‘We’re not scared’: Jerusalem carries on amid war

By Ezra Lev Cohen 

Despite the disruptions to daily life, Israelis are proud of their country’s accomplishments so far and are making the most of their time.

It’s Wednesday afternoon, and the war with Iran is continuing. But in Jerusalem’s iconic outdoor Mahane Yehuda market, signs of conflict are absent. Fewer shoppers crowd the main area of the shuk, and fewer car horns can be heard, but overall, life is strangely normal.

Erez Yitzhakov lounges outside a fruit stand, a dog on his lap, sunglasses on his face; he’s the image of relaxation. “We’re not scared,” he tells The Press Service of Israel.

“We have shelters, we go to the shelters for ten minutes, go out, and life goes on the same.”

“To be honest, it’s normal for us,” echoes Efie Ohana, an Israeli who has seen multiple wars wrack the country in his lifetime.

Not everyone is so calm, however, and many find the changes to daily life disruptive.

“I was sleeping, and I woke up to a giant boom, and it really scared me,” says Chaya Adelkopf, who recently arrived in Israel from the United States.

She recounts being “very cautious” during the war’s first few days until the daily missile attacks and trips to the shelter began to feel normal. “Even if it’s dangerous and it’s crazy, these are our normal days now,” she says.

Still, others note that Jerusalem has lost some of its bustle. “You can feel that here, in Shuk Mahane Yehuda,” Ohana explains.

“Normally we have more traffic, but now it’s like this,” he says, gesturing at the smaller-than-normal crowds.

“At night, walking down the streets, it’s emptier than usual,” adds Adelkopf.

Despite these disruptions to daily life, Israelis are proud of their country’s accomplishments so far and are making the most of their time.

Mendel, who goes by the nickname ‘The Street Jew,’ shares a lesson he learned from a man he met during the recent Purim holiday.

“[The man] drank a very substantial amount of alcohol, and we hear the sirens, and he says, ‘Who cares about the sirens, Messiah is coming!’ and he starts dancing in the streets like a drunk guy,” Mendel says. “We all need a little bit of that belief.”

“We are still happy, Am Yisrael Chai [the nation of Israel lives],” Ohana says.

Petting his dog with one hand and making a victorious fist with the other, Yitzhakov is confident in the war effort: “Israelis are strong people,” he says.