It’s sunny Tel Aviv far war. It’s noon in the Israeli capital. Music makes conversation difficult on this downtown terrace. But it does not matter. Dozens youth, tanned and clear-eyed, gather to help their friends. Even if they carry drinks in their hands, what they do is also a job. effort fight. While his friends were there He was assigned to the Army They have been selling their art and talents for weeks and donating the profits to provide meals to soldiers and displaced families across the country. “Everyone looks happy and relaxed but each one “Many of these people have now lost someone they knew or loved in the Army,” he explains Julia MannDocumentary filmmaker who organizes this charity market.
A popular T-shirt among attendees reads: “I will never apologize for being Israeli.” self-managed art fair. Most of the artists and participants olim. In Hebrew, this term means: Jewish immigrants who aliyah and acquired Israeli citizenship. 29 years old, Eden Başar One Ah. He lived in the United States until he was 17. Later, he came to Israel and did his military service. “I was… soldier fighting in artillery units “For two and a half years,” he told this newspaper. “It was an incredible experience and I would do it again,” he says with conviction. Even though he has a US passport, when asked if he has one, he doesn’t finish the question. I thought about going back.. “I I feel safer here “More than in the US or Europe,” he admits.
While offering sessions facial reflexologyBachar shares his fear. “I look at what’s happening on TV and I think you don’t know who your neighbors are, who you go to school with, or who is behind you when you go to get coffee,” this young woman says. “They may be pro-Palestinian but you don’t know that“he says, becoming very alarmed. Two weeks ago, the organization to which he belonged, along with the families of Kibbutz Beeri, were attacked on October 7 and taken 15,000 shekels, or about 3,700 euros. olim. Bachar has been part of the group for nine years Martyr Soldier Couples “We now offer psychological support to our single colleagues who lost their partners in the war” from the Israeli Defense Forces who lost their boyfriend during the Gaza war in 2014 140 brides we joined our group,” he laments.
“Easy and fun”
Nia Shtai He is neither Jewish nor Israeli, but has lived in Tel Aviv for nine years. This Ukrainian artist He devoted hours to drawing the city that welcomed him and where his partner came from. “I have a few friends who are in the military and they tell me it’s easy and fun and they get their food from different restaurants and most of the time they do nothing“says the 33-year-old artist. “But I don’t know, maybe it’s a defense mechanism,” he says. Shtai, who originally comes from a city on Ukraine’s border with Russia, admits that some of the rockets that fell on Tel were in this region. Aviv woke them up post traumatic stress disorder. “The worst part was that my dog died of cancer last week,” he admits.
“This was the hardest thing for me because the truth is Israel starts wars all the time This is something I’m already used to and there’s nothing you can do; I believe in the Israeli Army, I know it will always win,” he explains, a sentiment shared among Israeli youth. “It is painful to see what is happening in Gaza. civilians Those who died and what happened here is nothing but what can we do? Enjoy yourselves, have fun, see our friends and make art“Keep going,” he argues. In a city like Tel Aviv, where it is always summer, it is easy to forget that people like them are preparing to take up arms.
But they fall from time to time rockets War, or at least a sign of it, is returning to the streets in Israel’s capital. “When something very dramatic happens we get over it very quickly, that’s a very important thing. special for the people of Israel“says Bashar. “We know how to deal with things that are very stressful, very tragic, we always say that everything will be okay, something that happens very repeatedly and when you say it enough and hear it enough, it applies to the whole world. This facial reflexologist says: Accustomed to wars and attacks, Israelis boast of not bursting into tears. “we are not wellbut the whole country needs us; We have the stability to get used to scary things very quickly, but that’s what makes reunification traumatic in this country,” he explains to Grupo Prensa Ibérica’s El Periódico de Catalunya.
Fight for your existence
Loud music played by one person live DJAnd beer tours They overshadow the real reasons that brought these young people here. They support 360,000 spares They were summoned as Israel escalated its war in Gaza. Six weeks after that tragic October 7, the festive atmosphere and gatherings are different from those at the beginning of the conflict in the Gaza Strip, which killed 1,200 citizens and claimed more than 11,000 lives. “My people, my family, appear wounded In this terrible war,” says the jeweler NaamaGerman. This young Israeli woman not only came to “do good and donate it to people in need”to earn a living” with her jewels. “Now in Israel people say, if they have money, save it, they won’t spend it because we don’t know what will happen tomorrow or what it will be like tomorrow,” complains Deutsch, who is torn between customer and customer.
“My brothers and sisters need me I can’t leave them alone because I’m a little scared, I have to be here,” says Bachar. “I didn’t even think about leaving, it was just for me apparent” he says. Young people at the bottom of the DJ booth yoga tights They offer their faces to him to comfort his features in these difficult times. On this rooftop of a famous nightclub on the street Rothschild’s of the israeli capital shekel They run without much thought. T-shirts, jewelry, cakes or massages are ways to tell your friends that they are not alone, that you are thinking of them and that you are nurturing them. Most of the society shares the same thing. your government’s position and they believe that this war is their struggle for existence.