Musings From Israel:

Conversation with G-d

2008-11-17T19:43:00.003+02:00

Thing 4 and I were driving to the shops just before yomtov. (The very same shops in whose parking lot my kids are wont to comment "kol yisrael chazerim" upon seeing how people park their cars so 'nicely.') I was concerned about getting a parking spot (not even a decent one, just a legal one) and told Thing 4 that he should ask Hashem to help us get a good spot. A few minutes later he pipes up from the back, "He said 'OK."
I must admit it took me a good few seconds!
BTW, we got a GREAT spot!

Damned

2008-08-24T00:15:00.003+03:00

.....if they do and damned if they do.
I just read this article and was so incensed.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1014117.html
Last update - 19:47 21/08/2008 Israel removes West Bank roadblock outside Ramallah

We once accidentally drove past the entrance to a Jewish-lived-in city near Ramallah. (really they are all OUR cities.)
It was only as we appraoched the machsom (which we did not recall being there previously) and simultaneously noticed the giant billboard for Habib's used-cars that we realized our mistake. We were urged by the chayalim manning the machsom to 'turn around, fast' and 'you not want to be here.'
If that machsom were not there, we probably would have attepmpted to continue driving until we felt that there was a 'good' place to turn around.
Is there ever a 'good' place to turn around when you enter our neck of the woods that they have usurped?

Birthday party - a success!

2008-08-19T22:43:00.004+03:00

Yes! I threw a surprise party for DH this past Friday night.

It was an oneg shabbos birthday party replete with hot kugel and cholent as well as a (b"H) well-conditioned a/c (read zealous!)

We managed to set up mostly while DH drove Things 2 and 3 to Y-M.

(They got to spend shabbos with Grandma and Grandpa. Thing 1 is in sleepaway camp, so it was just us and Thing 4 at home, kinda' strange, but really nice.) DH just didn't know who this seminary-looking-girl was and what she was doing in the house and after I refused to answer his questons, and she did too, he went on to the kids. To their credit, Things 2 and 3 wouldn't answer either, and they had a whole car ride together.

DH thought that perhaps we were hosting an NCSY se'da shileesheet or something.

I manged to get Thing 4 to bed before any loud noise made its way upstairs, and I got cozy with a bunch of reading material and a large mug of tea.

When I came down (much later) the salon (read dining room) was in the last stages of being put back to normal semblance (THANKS Mitch and Eliezer!)

DH theorized that since I made him a huge surprise bash for his 30th, which was after we were married 6 years, and that this was 7 years later, he should expect to be surprised (is that really possible?) in 8 more years.

For those of you who missed it, I heard that it was really nice, and to those of you that came, thanks for making it so.

That was close!

2008-08-19T22:36:00.007+03:00

OK, ok, with this whole JBlooger NBN thingy scheduled tomorrow, I kinda' got inspired to blog.
After 4 years (yup, it's been 4 whole years) here, jets and low-flying choppers are so commonplace that although Ihear them, it doesn't always register. Sitting at the computer now though, I heard a chopper so low that I thought it was coming in for a landing nearby (and they don't do that!)
So as I sit here in RBS (hey, I don't think that I've ever mentioned our location in any of my previous blog posts) at 10:30 pm, I wonder just who it is they are searching for, and ehy do they think that he's in my backyard?

If you're happy and you know it

2007-12-09T23:09:00.000+02:00

Thing 4 was out of school for a few days with what turned out to be strep.
We saw one of his assistant teachers at a shul chanukah party (not-school related.)
When she saw him, the teacher asked him how he was feeling. Thing 4 pondered and replied, "HAPPY!"

Hashem's name

2007-09-15T23:53:00.000+03:00

Thing 3 says to me in a conspiratorial tone of voice-
"I know Hashem's first name"
"Oh, really?!" I was really curious to hear this one
"It's Baruch. You know, Baruch Hashem."

I disillusioned her on that one.

Gimar chatimah to all my readers
I know that I haven't blogged in a long time
I meant to but didn't
and I make no commitment to being better about it in this coming year

OK,he's REALLY cute-it's unanimous!!

2007-06-25T11:26:00.000+03:00

I got a call from his swimming instructor the other day.
"Hi, this is so-and-so, calling to tell you that even though Thing 4 is by far the cutest kid in any of my groups I don't have a group for him." All the little girls lining up for the next lesson keep telling him/me "he's SOOO cute!'--think girl(S!) with a crush on a younger man!!

