- Michael Balaban
Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia President and CEO

 Many of us have been closely following the news coming out of Israel. The alerts, the briefings and the headlines. 

But when I speak with friends, colleagues and partners on the ground, what I hear about most is not the headlines. It is the everyday moments unfolding between them.

An Israeli app, CanIShower, has been getting attention recently. The idea is simple, but it says a great deal about daily life right now. It allows someone to enter their location and how long they plan to shower — five, 10 or 15 minutes. The app then looks at recent siren patterns and estimates the likelihood that an alert could sound during that window.

In other words, it helps answer a question most of us never have to ask: Is it safe to take a shower right now?

At first glance, it sounds almost surreal. But for many Israelis living with frequent rocket alerts, it is simply another practical way to navigate daily life.

Work continues where it can, often remotely, while many schools remain closed or online. Families are doing their best to maintain routines, even as the day can be interrupted at any moment by the sound of a siren.

Colleagues tell us they are taking meetings from bomb shelters. Calls pause mid-sentence as alerts sound and people move quickly to protected spaces. A few minutes later, the conversation resumes. Family members talk about going about their day while quietly keeping track of the public shelters along their route, knowing which doorway, stairwell or protected space they may need to step into if a siren sounds while commuting home from work.

Over time, daily life begins to include these quiet calculations about timing and distance — how long something will take, where the nearest shelter is and how quickly someone could reach it if needed. In some ways, that kind of thinking reminds me of something firefighters often talk about.

When firefighters enter a burning building, there are constant assessments happening in the background: how long the air tank will last, how quickly conditions could change and how much time there is to move safely. Those calculations are not dramatic in the moment. They simply become part of how you operate in an uncertain environment.

For many Israelis right now, everyday life carries a similar awareness of time and space.

In different ways, Jewish communities around the world understand that kind of awareness as well. Just yesterday, there was an active shooter incident at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township, Michigan, while authorities in Norway were responding to a threat targeting Jewish institutions there. Moments like these are unsettling reminders that vigilance is not only a reality in Israel, but something Jewish communities everywhere must navigate.

We stand with the Greater Detroit Jewish community, the Jewish community in Norway and Jewish communities around the world as they respond to these frightening events and their aftermath.

Here in Greater Philadelphia, our security team remains in close coordination with law enforcement and our national security partners. At this time, there are no known threats to our local community, and local law enforcement is increasing patrols around Jewish institutions out of an abundance of caution.

And yet, people continue. They go about their days, caring for their families and doing their best to preserve routine wherever possible.

In the midst of uncertainty, people look for small ways to maintain a sense of normalcy and control. Behind every headline are millions of people doing exactly that, navigating daily life and finding ways to keep moving forward.

Through the Jewish Federation system, support continues reaching communities across Israel, helping ensure that families, seniors, children and first responders have the resources they need during this difficult time.

Last week, through our partnership with the Emergency Volunteers Project, a mix of 10 career and volunteer firefighters were sent to Israel to support local emergency response teams and help relieve exhausted first responders. It is one small example of how our community shows up, not only through philanthropy, but also through people willing to step forward and help when it matters most.

At moments like these, staying informed and coming together as a community matters more than ever. In the weeks ahead, the Center to Combat Antisemitism is hosting several opportunities for our community to learn, reflect and engage. We hope you consider joining us, because in times of uncertainty, community becomes even more important.

I am deeply grateful for a community that responds with compassion, solidarity and care. Together, we continue to stand with the people of Israel, not only in moments of crisis, but in the quiet resilience of everyday life.

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