“Status quo” is a term I used to despise. I can remember sitting on my American couch in my American living room shouting at the TV (before I moved to Israel) that the “status quo” was not something that should be kept. As busses were blowing up and people were being murdered (during the second Intifada) I couldn’t believe that the Israeli government wanted to return things to the “status quo”. After living in Israel for almost ten years, I have a new appreciation for what the “status quo” really and truly means. It means quiet. It means no war. It means analyzing and gauging every terrorist threat and attack with a fine tooth comb as to try and avoid lighting the entire region ablaze by miscalculating a retaliatory strike. Have I softened? Have I become a “liberal”? G-d forbid! (lol) So, what has changed? I became a parent. I have children that I have to send off to school every day. They play outdoors in the parks, go to the beach, see the circus. All of these “happy” things are immediately put on hold when war breaks out here. I watched them miss an entire summer (spending it literally indoors and in a bomb proof room) due to rockets flying over our apartment building in Ashdod (and almost every other part of the country). Israel doesn’t have the luxury of sending our troops overseas to fight our battles. Israel is the homefront and the front lines during our wars. For me, keeping the “status quo” by any means possible is the only “safe” option we have. Does Israel need to defend herself and her citizens at any cost when attacked (or trying to prevent being attacked)? Absolutely! However, any disruptions from the “status-quo” not only directly affects my life, but most important, it has a direct impact on my children’s lives. It’s been over a year since Ashdod was on the receiving end of rocket barrages and I am still waiting for the sirens to blair again. It’s something that never leaves you. I can’t imagine how my children (and the millions of others) process it. I certainly don’t have any answers as to how to keep the calm (well, frankly, how to restore it-knife attacks and car rammings are happening several times throughout the day now) or to eradicate terror without disrupting the “status-quo”. Working to calm the hatred (now, unfortunately, with Jewish terrorism on the rise, from both sides) involves true leadership and true vision from all of our leaders. A military solution, although needed at times, is not the only answer. I cringe when I see that Israel is operating against Palestinians, Hezbollah, Hamas or any other terror organization or state. I cringe for our soldiers involved, I cringe for world condemnation against Israel (which almost always happens), but most of all, I cringe that my fragile “status-quo” might be interrupted. May we all be well and prosper in the new year and may we all find peace.