From Jerusalem with Love

Holy Abraham

There are four holy cities in Israel - Jerusalem, Tsfat, Tiberias and Hebron. Jerusalem contained the ancient Temples and has been the spiritual center of Judaism for more than 3,000 years. Tsfat and Tiberias were home to some of Judaism's best-known sages during the centuries of exile following the destruction of the Temples.

Jerusalem might be the holiest city, and Tsfat and Tiberias the most pleasant vacation spots, but Hebron is where it all started. Hebron is where Abraham purchased land to bury his family. Abraham, "the first Jew," is revered by Jews, Christians and Muslims for bringing the idea of monotheism into the world. At G-d's command, Abraham took the original leap of faith by leaving his home for the Land of Israel, which G-d in turn promised to Abraham's descendants.

The story of Abraham is the story of why I am sitting here in Jerusalem, and not in London, Uganda, or Amsterdam (hmmm). Thanks to Abraham the Ivri, the other, the man who "crossed over," I am cutting my teeth on the language Ivrit (Hebrew), and not Spanish or Russian. Ivrit is the language of Abraham's story, and the language spoken by his descendants thousands of years after he and Judaism's founding family were buried in the Hebron hills.

Hebron is in some ways a microcosm of the Israeli-Arab conflict. Nestled in the heart of the southern "West Bank" (aka, Judea), Hebron is a tiny enclave of Jews surrounded by Palestinians. For the first two decades of Israel's existence, Hebron sat in Jordanian-occupied territory, without a Jewish community. Soon after Israel captured the West Bank in 1967's Six Day War, Jews rebuilt a community in Hebron and settled the surrounding hills.

The Jews of Hebron are the true stalwarts of the settlement movement. During a $40 day trip I took to Hebron on Friday (lunch not included), I learned that Israel's governments have  been reluctant to support the growth of this tiny Jewish community. Its location is not militarily strategic, and the local demographics make future annexation to Israel questionable. The Jewish Quarter of Hebron and nearby Kiryat Arbah settlement are closely guarded, to say the least. In Hebron, even the bus stops are fortified (see the Hebron photo album).

From Simcha, our tour guide and Jewish Hebron's de facto Director of Tourism, we learned the secret of Hebron's expansion: each time terrorism claimed the lives of Jews there, residents demanded the government give them permission to build. You might say Hebron has grown because of (and not despite) Palestinian terrorism. Hebron's Jewish residents call their home "the second holiest city of Earth," and they are there for ideological - not economic or quality of life - motivations.

In recent years, children and adults have been murdered in sniper attacks and ambushes. One decade ago, Hebron was the site of the most notorious incident of Jewish terrorism in Israeli history - the murder of 29 Muslims at prayer by a settler in the Cave of the Patriarchs, the ancient complex under which Abraham and Judaism's founding family are believed to be buried.

The site today is divided between Jews and Muslims. Each of the patriarchs and matriarchs has a symbolic tomb within the complex. As I looked through the window into Abraham's dimly lit tomb, I saw Muslim women and children looking through a window on the other side of the room, just 15 feet away. I had no way of entering their half of the complex, and they could not enter the Jewish portion.

The trip to Hebron was the first time I visited a West Bank city since January 2000, when my Birthright Israel tour stopped in Jericho to learn about the peace process (imagine living in Brooklyn and never going to Manhattan, the heart of the city!). Today, there is no peace process, just unilateral "disengagement" and Israel's steps to protect its citizens.

The 45-minute bus ride from Jerusalem to Hebron was fantastic - the lush Judean hills, a clear blue sky and the red-roofed settlements south of Jerusalem. The quiet beauty of the hills contradicted the stories of massacres and murdered children we heard from the tour guide. Judaism began in these hills, and in turn Christianity, Islam and modern Western civilization.

In the hills of Hebron, the Bible is alive and well - not as a story but as breathing history. The descendants of Abraham and Sarah will determine the ending.

(Scott, is this entry deep enough for you?)

Again

Sunday morning...

I got on the bus to Hebrew University an hour ago and almost immediately knew something happened. It was 8:30 am and the radio news was on. The regular news comes every hour on the hour, and most drivers turn up the radio for everyone to here. The news usually lasts for just a couple of minutes. Hearing the news at 8:30 am (rush hour) while boarding a hushed bus meant there had been an attack.

