Everyone told me that coming home would be hard. Being back with people who had not gone through the same experiences as me; people who would eventually get tired of hearing my stories about falafel, the beach, and the conflict; people who, frankly, didn’t really care because they have classes and significant others and their own drama to worry about. I’ve gotten pretty used to it at this point, and I know when to not bother bringing up a story that I’ve suddenly remembered; I’ve stopped unconsciously saying “Slicha” instead of excuse me; and I never ask for the “heshbon” instead of the check at a restaurant (mostly because I can’t afford to go out for meals really ever, but that’s besides the point).

Yesterday changed all of that. We received an email from Chief Ed Shupp, the head of the Lehigh Police Department, that Philly area schools are under alert for a potential attack.

Here’s the email:

The entire school went into a panic. Students weren’t leaving their rooms, Professors are cancelling class, although mine didn’t and sent this entertaining email instead:

And in general there was mass hysteria and concern. My first, cynical, thought was that maybe next time there’s a threat against Israel, these people will have a little more empathy for those who live with this fear every day. This feeling of having to be constantly vigilant, of being constantly afraid for your safety and the safety of those around you. The fear of not knowing who around you could be a threat at any given moment. The fear of having sketchy and incomplete information.

Of course, then I checked the news (everyone download theSkimm) and saw what is happening in Israel today. This week has been a tough one for the area following Abbas’ address to the UN, Netanyahu’s address to the UN, and the many terror threats that have actually occurred and caused at least 5 casualties.

I wonder if, tomorrow, when this threat has passed, when the people on Lehigh’s campus and the people on all of the campuses around Philly feel safe again, they will empathize for those who still do not feel safe. I wish I had more faith in that.