A Response to the Attack in Bulgaria

As many of you already know, (and if you don't...you should probably switch to a less biased news source) yesterday there was an attack on Israelis in Bulgaria. I'm not here to report the story-but to sum it up: a man  detonated an explosive device on a bus filled with Israeli tourists. 

That was the scene yesterday after the bomb was detonated. 

I just watched a clip of the coffins, shrouded in the Israeli flag, being carried off the planes that brought them home. It left me in tears. It left me shaking. 

It was no coincidence that the bomb went off on a bus filled with Israelis. Six lives were lost in this horrific act.  Five Israelis, and the sixth, a Bulgarian man--the bus driver. 

-Maor Harush, 24

-Elior Price, 25

-Itzik Kolangi, 28

-Amir Menashe, 28

-Kochava Shriki, 42

-Mustafa Kyosov, 36

All were young, with full lives ahead of them. Two infants are now fatherless. One victim was exactly my age. Their lives have all been cut short. Their futures have been denied. Because of an act of hatred.

I don't remember the first time I realized that there are people out there that hate the Jews--people that would look at me, and feel nothing but contempt because of who I am. I have never witnessed an act of antisemitism. I have, however, been the victim of antisemitism on the internet. About a week after I posted this VIDEO, a tribute to the Six Million who were murdered by the Nazis, someone commented: "go sit on a bagel you heeb." Granted, they could have said much worse, but it left me slightly shaken. 

I will never forget one incident that occurred during college: I was walking to the HUB. As I rounded the corner, a sign made my stomach drop--my body seized up and I could not move. There was a sign, held by a man--I remember nothing of him--but I will never forget the sign. It is burned in my mind. I had only seen it in photographs previously...but there, in person..was one large, ugly swastika.  

When I caught my breath, I saw the rest of the sign. He was protesting abortion. His use of the swastika disturbed me greatly, and I'm sure I wasn't the only one who felt that way. It scared me. I willed myself to continue walking, and went about the rest of my day. But I couldn't shake the uneasiness that had settled within my bones. 

In about a week, the Olympic Games will begin. Despite a viral petition, the International Olympic Committee still refuses to hold one minutes silence during the opening ceremonies to remember the 11 Israeli Olympians who were brutally murdered during the 1972 Games. The IOC claims that they do not wish to bring politics into the games. They are, admittedly, afraid that Arab countries would walk-out. What does that mean? It means that they are afraid to piss off the countries who hold anti-Israel views. If the athletes were from any other country, it would be done. Without question, and without hesitation. This has been 40 years in the making. 

It's time for the world to stop being afraid of supporting Israel. It's time for the world to understand that a country, less than 100 years old, is one of the greatest start-up nations on our planet. It is home of some of the most groundbreaking scientific and medical research, and home of some of the most innovative companies. Israel, in less than 100 years, took a desert wasteland and figured out how to turn it into a thriving desert garden. 

It's time for the world to recognize that Israel is not the enemy.

The folks who blew up a bus yesterday in Bulgaria...they're the ones to watch out for. 

My prayers go out to the victims of yesterdays horrid attacks, and the affected families. 

Am Yisrael Chai. 

With love, 

Ariela