Canadian Family in Israel Remains Unfazed by Attack on Business as Usual

The rumblings and shaking that woke Leah Appel in her Jerusalem apartment at around 1:45 on April 14 were caused by Iran’s barrage of drones and missiles targeting Israel. This attack, amid ongoing tensions with Hamas, alarmed observers worldwide.

Originally from Montreal, Appel moved to Israel with her husband after a previous attack on the country. She described the experience as unlike anything she had ever encountered in Canada.

The intense shaking felt like heavy weights dropping above them, with the sky filled with fire when her husband looked out the window. The sound of sirens prompted the family to seek shelter with pre-packed bags of supplies.

While Israeli defenses intercepted most of the projectiles, the Appel family and others came together in the apartment’s bomb shelter for safety. Moshe Appel went out with others to check their neighborhood and found it calm by 2:30 a.m.

Despite the swift resolution, they considered the attack the most intense incident since their move from Canada. Iron Dome made Moshe Appel feel safer in Jerusalem than he ever did in Canada.

Life in Jerusalem resumed normally after the attack, with people going about their day as usual. Leah Appel shared her son slept through the ordeal and went to the park happily in the morning.

As the family hopes for tensions to ease, Leah Appel expressed concerns about potential retaliation from Israel. From Canada, Francis Weil observed the events with confidence in Israel’s abilities to defend itself.

In Tehran, Alireza Ghandchi, currently in Iran, shared residents’ fears of potential retaliation and expressed hope for a peaceful resolution.