Don't worry, for all of you following his metamorphosis from a screaming, possibly even frightened child ("PLEEEEEEASE take me out Eema") to walking across the pool (he's in way over his head!) while blowing bubbles (yeah, he's become amphibious) and floating and beginning to swim on his stomach and jumping repeatedly in to the pool -think "Geronimo!"(well, OK, he's done that since day 1--I was just concerned about letting him go to the ladder [and escaping!] so I would only let him do that at the end of the lesson!) a class WAS found for him. He can now continue to morph into a full-fledged water creature, entirely comfortable in the water.

Ezzie-his 'out of the mouth of babes' will be coming your way shortly, B"N!

Uhm..try that again/Yum! I'll try that again!

2007-05-30T10:27:00.000+03:00

Whether this is a case of malopropism or not, remains to be seen!
Thing 4 eagerly helped me mix the eggs and cheeses and then helped me and Thing 3 to layer this mixture with sauce and noodles. On Yom Tov he proudly proclaimed that he helped make and was going to eat the LaNausea!

REALLY GOTTA BE CAREFUL WITH WHAT WE SAY!

2007-05-02T00:37:00.001+03:00

Thing 1 was supposed to be home already for dinner, and then learning.
He was late.
I was getting frustrated
..then infuriated.
So, I turned to my husband and asked what we should do about/to
Thing 1.
Very calmy, DH replied, "Kill him."
(He did NOT mean it.)
Very non-nonplussed (I've always wanted to use that word, sorry)
I retorted, "And then what?"
To which thing 3 piped up, "Bury him."

Favorite song

2007-04-20T01:09:00.000+03:00

Thing 4, who is 3 years old has some very strong feelings about things that he likes, and those which he doesn't!
His favorite song, which he sings often, loudly and sometimes unnecessarily is 'bentching.'
This morning, after a special Rosh Chodesh breakfast of French Toast, Thing 1 began bentching aloud. Thing 4 grinned and out of his smiling mouth came, "That's my FAVORITE song!"

On a Cholo Shel Mo'ed picnic after calling Thing 4 back to the table (it was a picnic table) 'for bentching--well we WERE about to, and we also didn't want him wandering too far--we began singing Shir HaMa'alot. Thing 4, anticipating "Baruch Atah etc" looked up, and in utter dismay shouted, "I HATE THAT SONG!"

Pre Purim Pondering

2007-02-28T01:01:00.000+02:00

WHAT IS IT WITH BOYS AND GUNS?

OK! AND motorcycles, fire trucks, garbage trucks, construction trucks.
Is it the size? Is it the sound?
I know that they can't help it and that it's in their DNA and all....

SNOWFLAKES

2007-01-16T15:53:00.000+02:00

This morning, when deciding what to have for breakfast, my 3 year-old (yay! he's really 3 already) decided on "snowflakes!"
So cornflakes it was!

2007-01-04T23:12:00.000+02:00

MAZAL TOV--IT'S A BOY!!!!!!

My sister had a boy!
B"H all seems well.
He weighed in at 6/14 (that's pounds, not kilo!)
This is niecephew #2 that I have yet to meet, though there are 2 more that although we've met them, we don't really know, and there isn't any cousin-time....
It seems that this is one more simcha that we'll miss out on because we are here, and they are there.
Though, DH is on that side of the pond now, and though many miles away, may join them for the bris! And he has a camera with him and he actually up/downloads them quickly!
I am toying with the idea of going in for the pidyon haben.
We'll see..............

L.A.=ballet (if you're almost 3)

2006-11-30T21:02:00.000+02:00

There was a time (for about 4 months) that everytime we passed our shul (which was/is under construction, but in use--only in Israel!), which was SEVERAL TIMES A DAY Thing 4 would call out, "Bais Tefilla!"
Last year Thing 3 took ballet once a week.
Thing 4 was a passenger in the car on ballet-carpool days.
Frequently he confirms with me,"T's b'lay?"as we pass the building! and I of course answer in the affirmative!
The girls still go to chugim there--not just ballet anymore, but of course, it's still 'T's b'lay!'
Anyway, my sister (HAPPY ANNIVERSARY) lives in L.A., and my kids know that they have cousins in L.A.
We called L.A. this morning and Thing 4 asked to speak to his cousin, but since it's a 10 hour difference, Thing 4 got a mini science lesson, along the lines of--when it's dark here, it's sunny in L.A., and when it's shluffy-time in L.A. you're in gan and playing .
Suddenly Thing 4 wanted to know why his cousin was at 'b'lay' if it's shluffy-time!

