Two longtime Las Vegas locals are caught in the middle of the growing conflict between Israel and Iran and are taking shelter in Tel Aviv.
Alex and Lior told me they recently traveled to Israel to visit family and take part in Pride festivities, but that celebration ended abruptly as air raid sirens began sounding across the city.
The couple described the alert system in Israel that warns citizens to seek shelter during attacks. Every building in Israel has mandated shelters, either within apartments or in shared stairwells.
"When you're in a shelter, we don't, there aren't windows. We're at least a full extra basement below ground level, so there's nothing to see. We hear blasts, we hear booms," Alex said.
Despite the danger, they noted how quickly Israelis return to normal activities between alerts.
"What's surreal is because unfortunately, people here are used to this. Right after the sirens are over and we're notified that we can leave, people are walking their dogs, getting their lives back in order and preparing for the next wave of having to go back into the shelter," Alex said.
As educators and long-time Las Vegas residents, the couple expressed concern about young Israelis growing up amid conflict but hope for a peaceful future.
"I look at students, I'm an educator in Los Angeles, and I see young kids and young teens, and that breaks my heart, you know, that they are born to this reality. And I was looking at them during Shabbat dinner and I thought, this is the generation that will hopefully begin a new chapter and a better chapter," Lior said.
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The couple remains uncertain about when they'll be able to return to Las Vegas, as the airport has been closed for several days and the conflict is expected to continue for weeks.
"We hope to return back from home to home safely whenever the airport will be open again, but we have family here, we have community, we have people who we love and support and this is home. It's a home away from home," Lior said.
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