Praying for safe returns

Hostilities, hatreds, killings, massacres, bombing and destruction.

The ravages of war.

Temporary silence in Israel cloaks the country’s tearful prayers for Hamas’ return of their hostages.

The effort now is praise to God for his goodness, power and help in returning all loved ones.

In this country’s infant days I was there.

I still have a photo of my brand-new husband with Golda Meir organizing a fund-raiser called Bonds for Israel.

We then existed in famine.

Hunger.

Restriction.

Drought.

No water.

Ration cards.

Limitation.

Places to stay.

Arab sheikhs dominated the barren Negev.

Food, water, clothing — not. It was cold and nobody had anything.

Everyone struggling for survival.

Today it’s a lifetime later and they still struggle for survival.

For now clasped hands and prayerful silence exists.

A temporarily manufactured cease-fire in hopes their loved ones return.

But. In this manufactured quiet can be heard a faint whisper.

The barely uttered words: “Please — enough with Netanyahu.”

Those who seem to know say: “There were signs that this Oct. 7 onslaught could have been in the making.”

Whispers tell a listener: “He had to know.”

And: Among those who are involved in knowing these things, there was a concern that “something could maybe happen.”

And: “Cruel to demean Bibi with what’s at hand — but no one is happy with him any longer. Our people are smart — they hear, they see — so he had to know better. Allegedly, there were signs. Like, maybe reports were ignored.”

“Although always concerned something could happen, he’s possibly become self-involved. Focused on his judicial issues. Preoccupied. Maybe even took his eye away from the possibility.”

Putting up a united front

As we speak people trying to be heard in hushed voices are saying, “It is cruel to demean Bibi now with what’s at hand. Bibi will be hard to replace.”

After America’s 9/11 everyone came together.

At this moment, Israelis tell you: “People will not now speak. For us happening in Israel is everyone’s quiet, united in trying to get their loved ones home. But whispered about is that maybe this might not have happened if our former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon were still around.”

Also being said very quietly is “But who do we get to run the country?”

Could the son shine for Israel?

Military reservist ­Gilad Sharon, youngest of the late Sharon’s three sons and confidante of his father, is a name often repeated.

Rumors exist as to whether or not he should allow himself to be talked into it.

Gilad was in Gaza recently.

Back home at dinner in a private room leaders urged him to run for prime minister.

His reply?

“Look at what just happened to us. Now is not the time for such talk. Now is the time for unity. Now it is just for us to get the hostages home.”

At this moment the only audible sounds from those Israelis any of us can reach comes from the prayers for their loved ones.