Baruch...Dayan Ha'Emet

2006-11-30T20:57:00.000+02:00

We have no idea what kochos our tefillos have, what far-reaching effects our good actions can result in. We daven to Hashem and need to remember that it is really all up to HIM.
I received a phone call that just a short while ago Leah bat Isabelle was nifteret.
The levaya will be held on Friday, BE"H.
May we be zochim to see, very soon, 'the other side' of the magnificent tapestry that HaKadosh Baruch Hu is weaving.

shabbat shalom u'mevorach!
kiss your kids,
compliment your spouse ,
thank your parents
and be nice to your neighbours (even the ones you really don't like)and to strangers.
make a difference!

oif simachot!

Also, a dear family member will be undergoing extensive surgery for hip replacement on Thursday November 30 (East-Coast U.S.); Please recite tehillim for her; her name is Yenta bat Esther.

urgent plea for tefillot

2006-11-26T10:33:00.000+02:00

My aunt called me at about 8:30 this morning. She's expecting that some of you may have already heard tonight..
A close friend of the family is in desperate need of rachamei shamayim.
She has cancer, and at the moment is bad--the doctors--are not expecting her to survive the night.
She has a young family. Please daven for Leah bat Isabelle.

Also, a dear family friend will be undergoing extensive surgery for hip replacement on Thursday November 30; Please say tehillim for her;
her name is Yenta bat Esther.
I will--B"N-- update you as to their conditions if anything changes, but please feel free to follow up.

tizku limitzvot
shenishma besurot tovot

kids say the darndest things

2006-11-15T23:46:00.000+02:00

This morning, after things 1, 2 and 3 left for school, thing 4 sat on the floor near me.
I was at the computer, he was using his "colours only on paper!" and we were shmoozing. Then he got up and started punching me!
I asked him if perhaps he forgot to 'use his words' (he KNOWS that we're supposed to use our words and not our hands when we wnat something) and would he like to try to tell me something, only this time, using his words.
He was instantly agreeable and when prompted, promptly replied, "Eema, I want to potch you."
Needless to say, he was instantly scooped up in my arms (before he could see my smiling face, and me laughing) for a big hug!

RESPONSE to SERANDEZ

2006-10-30T14:14:00.000+02:00

Ezzie commented on RBS and its proximity to Israel.
It's really not so funny.
But, when we were still in ChU"L and told people that we were going to RBS, their (snide) retort would sometimes be, "Oh, I thought you were going to Israel!"

Where shall I start?
Firstly, to clear the air-
Israel does not = Eretz Yisrael.

Besides, the active sonei Yisrael here really don't differentiate when they plan a pigu'ah.
We still earn and spend Israeli shequalim, we even have to use Hebrew when we shop (gasp!)
--Though a friend berated the gas station attendant for living here in the greater-BS area and not speaking English!!
Our kids' language of instruction is none other than Hebrew
and guess what--even with non-'Israeli style'-driving it's a whole lot less than 2 hours until you reach someplace that doesn't stock North American products and is swarming with Anglos.

And EVEN IF IT WERE TRUE, so what?
WE ARE HERE (and have all the mitzvot and zechuyot associated with this), AND YOU ARE NOT.

Testing, Testing

2006-10-17T22:26:00.000+02:00

1.2.3! :) Weeee!!!!!!!

I'd like to thank myself for fixing Eema2Four's blog, spending a whole 3 seconds on it. Ha! :P

Chayal<=>Tzitzis program, or: More things YOU can do to help out with the matzav

2006-08-11T15:08:00.000+03:00

An Urgent Offer for a Great Mitzvah

a personal chayal-tzitzis story will, B"N follow at a later date

Klal Yisroel are, at present, in dire need of Hashem's mercy and compassion.
It is imperative that we begin feeling and sharing the sentiments of those
directly suffering. Feeling should lead to action together with and on
behalf of our brothers. "Eis tzara hi l'Yaakov-It is a time of trial to
Yaakov" means all of us.

