Thread by @RationalSettler

This wasn’t a day we ever dreamed of…even in our nightmares. A🧵on today's terror attack and our daughter.

Early this morning, our 18-year-old daughter Naomi walked to her regular Jerusalem bus stop to commute to her national service job in Beit Shemesh.
1/19

As she approached the stop, a Palestinian terrorist detonated a bomb packed with nails and other shrapnel. One of the pieces flew at Naomi, hitting her, but not seriously. She felt ringing in her ears but wasn’t hurt.
2/19

Naomi texted our family WhatsApp group that there’d been a bombing and she was fine. There hasn’t been a bombing in years, I was sure she was mistaken. None of the news sites had the story, but her next text said she was in an ambulance on the way to the hospital.
3/19

Aliza and I met Naomi at the hospital, saw the wound wasn’t serious, and waited while she was interviewed by doctors, Shabak, the police, social workers, and psychologists. After 6 hours Naomi was released and we drove home, thankful that Naomi was OK.
4/19

One of my teachers, Dr. Gil Troy, sent me an email suggesting our family go out and celebrate immediately. We thought that was a great idea, and other than one daughter who was in transit to New York, we all agreed to meet in Jerusalem for a celebratory dinner.
5/19

At dinner each member of our family spoke about what they were grateful for that day. Naomi’s words of being grateful for a supportive family really came home for all of us. Each of her parents and siblings quickly realized that just being ourselves was a big help to Naomi.
6/19

We committed to commemorate Erev Rosh Chodesh Kislev each year together as a day to offer thanks to Hashem. Very conscious that all too many of our friends commemorate annual yahrzeits of their terror victims, we’re grateful to be able to celebrate annually.
7/19

Throughout the day I received tens of media requests. I wasn’t going to do any of them, but Aliza thought it was important I humanize the attack for people. I had seen victim’s families provide the nation with encouragement and I wanted to try to help our nation.
8/19

As the day progressed, I gave interviews to countless media outlets in Israel, and as the world woke up, to outlets as far away as Brazil and Miami. As the day went on my random thoughts coalesced and I recognized my feelings. I’d like to share them here.
9/19

*) I felt sad because of what had happened and angry at those who caused it. Most of all, I felt terrified. Not the terror of what could happen in the future, but of what I almost lost. Terror sweeps over me and overwhelms me. I cry and can’t breathe. It’s indescribable.
10/19

*) Today could’ve been much worse. A nail flying an inch or two higher or lower and I’d have been sitting shiva tonight instead of offering thanks at a celebratory dinner. I’m grateful I’m celebrating instead of mourning tonight.
11/19

*) I’m blown away by the kindness of the Jewish people. The nurses, doctors, family, friends, & strangers all called, reached out & supported us during this horrible time. Rabbi Fass, Tony Gelbart, Daniel Geller & Nefesh B’Nefesh went out of the way to make sure we are OK.
12/19

*) Israel is a safe country. Yes, the headlines are scary, but while 1 was killed today & 22 were injured, 9 million Israelis were perfectly safe. They were safe yesterday, today & they’ll be safe tomorrow. Don’t be taken by headlines, Israel is a wonderful and safe place.
13/19

*) I’m grateful to the support of the Israeli and American governments. Knesset members, local government officials, the White House, Congresspeople, the current American Ambassador, two former American Ambassadors, and many of their staff, all reached out.
14/19

*) There are people who planned this attack. They scouted the bus stop for days; they saw my daughter waiting everyday & aimed to kill her. These people are celebrating tonight. I might sound harsh, I don’t care. I want them dead. Not tried, not jailed. Executed. ASAP.
15/19

*) This attack took expertise, training, and planning. It was expensive, it took funds and support. It took a world willing to look away from Palestinian, Iranian, and Qatari funding of terror, to find a small amount of terror acceptable. The world must shut them down.
16/19

*) This attack had nothing to do with occupation, a state or apartheid. Arab terror and attacks occurred before 1948 and before 1967 and continue today. These attacks are caused by antisemites who hate the Jewish people and want Jewish people dead. Don’t be fooled.
17/19

Naomi will be fine. Our family will be fine. Our people will be fine. The Jewish State will be fine. The Jewish people will grow and flourish. Hashem will protect us and keep us safe. Our enemies will be defeated, and we will be the ones to defeat them.
18/19

Thank you to all those who reached out today. I’m sorry if I couldn’t return every message, but your words meant the world to me and to our family. We’ve never felt so loved and supported.
19/19