Jaffa Nights

3am Israel time we had air raid sirens and emergency alerts on all frequencies warning us to get to the bomb shelters.

We are used to air raid sirens, or as used to them as one can ever be, the Houthis militias in Yemen fire missiles at us on a regular basis, thankfully almost always intercepted in the upper atmosphere before they hit.

Tonight though we could feel it was something different. It wasn't just an air raid siren, it was the warnings on all frequencies and the special Home Front directive immediately cancelling all large gatherings and warning everyone to stay close to shelter, make sure that they had supplies of water, food that doesn't require cooking, hygiene supplies, medications etc because an incoming amissile ttack was expected soon.

Which is why it's 0432 and I'm wide awake with a stomach full of butterflies from the waiting. Could be imminent, could be tomorrow, days from now, who knows.

Hard to believe that a few nights ago on the spur of the moment my husband and I actually went out for the evening. It was the Islamic holiday of Eid al Adha and the seafront town of Jaffa was lit up with holiday fairy lights, restaurants full of Muslim families enjoying festive meals, the seaside promenade had a party atmosphere packed with families strolling and picnicking, the air a heady mix of seasalt and the sweet aroma of apple and fruit flavoured tobacco from the nargilla (sheesha) pipes being smoked by groups of laughing and smiling men in their holiday finery.

At the marina giggling young women and families with children enjoyed boat rides on pleasure craft decked out in colourful lights, upbeat Arabic dance music blaring from speakers.
At a music club near the old docks people were standing on the terrace enjoying drinks from the bar as they waited for a performance of the Gipsy Kings to begin. The Gipsy Kings! My husband was driving and I don't really drink, so we were sipping on water, delighted to have found ourselves standing space right up front near the stage, the set list tapes to the boards right in front of us. The organisers apologised for a slightly late start, with so many revellers out for Eid and the hundreds of concert goers it was taking more time than usual for everyone to find parking. And then the Gipsy Kings came on stage and whisked us all away to faraway places and the nostalgia of our school years, songs in languages we only partly understood but vibrant rhythms and melodies combined with soulful voices that were as electric as when we were kids.

It was a wonderfully dynamic, upbeat concert, most of us dancing our way through, right up front, eye contact with the smiling guitarist right there, shared appreciation of the happy vibes all around, the infectious positive energy.

More even though than the beautiful music, the smiling warmth of the crowd and the frivolity of just having fun was the simple, blissful escapism of feeling normal, completely, peacefully, normally normal.

And we got through the whole evening with no sirens.