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War Is Stressful — And Fattening
Tales of panic, sugar, and carbohydrates in a Beersheva bomb shelter.
For even the toughest among us (and I am pretty tough), find it hard to maintain the stoic façade when faced with the group dynamics of panic and fear. Be it the child crying loudly in the arms of his panting father who has just done the 100 yard dash to the safe room or the woman hunched in the corner with tears streaming down her face because she “heard the boom,” I have found myself passing out chocolate and cookies, jokes and silly stories. Anything to distract us all from the brutal reality that someone really is trying to kill us. And not just the immediate “us,” but the hundreds of thousands of residents in the cities of Beersheva, Ashkelon and Ashdod, and towns like Sderot, Gedera and everyone else in between.
According to my understanding of the world, it shouldn’t be this way. Israel left the Gaza Strip over three years ago, offering the Palestinians an opportunity to determine their own future. Unfortunately they chose Hamas, a party that advocates Islamic fundamentalism and a commitment to fight for the destruction of Israel. This agenda can only bring death and destruction as Israel is not going to go away. Nor will we average Israelis accept a reality where the Palestinians can shower a region with missiles and go unscathed.
The Home Front Command has closed all the local sports centers, closed the schools and canceled all afternoon activities. My children are now happily turning themselves into couch potatoes aware that no one will tell them to go outside and play. They are second-generation missile-dodgers: I met my husband in a sealed room during the first Gulf War.
Let me say loud and clear: my neighbors and I are willing to pack on a few pounds if it will mean the ultimate destruction of Hamas’ ability to shoot missiles at us. We are willing to sit in our safe room until the threat of missiles has been eradicated once and for all. (Maybe while Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni is in France this week, she can ask for a humanitarian shipment of quality chocolate to make it a bit more bearable…?)
Do not let the images on the news confuse you. Yes, there is suffering in Gaza. But Hamas chose to smuggle in weapons and ammunition to the Gaza Strip when they could have been supplying food, education, and health care to their people, developing their economy and worked towards building a future for themselves instead of towards our destruction.
I blame them for my weight gain.
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Faye Bittker is the director of the Department of Publications and Media Relations at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.
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13 Comments
1. An Unsealed Room » War is Fattening:[...] I just bullied my good friend Faye Bittker into writing down all the entertaining stuff she’s been telling me on the telephone and turning it into an article on Pajamas Media. Check it out… [...]
Jan 2, 2009 - 2:02 am 2. vitti:Great. Thankyou. I will pass this on.Lookingforward to the fudge filled….
Jan 2, 2009 - 6:02 am 3. jvon:Shabbat Shalom
vitti
I wish you and your fellow countrymen (countrypersons?) the best of luck in the current conflict, and I hope it is resolved before any of you put on too much weight.
Jan 2, 2009 - 6:19 am 4. Holly B:Very interesting, funny, and insightful blog entry. I’m glad to know this is your position. From far away, we can’t experience exactly what you’re going through, but this brings us closer. Thanks!
Jan 2, 2009 - 6:59 am 5. Marilyn K:You go girl! What a great excuse to indulge yourself and enjoy those chocolate goodies. I also doubt that you are seriously gaining weight (and even if you are I doubt that it shows on you). I totally agree that it is worth gaining a few pounds if it helps to stop those rockets. BUT, I still think you should have accepted Allison’s invitation to head north. Then you ALL could have enjoyed chocolate together (and I would have an opportunity to see you again).
Jan 2, 2009 - 8:34 am 6. Roger L Simon:An absolutely brilliant article. Thank you.
Jan 2, 2009 - 9:08 am 7. Suzi:Sending prayer and good wishes to those living this nightmare. Wish I could send chocolate…I’ve packed on pounds with nary and fear in the world outside my door. Shame on me. If I could pack this up and send it where it could do some good, or at least give some comfort I would.
Jan 2, 2009 - 11:46 am 8. jvon:You might want to check out http://pizzaidf.org .
Jan 2, 2009 - 1:58 pm 9. Lea Karpman:Bravo Faye for maintaining your ability to laugh, calm your neighbors down and write down your observations in such a clear and real way. Those of us who fight the battle of the bulge under normal everyday circumstances applaud you!
Jan 3, 2009 - 6:08 am 10. DoubleTapper:Where should I send my care package of good chocolate?
Make sure to stay good and hydrated.
Although some would deny us even that basic right.
They won’t be satisfied until there is nothing left for us.
Jan 3, 2009 - 8:30 am 11. Becky:How can we let this pass?
DoubleTapper
DoubleTapper@gmail.com
DoubleTapper, blogging on Guns Politics Defense from Israel
Great article. In Ohio, we can only imagine what it’s like to be a missile, regardless of the generation.
Jan 3, 2009 - 3:11 pm 12. Wendy:Great article, glad you can keep your sense of humor in what must be an extremely tense situation. Here in the U.S. we can only imagine what you are going through but if it was me I would need a bottle of vodka instead of chocolate and cookies!! Wish I could send you one. My families thoughts and prayers are with you and your community. Stay well and safe, all our love.
Jan 3, 2009 - 6:20 pm 13. Anonymous:Of course Hamas were smuggling in supplies and food. Why do you think they’re still so popular? (Well, actually I think the smuggling tunnels were technically run by local businessmen with at most a loose affiliation with Hamas, but it’s certainly their main use. I believe smuggled food and building supplies was big business for Egyptians near the border.)
Jan 10, 2009 - 1:57 pm