On Oct. 7 surprise deadly attack on Israel by Hamas, I found myself running for my life under rocket fire to find shelter at a friend's house. At 7:01 exactly, I finally realized the ongoing rocket sirens were very real, not a figment of my imagination. I had to make a choice – either stand in the windowless parts of the corridor of my apartment hoping for the best, or get to a proper shelter. I ended up living with my parents for 3 months, unable to go back.
Six months later, as news about a possible Iranian attack came to light, I immediately received a phone call from my father, saying, "Prepare a go-bag with the essentials, put it in your car, and stay alert". I was already one step ahead of him – this time I wouldn't be caught off guard.
Many face this scenario. From Millennials living in the Tel Aviv area to families with children and elders in remote areas, and the list goes on. Some might set up camp in public shelters, some might have the luxury of a windowless staircase in their building, but for some – none of the above are optional. In a nutshell, anyone housing structures built before 1992 won't have a shelter. In 1992, following the First Gulf War in which Scud missiles were launched from Iraq towards Israel, regulations were approved stipulating that every building must have a standard protected space: a Safe Room (MAMAD), a Floor Shelter (MAMAK), or an Institutional Shelter (MAMAM). Therefore, one cannot ignore the fact that there are cities and areas where shelters are more accessible than others, as my uncle said: "Tel Aviv might have great coffee, but last I heard, coffee can't intercept rockets."
Video: Security forces respond to rocket attack on Tel-Aviv / Credit: Erez Linn
At the recent annual conference held by Israel Hayom, which has focused primarily on addressing challenges that emerged following the events of Oct. 7 and the Iron Swords War, Tomer Glam, the mayor of the southern city of Ashkelon said: "Both this government and the previous ones have just accepted the disparities in shelter availability instead of providing a real solution." At the conference, they also spoke about the government's initiative to build a wall along the southern railway line, for a tiny sum of $219M. Supposedly, this decision would provide the residents of the South with a sense of security. The opposite is true – this is yet another seal of approval confirming that the harsh reality we have endured for the past 20 years is not going to change.
If you're a 20-something anywhere in the world, you're probably no stranger to the tiring process of finding an apartment. The soaring cost of living, high demand vs. the low supply, and tough landlords are sure frustrating. Now, add imminent rocket fire threats on top of all that, and you get the true Israeli real estate nightmare. I wonder, what would you sacrifice? Location, rent, or a shelter? The grim truth is, that many Israelis live "shelterless", having no other choice.
Is this what we are dooming our children to inherit? A life where they cannot even feel safe and secure in their own homes? Must the emergency "go-bag" in the car trunk be a tradition carried on to the next generations? Will my generation and those to come finally know the mundane reality where the greatest concern is simply securing an apartment in a desirable neighborhood? Is that humble dream of normalcy too much to hope for? Here's to hoping.
