Day 18: Flying Home and some random suggestions

Flying home? Long, tedious exhausting. I have often said that the day I win the lottery is the day I stop flying economy and move in with the “suits”. Rather than describe the trip home, let me instead mention a random couple of well-known places that you should be sure to see if you visit Israel

The Herodean houses

The Wall Tunnel tour

The above two are justifiably well known and should not be missed. Best seen with a guide in either a group or individual tour. We were totally blown away by the Western Wall Tunnel tour.

Yad Vashem  I already knew a great deal about the Holocaust, but this museum is a powerful statement. 

And then there are some places that are a bit less well known, but which we found worth the visit. In no particular order…

The Bible Lands Museum. If this was in the US some dude would be parading around in a white robe over his Jockey shorts, pretending to be Jesus. Go on, smack him and see if he turns the other check or hires a lawyer to sue you.  Across the street from the Israel museum this is a remarkable collection of archeological artifacts arranged to tell a coherent story. The materials presented and the excellent descriptions make this a must-see.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Reception Hall.  A neat piece of architectural work – one full wall of the hall consists of onyx stone plates that look like regular Jerusalem stone during the day, but which are actually translucent so that the entire wall is light up at night by the light from inside diffusing through the stone. A very neat sight.

The Conegliano  Synagogue and Nahon Museum of Italian Jewish Art  Jews have lived in the town of Conegliano since the 1600s and erected an elegant synagogue in 1701. After WWII, Italian Jews living in Israel arranged for the synagogue to be disassembled and then reassembled in Jerusalem. The interior of this synagogue is beautiful and adjacent to it is the U. Nahon Museum of Italian Jewish art – with its fine early Purim scrolls and Jewish Art. Right near the touristy Ben Yehuda street, this place is an oasis of calm and beauty.

The Cable Car Museum in the Mount Zion Hotel    You need to ask at the desk how to get there, but this hotel houses a two room museum dedicated to the cable car that ran during the 1948 war of Independence from it (when it was still the St. Johns hospital) to the isolated Mt. Zion area. The car, just big enough for one stretcher was used to move the wounded from Mt Zion to the Yemen Moishe area in the Western part of the city and to move ammunition and supplies to Mt. Zion.  The car was hand cranked across the valley and only operated at night. To escape detection by the soldiers of the Arab League, the cable was lowered to the ground during the day and its presence was kept a military secret until 1972 (i.e. after the 1967 war). 

Day 17: Off the Beaten Track on the way to Ben Gurion Airport

We have a midnight flight out of Ben Gurion, but we have to leave our apartment by 10 AM and there is apparently nowhere to store one’s luggage in this security conscious country.  In the end we decide to rent a car for the day and visit some out-of-the-way places that we would otherwise not get to see. We start out by going to Neve Shalom (Oasis of Peace), a joint Arab-Israeli village 20 km from Jerusalem that is dedicated to peaceful coexistence. They run a variety of programs promoting understanding and peace and operate a joint Hebrew-Arabic bilingual school. They aren’t really set up for the random visitor and this morning they have received news that there has been a deadly confrontation between the aid flotilla to the Gaza and the Israeli navy, so the place is in turmoil as they decide what their response should be. We wander about for a time, see the peace sanctuary and then head back to the road to visit the Latrun Trappist monastery where the monks make a wide variety of fine wines, take a vow of silence and have a beautiful church.

After leaving the monastery we head for Neot Kedumim, a large Biblical Landscape Reserve that has hiking trails through plantings of all the species mentioned in the bible. The path we take has extensive archeological remains of a large village that was occupied from the era of the Second Temple through Byzantine times.  Cisterns, wine and olive presses, mikvahs and a variety of other structures can be seen.  Hebrew and English labels identify the plants along the trail and quotes from the bible provide the biblical context.  After a very hot hour walking the trail we relax in the café drinking iced coffee. Since it is still too early to head for the airport I ask a man at the next table (who trains group leaders of tours of the Reserve) if he could suggest something else of interest in the area. We also chat about the construction of the reserve (it took 25 years of hard work, tons of top soil and careful design to finish it) and he suggests we head to the new city of Modi’im.  “If you have seen the monuments and Jerusalem, you should see Modi’im – an example of a totally new city, built from scratch”. What a great piece of advice! This place is definitely not on the standard tourist itinerary, but it should be. After seeing a lot of rather ugly Israeli cities, the views of this one as we approach it are breathtakingly beautiful.  Construction of Modi’im was begun in 1993 and the entire city was planned by Moshe Safdie, a world-famous architect (digression: his daughter was in a preschool with our daughter, Sarah and no one at the preschool realized who he was when he volunteered to help redesign one of the play rooms!).  Each neighborhood has a distinctive architectural motif  and city has  a golden-white gleam in the afternoon sun. Modi’im has about 60,000 residents and will eventually house as many as 250,000.  I don’t think the accompanying photos do justice to how striking it is. The only thing I noted that seemed to be missing was small shops in the neighborhoods, but perhaps such businesses are facing interior courtyards rather than the busy streets.

