December 26, 2014, Maaleh Adumim, Israel
I am still during the week following the break-in to my house. I am still trying to adjust to the new reality: I keep things in different places, nothing is where it once was, I am developing new security habits.
Since the break-in I have studied this topic extensively.
It is amazing how my knowledge has increased in one week. Of course it would have been better to have this knowledge before the break-in rather than after.
Live and Learn.
One of the things that I have learned is there is much that I could have done better, although there is also much that I did correctly. There are aspects that are beyond my control.
I have also learned that there are things my community should have done better, and which I am fighting for now. And there is much the police and the mayor should have done differently, but there is no indication that a change will take place.
I see my mistakes and I am taking immediate action to change those mistakes. But I do not see others doing the same thing.
Speaking with my neighbors we all agree we would like to see more police presence on the nights when we are most vulnerable. We would like to see more action from the mayor. But alas, none of that is likely to happen.
And the truth is most of us are just as guilty as the leadership.
But there is one more aspect. Sadly these robberies are being committed by a particular group of Arabs, known to the police.
Being that we are pretty much engaged in a war of populations it is entirely possible that a robbery can quickly change to a violent, nationalistically motivated crime. Lives are at stake.
The police have made it clear to me that no amount of home security is a guarantee against break-ins or attacks. In fact they stated point blank that "if a thief wants to get in, he will get in. Nothing you can do about it."
That is not an uplifting thought.
So I must raise the question; what if someone is home during an attempted break-in, what if someone finds himself face to face with a violent man, or two, what then? Are we prepared?
The answer is of course no, we are not. I have been teaching in this neighborhood for twenty years and the vast majority of the adult population has never shown an interest in learning self-defense.
But yet it is very easy to say, "We need more police patrols".
While that claim is true, the bottom line remains that we must take responsibility for ourselves.
We must take the time to study home security. We must pay for it ourselves. And we must make sure that if, God forbid, we are confronted, face to face with a terrorist we will be ready.
The bottom line is it our responsibility and we must look out for ourselves.