Love, from a Miklat in Tel Aviv
The author (middle) spending the first night of the war underground
4/3/26
By Sara Beth Yurow, ROPES Media Advisor
I am absolutely exhausted as I write this. Yesterday in Tel Aviv was particularly difficult – I think I went to the shelter at least 10 times. Even when there aren’t terrifying booms (are they hits or interceptions??) I cannot tell you how emotionally taxing it is. Never being able to turn off your phone. Never feeling you can truly let down. Checking in on loved ones in the country and trying to put on a brave face and holding it together for the ones that aren’t…Trying to go about your life and be a sane, productive person in this world amidst absolute insanity. I have no idea how people with children or elderly parents here are doing it. Although I’m American, I can see now what it means to have “Israeli resiliency”. We all put on our makeup and some clean clothes when we have to but there’s no sugarcoating it…we’re in a war, and sometimes we’re not okay.
And then I think about Gaza and how they had to go through bombardment without a shelter or a warning or a missile defense system and I can’t imagine how the last few years must have felt. I think about my wonderful Palestinian friends in East Jerusalem and the West Bank who don’t even have a shelter to run to during sirens and I don’t know who to be furious at, who to yell at, or who to write to that their lives have just as much worth as mine. I think about the rising settler violence that’s escalating as we speak under cover of the constant war-coverage and I want to scream.
And I think about all of my dear friends in the wider MENA region – whether it’s Lebanon, or Jordan, or Egypt…I think of everyone in the UAE and Saudi Arabia who up until a month ago, thought they were safe. I think about my wonderful Iranian friends, and I ache for the fact that they can’t be in touch with their families during this time, and for the Iranian people still in the country who we can only imagine how they must be thinking and feeling right now because there’s still a communications blackout…I think of everyone across the region, and I can’t believe I’m under daily missile bombardment from Iranian ballistic missile attacks in a regional war and I’m the lucky one. Because at this moment, my house is still standing, I have all my limbs, and I have the privilege of living in a place where we get several minutes warning before attacks and shelter to run to, and I continue to pray that my luck won’t run out.
It all truly boggles the mind.
As Media Advisor for ROPES, my job is to amplify the voices of moderation and peace – voices of reason in a world of war that desperately need to be heard, now more than ever. The misinformation and negative media that only perpetuates conflict and hate don’t make my job easy. Sometimes it feels impossible. And indeed, I know that’s intentional - there are forces in this region and in this world that don’t want peace –powerful forces we are fighting that I don’t underestimate.
But I can guarantee you that here at ROPES you can count on authenticity, truth, and hope. Yesterday I participated in our webinar in the mamad (safe room). I get up, drink my coffee, and do what I can. Because my cousin’s best friend was murdered on October 7th at the Nova festival by Hamas, and her body was held hostage for two years. Because just a few weeks ago, the Muammar brothers – one of whom graciously hosted ROPES in his home, who we drank coffee with and met his children in his village of Quiryat in the West Bank – was murdered needlessly by violent settler extremists. And I don’t want either of these things to happen to anyone, ever again. So I get up, siren after siren, and get to work.
To everyone reading this in the region – stay safe and stay strong.
To everyone in the wider world, thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for continuing to check in on us, pray for us, and support us. There are no words to express how much it means.
I don’t know exactly when this war will end, but I know together we will get each other through and build a better future.
With love, from a miklat in Tel Aviv.
