Dear Readers,

This past week, I’ve been out in the field—really out there. Last Sunday, I couldn’t even sit down to write this newsletter because I was moving from site to site, reporting in real time as events unfolded. Then two days later, on Tuesday, I hosted Israel’s First Lady at the Jerusalem Post’s Women’s Summit for an interview. Our conference only got paused by…1 missile attack. All 50 of us (the max allowed for gathering right now during this war) sheltered together and got to chat while we waited for the all-clear from the Home Front Command. See below for more details about the conference. 

As I headed out for a day of shooting with some journalist colleagues last Sunday, I brought a yoga mat with me into the car with me. I understood that I might have to get out of the vehicle during a missile alert and lay on the ground if a missile were to be dropping in my area. It had been raining heavily and a friend mentioned it might be smart to have a mat to lay on, instead of the mud. I made it to all my destinations for filming without an alert and then safely arrived to a Dimona shopping mall with footage in tow just in time for an evening missile attack. By that point, we were in civilization and had access to a shelter.  

The footage we’re capturing on the ground is reaching people in a powerful way, and the numbers are showing it—my personal Instagram just crossed 10,000 followers, and Israel Daily News is about to hit 60,000. I have been reporting online for years… and it feels that something is moving right now and my work is being widely seen.

At the same time, I’m focused on building behind the scenes. With more eyes on us than ever, I’m working hard on the admin and business side to strengthen Israel Daily News and grow it. The moment matters, and I’m treating it like it does. The difficulty? Doing this in between missile strikes. 

Happy Palm Sunday to those who are celebrating today. As we approach Passover, I find myself excited for the holiday—deeply disturbed as well. I am constantly thinking about the young soldiers who are giving up their futures for this country.

I think of the wives holding everything together while their husbands are away on reserve duty—or worse – the wives grieving and moving forward without a husband and partner at home. Devastating…

We are living through a heavy moment. Here in Israel and around the world. I feel it in the field (although sometimes people can laugh through the darkness), I feel it in the stories we tell at Israel Daily News, and I feel it in the people in my community that I see every day here in Israel. 

Survive and thrive, people. Knowledge is the best weapon.

— Shanna