There is a midrash that relates of a man drowning in a lake who cries to the
captain of a passing boat. The captain throws him a rope to save and pull
him aboard. Hakaddosh Baruch Hu gave us the rope of the tzitzis to grab in
order to pull us close to Him. It is a shemirah, a protection, for our
bodies and souls and a connection to Hashem.

A group of Boston yungerleit are embarking upon an imperative project of
feeling for our soldiers, may Hashem protect them, identifying with them,
and sending them 'the rope'. They are undertaking to send tzitzis to as many
soldiers as possible and offering you the opportunity to share in this
mitzvah.

The passuk says "U'ri'isem oso...va'asisem es kol mitzvosai". This alludes
to the havtacha, the promise, that if one fulfills "U'ri'isem oso", one will
be granted the privilege to live and fulfill mitzvos, may it be Hashem's
will.

The cost of one garment is 20 shekels in Israel. Cost in America is $5.00.
This money may be taking from maaser.

Contributions may be sent to:

In Beitar: Mr. Elozor Gottlieb, 5/5 Chofetz Chaim St., Beitar
In Yerushalayim: Rabbi Dovid Gottlieb, 28/5 Shaulson St., Yerushalayim
In the U.S.A.: Mr. Shmuel Fine, 25 Yale Dr., Monsey, NY 10952

Can YOU spot the differences?

2006-08-06T23:24:00.000+03:00

original

"Reutered"

Racial profiling

2006-07-25T14:09:00.000+03:00

I just found this in my inbox, it was forwarded by my mother.
OK, I am not telling you to forward this to everyone that you know, but haven't we all been on the wrong end of an 'interrogator' at the airport. How many of us have been told, "Let's not forget 9-11" when having our blond-yarmulke toting husbands' bags opened?! Anyway. Enjoy!
Enjoy!

Subject: History Test

Please pause a moment, reflect back, and take the following multiple choice test. The events are actual events from history. They actually happened! Do you remember?

1. 1968 Bobby Kennedy was shot and killed by
a. Superman
b. Jay Leno
c. Harry Potter
d. a Muslim male extremist between the ages of 17 and 40

2. In 1972 at the Munich Olympics, athletes were kidnapped and massacred by
a. Olga Corbett
b. Sitting Bull
c. Arnold Schwarzenegger
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

3. In 1979, the US embassy in Iran was taken over by:
a. Lost Norwegians
b. Elvis
c. A tour bus full of 80-year-old women
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

4. During the 1980's a number of Americans were kidnapped in Lebanon by:
a. John Dillinger
b. The King of Sweden
c. The Boy Scouts
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

5. In 1983, the US Marine barracks in Beirut was blown up by:
a. A pizza delivery boy
b. Pee Wee Herman
c. Geraldo Rivera
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

6. In 1985 the cruise ship Achille Lauro was hijacked and a 70 year old American passenger was murdered and thrown overboard in his wheelchair by:
a. The Smurfs
b. Davey Jones
c. The Little Mermaid
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

7. In 1985 TWA flight 847 was hijacked at Athens, and a US Navy diver trying to rescue passengers was murdered by:
a. Captain Kidd
b. Charles Lindberg
c. Mother Teresa
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

8. In 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 was bombed by:
a. Scooby Doo
b. The Tooth Fairy and The Sundance Kid
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

9. In 1993 the World Trade Center was bombed the first time by:
a. Richard Simmons
b. Grandma Moses
c. Michael Jordan
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

10. In 1998, the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were bombed by:
a. Mr. Rogers
b. Hillary Clinton, to distract attention from Wild Bill's women problems
c. The World Wrestling Federation
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

11. On 9/11/01, four airliners were hijacked; two were used as missiles to take out the World Trade Centers and of the remaining two, one crashed into the US Pentagon and the other was diverted and crashed by the passengers. Thousands of people were killed by:
a. Bugs Bunny, Wiley E. Coyote, Daffy Duck and Elmer Fudd
b. The Supreme Court of Florida
c. Mr. Bean
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

12. In 2002 the United States fought a war in Afghanistan against:
a. Enron
b. The Lutheran Church
c. The NFL
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

13. In 2002 reporter Daniel Pearl was kidnapped and murdered by:
a. Bonnie and Clyde
b. Captain Kangaroo
c. Billy Graham
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

