Report from Haifa

Hi Folks, 

Gladly, nothing major to report from Haifa today.

I think we were all more cautious.  There certainly was less traffic in the streets than yesterday.Sirens were sounded three times but luckily no explosions followed locally.

A missile was reported to have landed in an open area in Kiriat Motzkin which is close to Kiriat Haim and Kiriat Bialik.  No one was hurt.

About 100 missiles were launched today from Lebanon, aimed for Northern Israel.  Many people were wounded, property lost.  The missiles have ignited many fires all over the Galilee mountains.  Vast wooded areas have been burning now for over 24 hours.

On a happy note - Toffee, Matan & Chen's little dog was found today.  A kind woman took care of her since the day she disappeared and managed to locate them only today.

Peace and good night,

Miri & Yoram - Haifa
Matan & Chen - Kiriat Haim
Veda - Kiriat Bialik

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23 July 2006

Hi folks,

Well, our week started out with a bang.  Many bangs.  It was a rough day with sirens going off very often.  Haifa and neighboring Nesher and Kiriat Ata received direct hits. Two men were killed and many wounded.

Many people returned to Haifa last night after a deceiving quiet day yesterday. This morning we were told it was OK to go to work in places that have a secure area.  This false calm cost two people their lives.  A man driving up the Carmel mountain on a main road was hit by shrapnel and metal beads that penetrated the car and killed him instantly.  Another man in Kiriat Ata (a small town in the outskirts about 10 kilometers north-east of Haifa) was killed while trying to reach the shelter in a wood mill where he worked.  He was killed by a direct hit. His co-workers, who made it to the shelter, were saved.

In Nesher (a small neighborhood east of Haifa, a missile fell on an apartment building and penetrated three floors demolishing 3 apartments.  A woman sunbathing on the balcony of the top floor apartment was actually persuaded by her husband to come in to the "strong room" as soon as the sirens were sounded.  Lucky for her she did – it landed right where she sat moments earlier.  The occupants of the second floor where away and a father and young son living on the first floor were spared too since they took shelter in the strong room.

Yoram went to the office as did a couple of our employees.  One employee who takes the train from Tel Aviv to Haifa to get to work got stranded in Binyamina, about 30 kilometers south of Haifa because as soon as Haifa was hit, the trains were not allowed to go north past that point.  Yoram drove to Binyamina to “rescueâ€Ã‚ the guy.

Most of us have come to terms with the fact that this might take longer than first expected.

Hoping for a better tomorrow.

Peace and good night,

Miri & Yoram - Haifa
Matan & Chen - Kiriat Haim
Veda - Kiriat Bialik

 

 

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22 July 2006

Hi folks,

Our Saturday was very quiet except for annoying siren interruptions which got us going downstairs and up again many times (I stopped counting).  A couple of times we did hear explosions that appeared to be close but we later learned that they were not aimed at Haifa.  All in all, over 150 missiles were launched at Northern Israel today.  Many people were not as lucky as we are.

At some point we were told on the news that the launching site from which Haifa was attacked had been hit.  Is it naive to hope that this means Haifa is now off the hook?  Anyway, later this evening a news announcement was made telling Haifa citizens that it is O.K. to go back to work tomorrow.  Right now, thousands of people are making their way along the coastal road back to Haifa.

Shavuah Tov  (a wish for a good week)

Peace and good night,

Miri & Yoram - Haifa

Matan & Chen - Kiriat Haim
Veda - Kiriat Bialik