PIGUA

I don't think there is any word that elicits more fear in Israel than PIGUA. That means terrorist attack.
Today there was a terrorist attack in Jerusalem across from the Central Bus Station on a street where dozens and dozens of buses pass every minute. The bus targeted was the #74, which goes to Har Homa through Talpiot. My child said, "That is a totally packed bus, Ema." And since our children are real bus travelers, they would know.
Pigua is a frightening term for us. It means someone or G-d forbid many someones are hurt or killed. It means that lives will be changed forever toward the sad direction. It means that mothers and fathers and children will weep or mourn. It means that the entire Jewish nation will suffer, because we are all brethren. And this is such a small country, everyone knows someone.
Pigua is a dreaded term. You see, as opposed to our enemies - Arab terrorists, suicide bombers, Islamic Fundamentalists and their supporters - Jews have a religion of life. They love life and want to spend their days and years in fulfilling meaningful and happy events. They want to grow old so that they can see the years and decades pass, watching their children grow up, attending graduations, simchas and special family events, seeing their marriages, welcoming new grandchildren in the world.
Observant Jews want to spend their life following the mitzvot (commandments) and doing chesed (good deeds). They want to do tikkun olam (fix the wrongs of the world) and give their children a better world than even they themselves received.
When the news breaks about a pigua (which takes about a nano-second after the M of the word BOOM), the entire country breaks into frenzied, yet controlled action. Emergency personnel are on the scene in moments. And the adrenaline starts pumping in the general public. All phone lines go on overload, as every family member gets on the phone or cell phone to immediately do the family check. "Where are you?" "Where is John?" "Did you speak to Jack?
When the nuclear family is accounted for, then everyone branches out - their larger family, their friends, their friends kids - the circles of caring go wide here.
The internet, radio, TV news is turned to by everyone!
B"H, the news says that no one was killed today, but 20 people were injured in varying degrees. And we have yet to hear how serious these injuries are.
May Hashem watch over the Jewish people, help the injured to recover, and protect us from Evil and its long hand.