Page 26 - HaMizrachi #32 RH-YK 2021 USA

“Jews from all over

came to secure the

streets to protect us.”

As Hamas terrorists launched thousands of rockets at Israeli towns
and cities this past May, Israeli Arabs rioted in Lod, part of a wave of
Arab violence throughout Israel. During nightly rampages, the rioters
firebombed Jew-owned cars and buildings, including a synagogue.

LOD For many years, Lod was seen as one of an understanding that the communities
Israel’s least developed cities, with high
operate differently, but we have been
poverty and crime rates. excellent neighbors.
Twenty years ago, two families decided For me, living in the same building as
to form a Garin Torani, a group of reli- Arabs has taught me a lot about their
gious families who would move to Lod culture. I arrived with many stereo-
to strengthen the Jewish community types, but now I know the culture first
here. The Garin Torani has since grown hand, which has been very eye-opening.
TAHAEL HARRIS has lived in significantly, now numbering a few
Lod for two years, with her hundred families. The community has
a warm, small-town feeling and is in a
husband Yedidia and their two fantastic location, only a few minutes What was it like to be living in Lod
children, Yaela and Roi. In from Tel Aviv, Ben Gurion Airport, and during the riots?
July, we met with her as part Israel’s main highway Route 6. On Monday evening, May 10th, the
of Mizrachi USA’s Leadership Lod is 70% Jewish and 30% Arab, but riots began. That afternoon, we’d held
Solidarity Mission to Israel our neighborhood of Ramat Eshkol is an event in the cultural center, and we
had greeted the Arab women there as
and spoke with her about her the reverse: 70% Arab and 30% Jews. usual; everything felt normal. We were
In general, we have excellent relations
experience during the violence. between the two communities. There is caught off guard and never imagined
that we would ever be scared simply to
leave our homes.
Tell us about the Jewish commu- On the first night, the rioters burned
nity in Lod and the “Garin Torani” the local Beit Midrash of the pre-army
you are a part of. What was it like Mechina, and crowds of young Arab
to live in a “mixed” city with Jews men burned cars and threw stones at
and Arabs living together, before Tahael Harris with Jewish homes. On the second evening
the May riots broke out? her family in Lod of the riots, there were Arabs in our

26 |