What’s in Your Bomb Shelter?

We also have energy bars and water. And empty bottles. Just in case.

We have an old non-electric analog slimline phone that we had to buy at the beginning of the war in case the power is knocked out, but the phones still work. At least we’ll be able to call other people with an old analog phone and an antiquated landline.

We also have a personal solar panel to charge our phones and small appliances. But who knows if our cellular service will work? There had been lots of questions with news reports and rumors of an imminent Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear facilities. Every news cycle, there was something new. It’s too fast-paced to keep up with every new scoop or rumor, and it’s not healthy to do so.

Now that the attack has taken place and I have been up for hours not by my own choice, following the news of the apparent successes of the initial wave of attacks, reports of a second wave, the loud rumbling of fighter planes overhead, and even seeing what appeared to be surface to air missile defense being fired from over Jordan, we’re waiting for what’s likely to be a significant response from Iran that can send us back to the bomb shelters, maybe for hours.

It’s not just the physical stress and preparations for a war with Iran, coupled with exhaustion from not sleeping, but psychological stress and preparations as well. For every Israeli, there’s probably a different way in which the stress is presented.

We are supposed to go away for Shabbat this weekend to see friends. Under other circumstances, that would be really nice. But especially now that the military operation has begun, schools and places of work closed, along with the airport, and all public gatherings, including prayer services, I’m feeling like I need to be at home.

None of our kids live at home. We are supposed to be empty nesters except for the weekend every other week when my active-duty military son comes home. But then again, after the war began 20 months ago, four of our kids moved back in full time, while one son and son-in-law were called up to the reserves.

While my son-in-law was in the army, my daughter and their three kids were in and out of our house pretty regularly, balancing the desire to keep things “normal” in their own home with needing a break and extra hands to occupy my grandchildren and give her a break. So much for being empty nesters.

So, who knows what will happen and where my kids will be, or even if it would be considered safe to drive from where they live (in older apartments with no bomb shelter) to our house, but my place is with them, just in case. In the coming hours, we’ll find out who is coming home.

I think about this every time there’s another Houthi missile fired from Yemen, averaging every 1-2 days. It’s become so regular that being sent to the bomb shelter gets old and annoying. I expressed that to my radio-host friend Jake Smith. Jake mentioned it in our interview yesterday, unable to imagine our reality. Here’s this week’s Houthi missile/reality.

Now that the military operation has happened, friends have contacted me from all over the world, praying and asking what they can do. My simple, focused prayer request sent hours earlier hit a nerve because our situation is unimaginable, even for those of us living it.

Many have asked how they can help financially. Since I still maintain my integrity amid the stress, I have told them that I honestly can’t say what might happen or when, what all the needs will be, or how they will be fulfilled. But as Israel and Israelis are preparing for war, I have told them that the Israel Emergency Campaign will be ready to do what’s necessary, when it is necessary. It has a great track record, and I know that’s reliable and honest, even if we don’t know what the needs will be yet.

There's a lot I don’t know, but there are a few things that are clear. The Iranian nuclear threat to Israel and the world is an existential, clear, and present danger. If they really didn’t want a nuclear weapon, the negotiations would be easy: just stop enriching uranium to military grade. But the negotiations are a farce, a smoke screen for what the IAEA has revealed: that Iran is breaking every standard and is well on its way to having the ability to produce a nuclear weapon. Perhaps that’s all a moot point now. Hopefully.

The best case in their getting a nuke is nuclear blackmail globally, forever. The worst case is that they will use it. Those who think that they would get one and not do so with their messianic extremist Islam are fooling themselves.

I am not a war monger but the regime that funds global terrorist proxies as they do, lives by the Islamic principle of taqiyya, lying to infidels (basically everyone but themselves), cannot be trusted on any international agreement, oppresses and violates the human rights of all Iranians, and threatens American facilities throughout the Middle East if they don’t get a deal that goes their way, needs to be stopped.

With time running out. Despite the severe backlash that will happen, first, foremost, and hardest here in Israel, I told Jake it’s time to take out all Iranian nuclear sites, the IRGC facilities, and its leaders, and even the Supreme Leader himself. Sometimes peace comes through treaties. Sometimes it needs to come through a crushing defeat. Now is the time for the latter, not to kick the can down the road. Thank God it’s begun, and initial reports are of success. But it’s far from over, and prayers are needed for Israel, our leaders, military, and all the citizens.

I have no idea what will be, but nationally and individually, there’s a lot of anxiety and stress. Truthfully, it’s scary. But at least I have pretzels and peanut butter.

What’s in your bomb shelter?

Photo Courtesy: ©Getty Images/Fatima Shbair/Stringer
Published Date: June 13, 2025

Jonathan Feldstein was born and educated in the U.S. and immigrated to Israel in 2004. He is married and the father of six. Throughout his life and career, he has been blessed by the calling to fellowship with Christian supporters of Israel and shares experiences of living as an Orthodox Jew in Israel. He writes regularly for a variety of prominent Christian and conservative websites and is the host of Inspiration from Zion, a popular webinar series and podcast. He can be reached at firstpersonisrael@gmail.com.