The encounter: I had approached many people for interviews at IKEA, but most people declined. I was just about to give up, when I saw Moran sitting by herself near the entrance. She was feeding the baby while her husband was shopping. She was happy to talk to me and invited me to join her on the display couch.
What are you doing here right now?
My husband and I are here to buy some furniture for the baby room, even though he still sleeps with us for now. He’s still so small.
What is your occupation?
I work as an accountant at a law firm. But right now I'm on maternity leave.
How do you describe your religious or national identity?
I'm religious: not ultra-orthodox and not secular. I'm in-between.
Can you tell me a bit about your family?
My husband and I have been married for two years. This is our first child: Eliah. He's three months old.
Where is your family from?
My mom is from Libya; my dad is from Morocco. They were small children when they came to Israel. I think it was sometime in the 1950s.
What are your hopes and expectations for the future of this land?
I hope there will be peace and that we don’t have to be afraid anymore. The war started the day after I gave birth. It was the first time I heard real rocket alarms. The attacks from Gaza had never reached this far north. The rockets hit highway 4, very close to where we live. I had never been in a real war before. I had just given birth and I had never been so afraid. It may have been my hormones... I cried a lot.
I also wish it would be less difficult and less expensive to live in this country. I’d like to study more and get ahead in life. I hope things will be good, but I doubt it. Every year, there is another war. My brothers are serving in the army now. I'm very worried about them. I really hope there will be peace before Eliah turns eighteen.