Who will repair the chain?

A poem by my mom, and wartime photography from an Israeli reservist.

“Where we live”

if I am assaulted on the street
please
don’t sidestep
or swipe my jewelry
the broken chain pulled from my neck
gold star
six points
my father’s
i’m glad he isn’t alive to see the evening news
jews in danger
on the street where we live

he used to call every other day
ask about work
share the 5-day forecast
for my town
weather his biggest worry
caution driving in slippery conditions
ice is a killer
hurricane coming my way

if alive today
he’d call at noon and 6
talk about the storm
the virus
ask if I’d been out
worn a mask

he’d mention the star of david
always around his neck
took it off twice for surgeries
not taking it off now
wears it under his shirt

if assaulted on the street today
his gold glinting off my neck
not a collar
or noose
a link

i hear him cry out
who will repair the chain

Maddy Lapides 11/10/2023

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Wartime Photography

If you’re following the Israel-Hamas war and you’re on Instagram, you must follow photographer and filmmaker Shahar Dekel (@shahar_dekel). Shahar is a 26-year-old student who was living on Kibbutz Nahal Oz, one of the kibbutzim that was brutally attacked by Hamas on October 7th, and is now in the reserves. He’s been keeping a “war diary" on Instagram, and I feel like these beautiful photos that capture the human side of war will go down in history. But see for yourself!

Shabbat Shalom!
xx Miranda