Nope, I really don't see a pattern here to justify profiling, do you? So, to ensure we Americans never offend anyone, particularly fanatics intent on killing us, airport security screeners will no longer be allowed to profile certain people. They must conduct random searches of 80-year-old women, little kids, airline pilots with proper identification, secret agents who are members of the President's security detail, 85-year old Congressmen with metal hips, and Medal of Honor winning and former Governor Joe Foss, but leave Muslim Males between the ages 17 and 40 alone lest they be guilty of profiling. Let's send this to as many people as we can so that the Gloria Aldreds and other dunder-headed attorneys along with Federal Justices that want to thwart common sense, feel doubly ashamed of themselves -- if they have any such sense. As the writer of the award winning story "Forrest Gump" so aptly put it, "Stupid is as stupid does."
Come on people wake up!!! Keep this going. Pass it on to everyone in your address book. Our Country and our troops need our support.

playing with my mind

2006-07-24T23:01:00.000+03:00

We (I) decided to keep 2.5 y.o. home for the next three days.
Why? You may ask. Well, I was planning on toilet training him over he summer.
Specifically why now--We were out for shabbos day and one of the kids there was toilet training (there's gotta be another term); it's before the 9 days and its laundry limitations; I hope to go away at the end of the summer;he's between school and daycamp, so it's a great transition period.
I really thought that he'd be ready.
He's sat on the toilet , both productively and not, over the last few months, he will tell me when he's wet/dirty, he knows what to do, he's got control, need I continue?
Day 2 began with us in the living room with Lego and Bristle Blocks (remember those!?!).
"Hey, cutie," I began, "where are you gonna' make?"
His immediate reply o me was, "on Lego"
"No, c'mon, where are you going to make?" I persist
"On floor!" was his bright reply
Now I'm really getting frustrated.
He's used the toilet (sitting and standing) all day beautifully the previous day, and now he's got "my new one, new potty" to use as well.
"Really, where are you going to pish, when you have to?" I come back for more--
"OK Eema, on loitet" he says (NOT toilet, but loitet!)
"and on the ..." I prompt him
"on the new one! my potty"
He's totally playing with my mind!

must-read 'matzav' articles from aish.com

2006-07-24T22:03:00.000+03:00

http://www.aish.com/jewishissues/mediaobjectivity/Beware_of_Disinformation.asp

http://www.aish.com/jewishissues/middleeast/One_Israelis_View.asp

http://www.aish.com/jewishissues/middleeast/Arithmetic_of_Pain.asp
(by Alan M. Dershowitz, from The Wall St. Journal)

http://www.aish.com/jewishissues/middleeast/Fighting_Hizbullah.asp

baby talk

2006-07-23T01:11:00.001+03:00

My baby is actually putting together real sentences--you know more than 3 words consecutively!

Like when we were dropping off one of his sisters at a friend's and passed a playground on the way home--"Eema no home, go whee!" Telling me that he did not want to go home(duh!)and wanted to go to the park.

He also will tell me, "home, go home," when he feels he's ready to go home.

He's been quite vocal about "no crib, no shluffy", and after a look from me, he's quick to add "soon."

Today after hurting his hand he came over to me holding out his hurt hand, and almost more afraid than hurt, he said, "me hand ow, hand broken.'

Later when making funny faces, his Abba asked him, "What kind of face is that?" his absolutely adorable answer was, "Mine!"

generous

2006-07-21T13:03:00.000+03:00

Sensitive son is also generous.
We have summer neighbours next door.
(They are visiting from ChU"L for the summer.)
My son had school until R"Ch Av.
One day he declared that he would be willing to take a day-off from school so that he could keep one of the kids next door company, and so that the kids next-door wouldn't be bored.
It took a while for me to convince him otherwise.

New aish film on the matzav

2006-07-20T00:24:00.000+03:00

http://www.aish.com/movies/everygeneration.asp

Sensitive

2006-07-18T21:36:00.000+03:00

My 10 1/2 year old is sensitive.
I always knew it. Throughout his (whole) life he has been. Sometimes overly so. Often not really--at least when it comes to his younger sibs. But when it comes to his national family, he REALLY is.
His school has planned a day to a waterpark in Ashdod.
He was really excited about it, until just over a week ago.

