As this collection is meant to represent what it’s like being ninety, today I’m adding a short but painful piece.
My second son, Benjamin and his wife, Ella, have moved to Israel…Ella was born there, and the two live in the big house her father built decades ago. It is on the outskirts of Tel Aviv, has a garden and its own bomb shelter.
Benje and Ella and their five children are Orthodox Jews. In time their second son, Samuel, and his wife Estee were also inspired to live in Israel. They’ve been very happy.
Recently, Estee presented their three young daughters with a brother—named him David. When Benjamin’s older brother David left us last November, it cheered me there was still a David Thompson on this planet.
Samuel was able to continue his work designing video games, and Estee soon will return to her calling of Nurse Practitioner. They found the perfect apartment in a community of likeminded young people, Beit Shemesh, about nineteen miles west of Jerusalem.
Well, this morning an Iranian missile pierced through the famous Israeli protective “dome, ” struck a makeshift synagogue in Beit Shemesh, killed nine people, injured a couple of dozen.
I asked Benje (thank heaven the cell phone still works) if Samuel and Estee lived close to where the missile struck. He said, “Mom, it’s like saying they live in Westwood and the missile hit Westwood.” Yes, it was close.
Prayers going up.
I just shook my head.
Oh. This morning in church singing in the choir gave me so much. Very comforting, a long hour in a choir loft with beautiful old melodies and very good people.
And granddaughter Kate wrote from New York that the scarf I knitted for her Taylor was “a work of art” and she wants to learn how to knit.
Now I’m going back to work (our novel is days from finishing), then will make supper, face the week. Worry about my children in Israel.
Life for the old lady goes on despite Trump and Khameini.
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I’m sure you are so upset and worried about your family in Israel. How do we find ourselves suddenly allies with that country in a war with Iran? It’s terrible and unnecessary and all the fault of our president! Wishes for peace and an end to the killing of innocent people. ❤️
Wishes for peace and an end to the killing…oh my lord in heaven
yes. It’s surreal. Big love and thanks, dear Jane.
A terrible time it’s been, more of this wickedness*~ many prayers for your family..
Still delights me knowing your noveling’s been thriving, how happy for you, Sylvia.
*Hoping when the machinations are so overt, disillusionment for SOME of his supporters will follow at minimum 🤧
Thank you, Nicky, for your kindness. We hope all goes well in your
part of the country. Keep up your good work!
Oh, we are in truly scary and bizarre times, aren’t we. I will be thinking about you. I know it is hard to have your children in danger and not be able to do anything to make them safer. Keep writing.
Deborah, you are ever a kind generous thoughtful friend…most
grateful for you.xxx
As always, Sylvia, your words capture it all. Beit Shemesh, I feel the shiver. May they all stay safe and may this wretched war become memory very soon.
Glad to hear the novel is almost finished!
Been thinking about you, dear heart…hope no one you know has been touched
by this wretched terribleness. hope to see you before the snow flies. thanks
for your kind words. much love!