Dear friends,
During the last few days we received many e-mails with regards to our well being here in Israel.
We are o.k until now but very concerned what will happen in the near future.
This is a small country and the war is only three hours away from us, not only that but seeing that the reserves have been called up things have escalated and all of us know one or more of those soldiers and worry about them.
The army keeps also a wakeful eye on our border with Lebanon, 10 k.m. away from us.
There mr. Nazrallah from the Hezbollah keeps up his angry rhetoric, hopefully barking dogs do not bite.
Since the end of the Lebanese war in 2006, the area has been quiet because of the U.N. and the Lebanese army.
This did not stop the Hezbollah from repleting their arsenal of (improved) weaponry,not only that but they have now many more rockets than before, thanks to Iran, another not so friendly neighbour.
We hope that there will be an end soon to this warfare and there will be a suitable solution.
You must know that thousands of citizens have been living for eight years in the range of rockets from the Hammas.
Adults under permanent stress and children with traumas.
Even after the army leaving Gaza three years ago , (and forcefully removing Israeli settlers)this terror organization, (which aim is to "destroy Israel") kept on firing missiles over the border, sometimes hitting a civilian target, sometimes missing but all the time making sure that the people living and working there could not have any time without some danger lurking above their heads.
After some sort of ceasefire,for six months which the Hamas did not want to renew they kept on antagonising Sderoth ,moshavim and kibbutzim around Gaza.
Our ministers warned very clear" stop or else there will be a strong answer from us".
This did not help and the result is this war which we do not know how it will end.
The punishment may be disproportional as the medias like to put it, but no other option was open.
Before condemning Israel one must take into account that "we" DO NOT TARGET CIVILIAN OBJECTS, however if a house is a store room for weapons, a mosque has rockets hidden in the building, if rockets are launched from a garden next to a house,than this is not a "civilian" target anymore, all the same before bombing thousands of leaflets have been dropped telling people to leave and they were even warned by telephone to leave in time.
So this is enough from now, so i want to wish you all still a very good 2009.
Take care ,
Max Nathans.

Very well said Max. My sentiments entirely. The only thing I have to add is: No other country in the world would be prepared to live under conditions prevailing in the South of Israel so why does the rest of the world expect us to suffer? Let them spend a few months/years in Sderoth.