide, so she jumped on him and shielded him with her body.  She was hit; he was saved. And did I mention that my brother usually walked with them?  That this time he didn't want to go with them, so he stayed home to play soccer with me?  I was the first to arrive on the scene where Ela and her brother were hurt.  I felt totally  useless. I stood there frozen, not knowing what to do.  Maybe because of that day, I swore to myself I would learn to save lives. 

Maybe that's why I became a Combat medic.