Israel - Email from the front

Max sends another email.

Hey Marc,

Thanks for the offer but I think that so far things
are more or less under control where I'm at.

I'm now in the center, a bit south of Tel-Aviv and the difference
is huge. It's like two different countries, it seems
as if there's no war here. People here (including
myself) can't feel the tension until you go to the
north. A lot of my friends came down south. One of
them has left Nahariya (maybe the most bombed city)
the day after the war started and stays with his wife
and two children in a youth hostel for over 3 weeks
now. He has no idea whether his house is still intact
since almost every street there is hit and he said
that the whole neighborhood is deserted so he has none
to ask. I've never seen him so depressed. Another one
stays in his friend's house and another one closed his
business to come and stay with his family in Tel
Aviv. Another friend's family with 3 kids left for
Jerusalem and so on. Multiply that by hundreds of
thousands and you'd get the picture. At the same time,
Israel's economy is still strong (thanks to the
capitalist leanings of Bibi Netanyahu, former treasury
minister, I think) although it is definitely hit
(drafting costs, business compensations, rebuilding
destroyed houses (Kiryat Shmona, someone who just
returned told me, is severely hit and the damage there
is huge)). There are no shortage of supplies or
anything like that and I work as if I was in Holland.
Yesterday we heard that a Hezbollah drone was
intercepted going into Israel and learned that they
have "suicide" drones with 40 kilogram warheads
capable of reaching Tel Aviv. So I guess it's just a
matter of time now. It is hard to explain this but
there is a feeling of togetherness which I've never
felt anywhere else in the world (and I've been to
places). People helping others in ways you can't
describe. A lot of people volunteer to go up north to
take care and distribute food and medicine to elderly
people stuck in shelters. A lot of offers to come and
stay in homes. A lot of private organizations creating
summer camps for children from the north and so
on...I'll write more later on. I'm neglecting my work,
it's addictive you know.

He also sends a link to sources where you can help.
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