Buffalo native shares what life is like in Israel during conflicts

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — As the Israel-Iran war enters its second week, we're hearing from a local woman who's been living in Israel amid the rising tensions.
North Buffalo native Madeleine Weinmann moved to Israel in August 2023 to teach English at schools just south of Tel Aviv.
'I originally came just to do that for the 10 months,' she told WIVB News 4. 'Then, Oct. 7 happened a few months after being here.'
Shortly after the start of the Israel-Hamas war, Weinmann traveled back home to Buffalo, but soon realized her time in Israel wasn't over. She then signed an apartment lease in Tel Aviv and moved last September.
'My original plan was just to move back to the U.S. somewhere and find a job,' she said. 'But I really loved Israel. I really loved the community (and) the culture.'
Weinmann enjoys the life she's building in Israel but says the rising tensions between the country and Iran lately have made her family worried.
'They can see two different worlds,' she said. 'They can see the fear and the danger but also how much I love living here, the people, and the community that I've built.'
She says that overall she feels safe but knows danger could always strike and is prepared.
'I think the mindset of Israelis too is very much like, be smart, protect yourself as much as possible, prepare, but don't let that stop you from doing day-to-day life,' she said. 'It's still difficult knowing friends who have had to leave their apartments, go back, and take a lot of their belongings out.'
Weinmann, who is in her early 20s, plans to live in Israel for a few more years. She's hoping that during that time the conflicts in the Middle East are resolved.
'It's been something we've been hoping for a while, for peace, for the hostages to come home,' she said. 'It's still been almost two years. But I think everyone in the whole Middle East and the area that we're living in would benefit from that.'
Sarah Minkewicz is an Emmy-nominated reporter and Buffalo native who has been a part of the News 4 team since 2019. Follow Sarah on Twitter @SarahMinkewicz and click here to see more of her work.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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