Operation Breaking Dawn. When the army gives the skirmish a name, you know it’s serious

T

he army’s started a new operation, get ready for missile activity. The word goes around our neighborhood in Ashdod some two hours before Shabbos.

This is Mivtza Alot Hashachar. Operation Breaking Dawn. When the army gives the skirmish a name, you know it’s serious.

Which kids to tell, who to prepare… it’s stressful, this awareness that we’re soon entering 25 hours of no news. Stressful not to know how serious is serious. Do I let my teen go down with the little ones to the neighborhood park after lighting? Should my husband daven nearby or in his usual minyan?

And, most importantly for us…what’s with Tova’s volunteers? Tova’s special needs make staying home for endless hours on Shabbos a very challenging prospect. We have a host of volunteers who are amazing enough to dedicate time to taking her out on walks. But when there are missiles raining down, that’s no longer feasible.

One after the other they call me, these angels. They’re fine looking after Tova. The Friday night pair say they’ll stay near buildings. The Shabbos morning one tells me that she’ll come as usual and take Tova to her house for a change of scenery. The Shabbos afternoon volunteer says she’ll come as usual, too.

But that’s Plan A. If there are no sirens.