After taking a seat, I recognized words like "attack" and "bus station" on the broadcast. I asked the woman next to me what happened and she said there had been an attack at the bus station in Beer Sheva, a dusty town in the south. The woman was very distraught and I think she said her sister lives in Beer Sheva. She clutched her cell phone in her hand and kept looking at it. There was silence for the entire 20-minute ride, except for a baby screaming.

Now, in a computer room at my school, I read on jpost.com about the suicide bombing just an hour ago. It is not surprising that is was in Beer Sheva, where there is no security fence to stop bombers like there is along most of the coastal plain and around Jerusalem. This is the same fence that most of the world calls a "land grab." The fence has saved countless lives in the past three years - remember that for every suicide bomber that detonates inside Israel, many, many more are caught trying to infiltrate or thwarted by security forces while planning attacks.

In both landmass and population, Israel is roughly equivalent to New Jersey. When there is an attack, everyone calls relatives and friends (there are more cell phones here per capita than anywhere), and it's likely that you, someone in your family or a friend will know one of the victims through school, the army, work, etc.

Though the attack was a small explosion by modern military standards, and it looks like there were "only" a couple of casualties, its aftermath will fill the country throughout the day. Victims' headshots will be on newspaper covers this evening. The radio will continue to broadcast throughout the morning. Politicians will blame each other, and then the Palestinians. Most people west of the Jordan River will continue to pray for peace.

This and That

By popular demand, the following photo albums have been added:

• Guest Book - photos of my visitors - Mazel Tov to Lisa Janiak on her recent stay at Baka Bar!
• Hebrew University - photos of the California-esque campus atop Mt. Scopus
• Home Sweet Home - my apartment in Jerusalem after a month of cleaning, unpacking, purchasing and decorating
• Summer Ulpan - take a look at the boys in our class playing dress-up during a role play about male/female stereotypes. I was a housewife angry at her husband for never pitching in with chores.
• Sunrise, Sunset - an album-in-progress

Balance

In her last journal entry before being captured by the Nazis, Anne Frank called herself "a little bundle of contradictions." This term applies well to Israel, a 57-year old country still setting its borders and at war with itself as much its Arab neighbors.

In Israel, the manic Independence Day holiday falls the day after Memorial Day, when almost every family in the nation mourns a son, daughter, father or mother lost to war. In the span of a few hours, the national psyche shifts from sullen to joyous - a somber reminder that the Jewish state did not come on a silver platter, and a celebration of what those sacrifices bore.

Israel's visionaries saw a country that would normalize the Jews and eradicate anti-Semitism; instead, Israel today is often called "the Jew of the nations." For the first time in 2,000 years, Jews have political sovereignty, but no consensus on the character and values of their state. Is Israel a Jewish state, or a state of the Jews? What is a Jewish democracy? Who gets to decide?

This week, as Gaza's settlers were forcibly evacuated from homes many had lived in for 30 years, thousands of Israelis flocked to the so-called Sultan's Pool in front of Jerusalem's Old City. An annual two-week international fair featured fireworks, performers and food and crafts from around the world.

Less than an hour's drive from the fireworks, extremist settlers poured chemicals on police officers assigned to evacuate Gaza. Parents dragged away screaming children and shouted "Nazis!" at approaching Israeli soldiers. Back in Jerusalem, Papa Smurf joined the Power Rangers on stage for a rousing finale.

Jerusalem's hotels are filled with missions from North America this week. Today, I joined the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston's Community Leadership mission, which includes two of Massachusetts's top legislators, Speaker of the House Sal DiMasi and Senate President Robert Traviglini. We drove east from Jerusalem through the Judean Desert to visit the Dead Sea and Masada.

Masada is a desert mountain used 2,000 years ago as a fortress by Jewish zealots making a last stand against the conquering Roman army. After weeks of siege, the Jews committed mass suicide to avoid surrendering. The words "Masada shall not fall again" aptly described Israel's mentality during the early years of statehood following the murder of six million Jews in the Holocaust. In recent years, a debate focuses on the meaning and uses of Masada's legacy. Does Masada glorify death? Should we admire the zealots for heroism, or pity them for disobeying Jewish Law by taking their own lives?