Then he began davening mincha almost daily and playing military (he knows the lingo in English and Hebrew). You should see the platoon he's assembled in the back yard!
He scans the paper tensely each morning, blurting out the stats of the previous day's events, despite my telling him that I am not interested--c'mon we are trying to eat breakfast and there are little kids around. (Actually, I am not yet ready to digest anything, food or those facts, early in the morn.)
But he's right. How can breakfast be served--something so mundane and NORMAL--when families, our very own brothers and sister, are clinging to each other in bomb shelters?!?
Now he decided that he will not participate in the "yom kef" (a day of fun) along with his classmates. He feels that the stress of it all is too much (HIS WORDS!) and that it's not appropriate either. This was a decision he made, and which we support. He called one of the Rabbanim with whom we are close and spoke about it with him. He was advised to go, give chizuk to the people he sees, make berachos throughout the eretz, and to not worry!
But, he's not going.
After all, he is sensitive.

BARF!

2006-07-18T00:22:00.000+03:00

As if all the violence isn't enough.
As if all the infighting isn't enough.
As if the whole world hasn't yet gone crazy, here's another example of brotherly love!

http://www.thejc.com/home.aspx?ParentId=m11s19s116&SecId=116&AId=44951&ATypeId=1
Anti-Israel ad group floats boycott plan
14/07/2006
By Daniella Peled

Last week’s Times advert signed by 300 Jews polarised opinions. But who are the people behind it, and what is their agenda?
Investigation: The organisation behind last week’s full-page advertisement in The Times criticising Israel’s actions in Gaza is considering a plan to become “an alternative Jewish lobby” to counter Zionist pressure groups.
Minutes from the last Jews for Justice for Palestinians meeting, seen by the JC, reveal proposals including a campaign for divestment from Israel and a possible full boycott of Israeli products.
“I think it is important to discourage Jews from supporting Israel financially and otherwise,” Deborah Fink, a member of the Jews for Justice executive, stated in a paper presented to the meeting.
“Unfortunately, I would think that most Jews who do support Israel in this way are least open to reason.”
Warning that JfJfP — which organised the £10,000 Times advert, signed by 300 supporters - was losing credibility by not overtly supporting the boycott movement, she suggested forging links with other groups internationally. In this way, “we could be a powerful alternative Jewish lobby without worrying about bringing the local shul on board.”
Accepting that more radical policies might alienate a large chunk of the group’s close-on 1,200 supporters, Ms Fink asked: “Do we want more moderate signatories? The more of them, the less we can do and the more we have to compromise our message. If they are not well known, I don’t see how they are going to influence Israeli policy.”
Another executive member, Dan Judelson, told the JC that Ms Fink’s paper was being discussed but had no status in determining the group’s policy. “It is currently being circulated for signatories to consider what it says,” he explained. “It is likely that it will be discussed at a future meeting of JfJfP.”
Danny Shek, chief executive of Bicom, the British Israel Communications and Research Centre, told the JC that while he did not deny the legitimacy of “fringe” groups%2

Debut

2006-07-14T00:07:00.000+03:00

Wow! Pretty interesting that previous to this, my first post, I already had 32 views. Hmmm, I think I know who's responsible mostly. The truth is, the free time I have (when I would actually sit down to write at the computer) is occupied by perusing HIS blog!

Anyway. Looks like it's taken an 'escalation' to finally get me blogging.
Here things are pretty tense. But more in the way that Rafi G. describes it in The Country is Buzzing http://lifeinisrael.blogspot.com/
People and their emotions are more intense.
A close friend relayed to me how emotional she's been!
Driving through a machsom (IDF barrier) she handed the baby-faced soldier there a fistfull of lollipops, as this family always does, and the soldier's entire face lit up! She drove on and burst into tears.
My kids wanted to know if it was because she thought he could be the next 'Gilad.'

My kids daven for our chayalim that have been kidnapped. My oldest asks me, as he reaches for the morning paper if they've been found.
Even the younger ones' ears are perking up. "Eema," asks my 5 year-old, "what's a terrorist?" "They're the bad guys," I tell her. She's not done, "Is that why I heard the helicopters this morning?"
OY!
This is a child who until recently was afraid to go out and play in front of our house unacompanied for even a minute because she was afraid of 'the kidnapper' and this was months ago!

Saying extra tehillim is just 'normal.'
At my son's sleepover (no b-day or real reason other than that we got a tent--but that's for another post, possibly) the boys paused and started going around the table each leading in the recitation of a chapter of tehillim!
Even the little ones who know it by heart but can't yet read are encouraging it so that our chayalim will be returned.