Blasted from Complacency: A Journey from Terror to Transformation in Israel

by Penny S. Tee

Overview

A Vacation Under Fire

As a Jewish child growing up in the United States, Penny S. Tee was raised to care about Israel. But as an adult, events in her ancestral homeland took a back seat to the concerns of her everyday life. All that changed when Penny was thrust to the front lines of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict while vacationing in Israel in 2014. Cowered in a bomb shelter with her family as missiles exploded around them, Penny witnessed the terrors of war firsthand . . . and she would never be the same again.

Blasted from Complacency: A Journey from Terror to Transformation in Israel is Penny’s compelling, true account of her harrowing ordeal and how it jolted her out of inaction and caused her to rethink her beliefs. She exposes the terrifying reality faced daily by Israelis and Palestinians, as they struggle to live their lives under the constant threat of attack. She reveals how her experiences ignited in her the desire to work for change. And she shares the valuable life lessons and remarkable insights she has gained along the way. A gripping chronicle of one woman’s ongoing quest for peace both within herself and in the world around her, Blasted from Complacency is a revelation with the power to open minds and change hearts.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781733707800
Publisher:	Peace Awareness Publishing
Publication date:	07/01/2019
Pages:	402
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.82(d)

About the Author

Penny S. Tee is a nonfiction author, speaker, writer, blogger, and lifelong learner. She is also the creator of PennySTee.com and founder of Penny S. Tee's Writers4Writers, an online writers' support group. The driving forces behind her writing Blasted from Complacency were her desires to portray Israel in an honest light and to create an "ethical will" to share with her son. Penny holds both a BS degree and an MBA from the University of Southern California. She lives in California with her family.

Table of Contents

CONTENTS

Author’s Notes

Preface

PART I: OUR ISRAEL ADVENTURE

Chapter One: Are You Kidding Me?

Chapter Two: How Did We Get Here?

Chapter Three: Anne Frank Whispers . . . “Maybe You Should Go Back Home”

Chapter Four: Tel Aviv—Or Is This Miami?

Chapter Five: What You Don’t See Can Hurt You

Chapter Six: We’ll Never Take You into Harm’s Way

Chapter Seven: Reality—What’s Yours?

Chapter Eight: O’ Jerusalem

Chapter Nine: The “Old City”

Chapter Ten: Our Luck Runs Out

Chapter Eleven: Beneath the Veneer

Chapter Twelve: Absurd Realities

Chapter Thirteen: Toward Southern Israel, Ho!

Chapter Fourteen: Too Close for Comfort

Chapter Fifteen: A Long Night

Chapter Sixteen: Just Can’t Seem to Say Goodbye

PART II: THE EVER-CHANGING PENNY S. TEE

Chapter Seventeen: Paris—No Escape!

Chapter Eighteen: Becoming Penny S. Tee

Chapter Nineteen: Foundations for Life

Glossary

Resources

References

Endnotes

Acknowledgments

Editorial Reviews

Penny Tee is a gifted writer. The way she moves from viewing monuments to how the war spawned a maelstrom of madness is as thrilling as it is chilling. What Penny and her family learn about themselves and human courage is a testament to the endurance of our species and the hopes we all have of creating a world that works for all. --Jean Houston, Ph.D., Bestselling Author, Scholar, and Advisor to the United Nations

. . . compelling and wonderful story. An awakening for sure! The motto of the Jewish National Fund is to teach our leaders that you must stand up and be counted. Your book exemplifies that. --Russell F. Robinson, CEO, Jewish National Fund

As a mother, I could feel the anxiety in every turn of the page as Penny S. Tee shared her journey with her husband and son through Israel, the country of their faith. Blasted from Complacency is an enthralling account of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on the ground during the bombings. As a result of her experience, Penny has met and is working with peacekeepers to make a difference in the world, and she invites the reader to also become involved. An excellent read. --Mary Sue Rabe, Founder and Director of Women Healing the World, and Author of Stand There and Look Pretty, Darlin'

Blasted from Complacency blasts you into a beautiful, spiritual, and magical place, Israel. There, author Penny S. Tee guides you along her journey from bar mitzvah rites to bomb shelters and back, all the while keeping you entertained and well-fed like the good Jewish mother that she is. --Carole Lieberman, M.D., Author of Lions and Tigers and Terrorists, Oh My! How to Protect Your Child in a Time of Terror

Penny S. Tee's Blasted from Complacency is a dynamic yet thoughtfully written personal account of the author's frightening, life-changing experience on a 2014 vacation in Israel, when bombs started flying and bomb shelters became her family's alternative accommodations. As a reader, I felt I was right beside her and her family through this terrifying experience. She imparts an appreciation for Jewish tradition and history and how important Israel is to Jews worldwide. Yet she also shows empathy for the Palestinian civilians, whose lifestyle and future are in the hands of politicians who seem to value propaganda more than Palestinian lives. Penny's life's purpose, to contribute to peace between Palestinians and Israelis, is admirable, and I wish her every success in the steps she takes on this very personal journey that's so important to the world. --Founder and Owner of AllMyBest.com and GoodWaysToWrite.com

As you journey with Penny S. Tee on her family vacation in Israel, you will experience her anxiety, fear, and her constant monitoring of social media as she sought to keep her family safe under the ever-changing and increasing signs of discord. Upon her return to the United States, she sought to gain knowledge from her insights and experiences, seeking to understand what had happened and to find a way to channel her learning into making a positive impact on the world. Her explanation of what can be done by each of us to seek peace wherever we are is worthy of note and encourages us to follow this path. Let us join Penny as she continues her journey to transform the world, one day at a time. --Lila M Larson, Author of Small Business Big Growth, 50 Tips to Get Clear, Get Focused, Get Better Results

From the Publisher