The Israel-Iran war is creating a new category of apps
From calculating shower risks to mapping nearby shelters, Israelis are turning wartime routines into web tools.
Once again Israel finds itself in a state of heightened conflict, and so once again, Israelis find themselves frequently sitting in bomb shelters (or mamads) throughout the course of their day.
Over the past two weeks, several web-based tools have begun circulating online that turn an unconventional, uncomfortable and often downright boring shared experience into something measurable, logistical, or simply fun.
Here are a few that have caught on.
1. ShelterTime – How long have you actually spent in the mamad?
One example is ShelterTime. The site estimates how long a user has cumulatively spent in a protected room since the latest escalation began. You enter your location, and the tool calculates the total based on the number of alerts in that area.
2. Can I Shower? – Calculating the odds of a mid-shower siren
Another site, Can I Shower?, tackles a more specific question: what’re the odds that you can complete a shower without a rude, ballistic interruption? The premise is simple: enter your location and the site estimates the odds based on recent alert patterns. The output is presented as a probability score.
3. Stress Meter Pro – A wartime stress score calculator
A third tool, Stress Meter Pro, turns wartime life into a mock “stress index.” Users input variables like how many children and pets they have, the number of sirens they experience on a typical night, or how many Zoom meetings members of the household are expected to attend. The site then generates a stress score based on those factors.
4. Hooked – Dating in the shelter
Shelter time has also made its way into dating. The Israeli dating startup Hooked, launched earlier this year, recently added a feature showing which people inside a public shelter are single. The feature was introduced after users joked that shelters had become unexpected social spaces during alert periods.
5. SafeRoute – A practical tool for staying close to shelters
Not every project is meant purely as a joke. One tool, SafeRoute, focuses on logistics. SafeRoute maps public shelters and allows users to plan routes while staying within warning distance of one. The site is designed to help people move between locations while minimizing the risk of being too far from shelter if a siren goes off.
