Contrary to the common stereotype, not everyone in the Holy Land is slinging an M-16.  In fact, gun permits and gun ownership here are truly a privilege and certainly not a right.  The ones that do carry a firearm are usually highly trained, former military and have passed extensive tests, both medical and psychological.  Although I believe in a person’s right to carry and own a weapon, I also believe in an extremely strict vetting process before someone is able to declare themselves a gun owner.

Contrary to what is coming out of America, I actually feel very relaxed when my children are at school.  I am extremely confident that they are well looked after and are safe while their little minds are being filled with all sorts of exciting new things.  In Israel, we don’t have the luxury of a free and open society due to the extreme security situation.  That being said, as a general rule, schools are built with one entry point and one exit, and are protected by an armed guard. Every morning when I drop my two older children off at their elementary school I waive “hello” to the (female) guard who greets every student as they are hustling off to their first class of the day.  After the morning bell rings, the massive front gates are closed and are secured with a heavy padlock.  The guard then moves to her post, a small vestibule that sits adjacent to the front gate.  She is at her post until the last bell rings.  No parents are allowed onto the school grounds without prior approval, and certainly not during pick up and drop off.  Even as the students are lining up (not so patiently) in front of the gates before the last bell of the day, the guard refuses to open the gates early to let the parents take their children home. Surrounding the entire campus of the school is a tall, metal fence.  It’s not chain linked, but more like steel bars that shoot up to about 10 feet or so.  Again, one way in and one way out.  The schools here have not invested in the expensive, sophisticated “safe schools” hardware that are being installed all across America(which I happen to sell).  They have invested in physical security, which seems to have been a wise decision, considering that with all we have to deal with in Israel, thank G-d, mass school shootings are not one of them. (The image below is of my middle child standing in front of the perimeter fence that surrounds his school:)

My youngest attends the preschool.  It’s on the same campus but in a different building and he, too, has a guard watching over him the entire day. The image below is the corridor that leads to the classroom:

As you can see, my children are smiling and don’t notice the guns or the guards, other than waiving hello and goodbye to them each morning and afternoon. I certainly don’t want to interject my opinions into the American debate over guns, but I would like to suggest implementing some temporary, physical solutions while all of the politicians haggle over who is right and who is wrong. These physical barriers and personnel can always be removed once some sort of new legislation has been passed.  What can’t be removed are the scars that will follow our children for a lifetime if something isn’t done immediately to help protect them.