Modi'im from distance

                                                     Apartment blocks in Modi'im

Day 16: We Meet a Kindred Soul

Judy Norsigian, our neighbor and one of the founders of the Boston Women’s Health Book Collective (publisher of “Our Bodies, Ourselves”) has put us in touch with Dana Weinberg, the Chairperson and founder of Women and Their Bodies, the Israeli equivalent of the BWHBC, who we meet at the YMCA Three Arches Hotel for morning coffee. Dana explains how hundreds of women volunteers, both Jews and Arabs, have come forward to translate and rewrite where appropriate, Our Bodies, Ourselves into both Hebrew and Arabic versions. This is a major undertaking, requiring extensive rewriting to address cultural differences and the effort necessary to bring the project to a successful conclusion is impressive and much, much more complicated than publishing a book back home.  Dana shares how both Israeli and Arab professional women have come together to collaborate and we share her sense of excitement about the project. I encourage you strongly to check out their website at http://www.wtb.org.il/  and to contribute to their effort. (Roz and I are signing up to be part of their “Social Shareholders” project)

When I mention that we have heard of several young Israelis who have left Jerusalem because of the dominance of the ultra-orthodox, she shakes her head and points out that Jerusalem is the one place where Jews, Christians and Muslims are forced to interact every day and where barriers have a chance of being broken down.

Talking with Dana is another high point for me since her energy and enthusiasm is infectious. I had been reading Haaretz, the English language newspaper, this morning and getting increasingly depressed about some of the things happening here that never make it to the outside media.  I have been here a bit over two weeks, have met many wonderful people with a variety of political viewpoints, and although I understand better the challenges they face both internally and externally, I find myself more conflicted about this country and more doubtful than ever that the policies the current government are pursuing will achieve in the long run the security that everyone desires. The situation here is very complicated and it will take me a long time to process everything I have learned.

After parting from Dana, we catch the #17 bus to the BibleLands Museum (see random musings in final blog) which is a must-see if you are an archeology affficionado like me.  

Day 15: Continued - Abu Ghosh

Danny and Nachama pick us up for dinner, but suggest that instead of going to the Italian restaurant at which we have made reservations, we travel instead out to the Arab village of Abu Ghosh. This prosperous Arab village is famous for remaining neutral during the 1948 Arab-Israel war (and thus essentially supporting Israel) and at 10 km from Jerusalem it is a favorite spot for Jerusalem residents to get excellent Middle Eastern food. However, the history of the place is not quite as simple as generally presented – for even though the villagers lent active support to Israel in the war, in the following years most of the residents were forced into exile by the Israeli military – not once, but twice. Only after protests to the Knesset and a public outcry were they allowed back into their village. An interesting detail which somehow is left out of the tourist information in the guidebooks or the Israeli tourist web sites.

In any case, Danny takes us to the Lebanese Food Restaurant for a wonderful meal of hummus, Lebenah, tahini, falafel, and chicken shishlik. If you have some extra miles on your frequent flyer account using them to get to the Lebanese Food Restaurant is not a bad idea. Finally, on the way back to Jerusalem Danny turns off of Highway 1 to take us down the old road to Jerusalem, through the Motza neighborhood in the Judean Hills at the far western edge of Jerusalem with its wonderful views of the city. We are once again struck by how generous people have been with their time and how eager they are to showcase their country. 

Day 15: Bedouins and Innocents

Everyone tells us we have to drive a hard bargain here, but to be honest we are totally useless at the process. In Hanoi we could tell ourselves that we were just bargaining over 50 cents or a dollar or two, which was ridiculous since that might be meaningful to them but was insignificant to us. Here, the stakes are quite a bit higher, but we are equally incompetent. Roslyn has read about a small shop in the Old City that has particularly excellent Palestinian embroidery.  As we glance tentatively into it, a young man grabs us by the arm, “Please enter, I will introduce you to my uncle”. Now an elderly man wearing a long black robe and a white taqiyah appears from the back of the shop. “Would you like Turkish coffee or mint tea? Don’t worry, you will not buy anything but you will accept my hospitality, I will show you my wares most of which were made by members of my family and we will be like brothers. Sit, sit”. He sends of another relative to fetch the drinks and begins to pull out some absolutely beautiful dresses. He describes how they are made, which of his relatives made them, how they will certainly increase in value and how he is giving us the rock bottom price.  He swears it would dishonor him if he were to charge us a dollar more than their minimum value. Samuel Longhorn Clemens must somehow have seen into the future and had us in mind when he wrote The Innocents Abroad, but his stock is indeed beautiful and I now know exactly how a fly feels when caught in the web. Our bargaining powers are so anemic as to require immediate hospitalization, but we eventually decide that we like the dress, that the price seems reasonable by US standards and we buy it. Of course we are then informed that his cousin has a new jewelry store down the lane and having bought something from him, we will be guaranteed a special low price.

     Up to now all of our interactions have been with secular or religious Jews, but not with any of the ultra-orthodox. Today, we finally have an interaction with one of the multitudes of Hassids here in Jerusalem and it is not exactly pleasant. While in the Old City we are approached by a rather large man in a black coat and hat who thrusts out his hand and demands "shekels!". When I reply no, he presses closer to me and demands in a louder voice "shekels for tzedaka ! (charity)".  Now there is no way I intend to support this dude whose sole occupations in life are to read Torah and produce little versions of himself. When I reply "no" a second time, he really gets aggravated and begins to repeat his demand, but before he finishes, Roz lets him have it with an extremely loud and emphatic "NO!! I suppose being turned down by a mere woman is a major affront to him so he starts to mutter loudly in Hebrew. Since my Hebrew is pretty much limited to "Ani lo medibare Ivrit" (I don't speak Hebrew), I cannot fully appreciate what he is calling me. However, I am struck that perhaps I should open a Yeshiva in Jerusalem since it is clear that the one he has attended has never bothered to teach him that charity that is not freely given is not charity at all, but simple extortion. 

Day 13: Sandstorms and Weddings

We set out for Josh and Diana’s wedding, but a blistering sand storm has blown in from the Negev. I struggle forward through the blinding wind-driven sand, a wet bandana stretched tightly across my face, my right hand pressed against the guiding stone wall to ensure we don’t wander off the path. Here in the Holy Land the dessert is a constant threat, a lethal reality, ready to crush the weak and unprepared.

Well…perhaps I exaggerate a bit, but it definitely is hazy out, no question of that. This afternoon an odd mist has settled over Jerusalem, almost like a low cloud, except that it is not cool or moist. It is indeed not a rain cloud, but a dust cloud so fine you don’t perceive it as dust at all – and it is, I am told the remnants of a distant sand storm. It cuts down the view from the Mount Zion Hotel, but it also renders the city a softness that the hard sunlight does not allow. Plus it keeps the temperatures down to a comfortable  level. The wedding takes place on the various back lawns at the Mount Zion Hotel, which turns out to be a lovely venue with (misty) views across to the Old City.  The wedding is totally delightful and similar to the Jewish weddings I have attended in the U.S with a few differences (1) the bride sits on a special chair to greet her female guests while (2) the men gather to fortify themselves with distilled liquids and usher the groom to his bride where he (3) covers her with a veil and asks her to marry him.  The couple are escorted to the Huppah  where the rabbi recites the marital blessings and then (4) launches into a long monologue, which, being in Hebrew, none of us can disagree with.  After the ring is presented and the Ketuvah is signed by the bride, the groom and various witnesses, (5) seven blessings are recited by various uncles and friends. Finally the glass is stomped on and we can all head for the food.  The hassles of the last few weeks have apparently been resolved, everyone is in place, Diana looks radiant, Josh looks presentable and from this guest’s perspective the wedding is a totally delightful event.

Day 11: Masada, the Dead Sea and Truths and Falsehoods about Israel

Nancy and Gene (Josh’s parents) have outdone themselves (strange term… how does one “outdo” oneself?) by providing for all the visiting guests a guided bus trip to Masada and the Dead Sea. Masada is…. well, Masada. Besides being one of the most dramatic archeological sites I have ever seen, it also has a history that is constantly being reinterpreted. For example, our guide points out its changing role in Israel’s self-narrative  (I’m happy to talk individually with you about this, but as one example,  the army no longer does it swearing-in ceremonies here – only the Engineering Corp, and they only because they were the ones who constructed the access roads to the site).  Again, no reason for me to describe it since you have to see it yourself.

A view of the remains of one of the Roman forts used to besiege Masada

Some Truths and Falsehoods about   Israeli life

1. “Israeli drivers are horrible!”  (F) If you have driven in Massachusetts you have nothing to fear from Israeli’s drivers on the road. Indeed they are better at signaling lane changes and certainly far better about stopping for pedestrians at crossings than Mass. drivers. However, should you find yourself standing in a crowd of Israeli drivers at a falafel stand, then your life is indeed in danger. 

2. “Israeli Food is Horrible” (T/F) We have actually had a couple of good meals here, but when all the Israelis we meet say “well, it’s not as bad as it used to be…” you know that this is not the place to come for a culinary adventure (falafel, hummus and halvah excepted).

3. “Israeli cabdrivers are horrible”  (T) We haven’t taken too many, but from our experience and that of others attending the wedding, I would ask that if any of you know of an honest one, please do send us his name as quickly as possible. The way they take advantage of visitors is shameful (really!).

4. “A Visit to the Dead Sea is A Must” (F) As far as I am concerned the Dead Sea is the aquatic equivalent of Road Kill.  The younger members of our party seemed to enjoy it, but I frankly don’t see the appeal of burning my feet on hot sand, slipping on rocks and staggering around in mud just to immerse myself in warm brine for five minutes. Far better to fill a bathtub with hot chicken soup and splash around in that.