AND‘war in Israel. “I can’t find an explanation, it’s a surreal situation that we don’t yet know how it will evolve”, repeating it in a faint voice. Yael Glam, 35-year-old Italian-Israeli, locked up since the late evening of October 7th in her home in Tel Aviv, together with her husband Yeshuà and their two children aged 2 and 3 and a half.
Hamas’s attack on Israel
When did the attack begin? Hamas on Israeli territory, Glam was near his parents’ home: «We are observant Jews, therefore I had my cell phone turned off on Shabbat. I heard the siren and ran into the safe room of my parents’ house with my two children, while my husband took refuge in the synagogue. As soon as the rain of missiles stopped, crossing deserted streets, I reached him and only there, after a moment of prayer all together, did we understand what was really happening » he says.
An unprecedented war
The unprecedented terrorist infiltration has them thrown into the nightmare of war, exactly 50 years after the war Kippur.
Born and raised in Rome and moved to Israel 12 years ago, Moved by the religious and ideological appeal that, according to her, dwells in every Jew who lives abroad, Yael, until that moment, had never experienced such a terrifying situation.
«I came back because only here, among my roots, do I feel at home. In recent years, despite the new habits compared to my daily life in Rome, I have never felt in danger, we have always been protected by the State» explains the young graduate in philosophy at Sapienza University and tour guide in Israel.
Fear for the safety of their children
Always rational and pragmatic, today, she feels pervaded by a strong emotional tension that makes her incapable of thinking thoughtfully. «I only know that what is happening is much more invasive than 50 years ago. It’s not a war between soldiers, they’re hitting civilians, we’re all at risk. The other day, four armed men were wandering around our neighborhood.”
His thoughts can only go to his children: «The little one, fortunately, didn’t realize anything. But the great one, always cheerful and lively, closed himself in an unusual silence. We are in contact with her teachers who are helping us to create the most serene reality possible, with video calls to her classmates and cousins. Let’s hope it’s just a temporary trauma» he confides.
The brotherhood of the Israeli people
Together with her husband, he decided to stay in Tel Aviv which, despite everything, remains their safe haven. A decision taken to protect children, but also for help their compatriots by participating in fundraisers and blood donations for the thousands of injured.
Glam is keen to underline the feeling of brotherhood which is uniting, today more than ever, the Israeli population, ready to reach out to the most affected cities.
«In reality, albeit in different ways, we are all overwhelmed by this tragedy. Only yesterday we discovered that two of our cousins lost their lives during theattack on the rave partywhile another is among the missing» he says, while he fears that the bad news won’t stop.
The broken harmony
Meanwhile, some of his Italian clients – who had arrived in Tel Aviv on Saturday for a guided tour that should have taken place on Sunday – escaped on the first available flight. «Until last week I had an agenda full of guided tours booked by Italian tourists, always enchanted by the harmony – inexplicable from the outside – that distinguished Israel. Now I fear that our country will again scare tourists too, inevitably there will be economic repercussions” he adds.
The fear of the hunt for Jews
But his greatest fear is “having to live what I studied in school books, especially the hunt for Jews which is already happening. We are afraid that other Arab countries could ally themselves with Hamas. It makes my blood run cold to hear about factionssee people who justify such barbarity» he concludes, while in the distance he hears the siren again announcing yet another attack.
iO Donna © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED