Since Oct. 7, 2023, violence and war have plagued Israel, the Middle East and beyond. Over the past year, a trend of antisemitism has only escalated.
As a student at the University of Maryland, I witnessed a pro-Palestinian student group gather to mourn the lives lost in the war in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, while nearby pro-Israeli demonstrators did the same. Because the vigil was to be held on Oct. 7, 2024, one year following the initial attack, the day was expected to be hotly contested between the two sides. The University of Maryland attempting to prevent the pro-Palestinian event only perpetuated these tensions.
As a person who attended both events, I can say that aside from a few outliers, the environment was relatively calm. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the atmosphere in Israel right now.
This inspired me to reach out to people living in Israel; not major figures or other journalists, but an everyday person. I contacted people whom I knew through my brother’s participation in the Jewish choir group, Hazamir.
Hila Maman is a 17 year old from the quiet city of Dimona. Fortunately for Maman, despite the conflict raging around Israel and the surrounding countries, Dimona is rarely targeted by rockets or missiles.
Even with Dimona’s relative safety, the war brings “a constant feeling of tension and worry,” she said.
The current war in Israel, which has escalated since last year, has left its mark on every facet of daily life in the country. From the northern borders with Lebanon to the south near Gaza, even small cities in rural areas like Dimona are deeply affected by violence, military operations on both sides and concerns for the nation’s security.
Since Oct. 7, many, including Maman, “have been dealing with trauma.” Despite that, Maman still enjoys doing the things she loves.
“I enjoy singing and exercising,” Maman said. “I am also part of an international choir called Hazamir, where I can share my love for music.”
Liam Rosenfeld is a 17 year old from Tel Aviv who will be enlisting in the IDF next year. The current atmosphere in Israel is one of tension and uncertainty.
“We could go to school one day and everything is fine,” Rosenfeld said. “Then the next day, we could be under attack with rockets flying above us.”
Israel has also been busy responding to missile fire from Iran. In the event of a missile being fired at Israel, now a common occurrence, a “red alert” siren from an app called “Tzofar” is activated and Israeli citizens are instructed to go to their designated bomb shelters.
“It’s something that we got used to, sad to say,” said Rosenfeld, “but it’s now something that we go through during the day.”
Even with all the chaos, Rosenfeld, a surf instructor, still finds time to enjoy friendly recreational activities on the shores of Tel Aviv, when the days are without red alerts.
Unfortunately, one of his friend’s is living in Gaza right now, where the toll of the violence is massive, with a grave humanitarian crisis unfolding.
The emotional toll is heavy on both sides, as families in Israel worry for their safety, and those with connections in Gaza are feeling the impact of the bombings and destruction.
“The living situation is horrible,” said Rosenfeld. “I don’t think you can even call that a living situation, they are refugees.”
Fortunately, peace talks are still currently being held between the two sides. Rosenfeld and others are optimistic for a peaceful solution, but acknowledge the need for change.
“There is a change needed right now because the current situation…has not been working for the past few years,” Rosenfeld said. “I think peace is an option, just under different circumstances.”
