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She, her husband and five children live in Jerusalem. M onday, Nov. 2, was meant to be a busy, but typical day in my work as a tour guide in Israel. I was scheduled to meet a couple at Jaffa Gate for a three-hour tour of the Old City starting with the new excavations in the Tower of David Museum, then meet up with another group to show them around the Temple Institute in the Jewish Quarter, and finish the day with an after- school program for elementary school girls who live in the Old City. I met the couple — Jewish tourists from New York named Stu and Corky — and we started to talk about the history of the area. A young man snuck up next to me. He said in Hebrew, "Slichah," mean- ing "excuse me," as if he were about to ask a question. I turned to him expecting he wanted directions to the Western Wall, as often happens. Instead, he took a heavy glass bottle and struck me several times with it, breaking it over my head. By the second blow, I fainted. I woke up later bleeding on the ground, realizing what had happened. I was able to walk, so I went around the corner to the police station, assuming that Stu and Corky had run away, and the terrorist would not be caught. As soon as I arrived, a van pulled up with "magavni- kim" security personnel who are under the auspices of the army and police and serve in the Old City. "We caught him! We caught him!" they told me. I couldn't understand how they knew who I was, but then I remembered the blood on my head. Just after that, Stu and Corky arrived. Amazingly, they had actually fought off the attacker, a 22-year-old Arab from Jerusalem, and chased him. Stu was a volunteer fire- fighter and knew that chasing after him yelling would help draw the attention of the security forces, which it did. Corky, who had taught more than 20 years in New York, said she knew how to fight back as well. It turns out that the entire incident was seen on camera; more than 300 cameras throughout the Old City are monitored 24 hours a day. The ones watching the cameras immediately contacted security forces in the area, and the terrorist was caught in moments. Unfortunately, the rest of the day (my Hebrew birthday) was spent getting a CT scan and stitches in the hospital, and speaking with police investigators. I didn't make it to my scheduled plans. But, thank God, I wasn't more seriously injured. I follow the Jewish tradition of married women covering their hair, and I wear a scarf that is wrapped in a way that has a good amount of padding on the top — exactly where he hit me. After the attack, the scarf also served as a bandage until the ambulance arrived and they were able to take care of the wound. SAFE OR NOT? But, of course, I was left with a dilemma: I have been guiding in all areas of Jerusalem for years, feeling safe to go and explore — and loving it! What do I do now? Should I continue to do this? Thinking through everything, I realized that actually the area is very safe with all the police and army throughout the city — and the cameras. And more than that, I decided that I'm not going to let terror keep me away from what I love to do, and all the more so from Jerusalem and guiding throughout Israel. I will continue to learn, explore and guide in every corner of the city and the country: Gush Etzion, the Dead Sea, Tel Aviv and, of course, in southern Israel, showing visitors the inspiring history and teaching about the security situation. Learning about the history, archaeol- ogy and biblical sources is very strength- ening and empowering. With all of the problems we are facing in Israel and around the world, I think the healthiest response is to take the opportunity to strengthen ourselves in our knowledge, our commitment to what we believe in and in ourselves physically (and, yes, I've signed up for an awesome program of self-defense classes for women in Jerusalem). Just a week after the attack, I was back in the exact same place giving a tour and was able to say the blessing thanking God for doing a miracle for me in this place; and I can say that on my birthday, my life was renewed for me. * Leah Bowman, a licensed Israeli tour guide, special- izes in guiding families around Israel. Visit www.telavivwalkingtours.com. Leah Bowman | Special to the Jewish News Leah Bowman $ 10 OFF Any Gift Tray of $ 50 or more With coupon. Limit One Tray. Expires 12/28/15. 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