Babies and Bullets

So there was a terrorist shooting yesterday in Jerusalem. I wrote about it yesterday to let my adoring fans know that I am ok.

But, as Shabbat is about to descend upon Jerusalem, I have to put the story into my own context. I had a great dinner last night. Rafi and I had dinner with his classmate / my pilgrimage Rosh Eytan, his wife Rebecca and their delightful twin daughters. They had invited Rafi and me to join them at a very meaty dinner in a mallish place just by the Central Bus Station and entrance to the city.

Dinner was great, and both of the girls had colds like I had, so I was allowed to hold them. They are really getting big (I remember when they were just 4 lbs). Also, I was surprisingly unruffled by the amount of baby barf that ended up on my arms and jeans. After dinner, Rafi and I stood around by the Central Bus Station, waiting for our transport back to Emek.

Ary's the serious one, Rena's the cheery one. Both barfed on me. Both are fabulous!

An hour later, news broke of a terrorist shooting. It was at a yeshiva by the entrance of the city. Read the article. Anyway, the visuals on the TV were chilling, with ambulances lined up were Rafi and I had stood an hour before. We were close. Not so close. But too close for comfort.

I'm sad about the attacks, and I am horrified at the killing of unarmed, teenaged religious students. There was one terrorist, not two, as I had previously posted, and he was shot by either an off-duty security officer or a part-time soldier-student. It's unclear, but we know that the terrorist, a neighbor from East Jerusalem (This isn't meant as a pun, but...a stone's throw from Hebrew U / Mount Scopus), is dead and will not terrorize Israelis anymore. His status in the city was chilling - as the possessor of a blue identity card, he is allowed to roam freely through (West) Jerusalem.

(There is tons of protesting this year about not dividing Jerusalem, but let's be clear. It's divided. East Jerusalem sits on the other side of a fence.)

I was overwhelmed by the IMs, emails, and other messages I received from friends and family within and without of the State of Israel. I'm safe. I'm going to remain safe. And now...it's time to wonder. I wonder what is going to happen next. For today, I didn't go to the center of town today, as I had been planning, and I stayed close to my apartment. There was extra security at the Beit Sefer Adam shuk, and the pita people were there, as usual.

Sderot is close, Ashkelon is closer, and Jerusalem is HERE. I am hoping for a stop in the terror, not just in Israel, but in the whole world.