After hearing about the mass suicide at Masada, our group drove down to the Dead Sea, the lowest place on Earth, for a swim in the salty water next to the Crown Plaza Hotel. Hundreds of people filled the pools and Jacuzzis outside the hotel as a DJ blasted music and bartenders poured beer.

To the north of the hotel sat Masada, an ancient death-ship rising from the dust. A few miles to the west sat the Gaza Strip, where the last of the hold-out settlers were being dragged from their homes. As our mission participants waded deeper into the Dead Sea, first-time visitors realized they could not stand up or maneuver easily in the mineral-laden water. The sea pushed them upwards, forcing them to find balance in a place of new rules.

See the "Balance" Photo Album for pictures of Masada and Jerusalem during Disengagement week.

Help Not Wanted

A friend is in town working in Jerusalem’s Government Press Office, helping international journalists cover Disengagement. I visited the office to pile up on free cookies and publications about Israel – two of my favorite things. I was also curious to see the operation – how Israel is presenting itself to the foreign press during this historic week. I must admit I was slightly disturbed.

Upon my arrival to the office, I was greeted at the information table by an elderly Israeli woman from Britain, who proceeded to give me her life story (does this happen to anyone else?). It was an interesting story at least – she served in World War II, made aliyah (immigrated) to Israel in the 70’s, etc.

Once the trip down memory lane ended, she handed me some anti-Disengagement materials from under her chair, telling me I must do something to stop the process. Keep in mind that this woman was a volunteer greeting the international press at the entrance to the Government Press Office, during, yes, Disengagement. Reminder – Disengagement was a decision of the Government of Israel.

After looking through the propaganda, I was introduced by my friend to someone important in the office. He seemed flustered and jittery, so he was either important or constipated. I proceeded to tell on that greeter woman, handing this man the materials she gave me. He wasn’t too surprised, much less disturbed. I next asked about internships or volunteer opportunities in the Government Press Office, to which he replied, “there are none, we just have some for this week."

If you are an official in the Government Press Office or something similar, Email me at mlebovic@aol.com. You need volunteers; you need interns, and, most importantly, you need help. If you are the British-Israeli woman, I am sorry I told on you, but you shouldn’t have been doing what you were doing.

Tisha B'Av

Tisha B’Av is the saddest day of the Jewish year. The holiday is marked by a day-long fast and general solemnity. On this same day throughout history, many tragedies befell the Jewish people, including:

A. The incident of the spies slandering the land of Israel with the subsequent decree to wander the desert for 40 years.

B. The destruction of the first Temple in Jerusalem by Nevuchadnetzar, King of Babylon.

C. The destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 CE.

D. The fall of Betar and the end of the Bar Kochba revolt against the Romans 62 years later, 132 CE.

E. The Jews of England expelled in 1290.

F. Pope Urban II declared the First Crusade. Tens of thousands of Jews were killed, and many Jewish communities obliterated.

G. The Jews of Spain were expelled in 1492.

H. World War One broke out on Tisha B'Av in 1914 when Russia declared war on Germany. German resentment from the war set the stage for the Holocaust.

I. On Tisha B'Av, deportation began of Jews from the Warsaw Ghetto.

(List from aish.com)

This year, Tisha B’Av fell just hours before Disengagement. Years from now, will Jews include Disengagement among the tragedies commemorated on Tisha B’Av? Many of those opposed to Disengagement have already started (“Jews don’t expel Jews!”).

I spent Erev Tisha B’Av (the night before the holiday) in the Old City of Jerusalem, where I heard the traditional reading of “Eicha,” a horrifying description of Jerusalem’s destruction and the exile of the Jews. The “Eicha” reading has been part of Jewish tradition for many centuries. For the first time in 2,000 years, Jerusalem is once again the capital of the Jewish nation.

Take a look at the “Tisha B’Av” photo album for photos of the Old City on Erev Tisha B’Av.

(P.S. – Did you know Napoleon was a Zionist? Napoleon was walking through the streets of Paris one Tisha B'Av. As his entourage passed a synagogue he heard wailing and crying coming from within; he sent an aide to inquire as to what had happened. The aide returned and told Napoleon that the Jews were in mourning over the loss of their Temple. Napoleon was indignant! "How come I wasn't informed? When did this happen? Which Temple?" The aide responded, "They lost their Temple in Jerusalem on this date 1,700 years ago." Napoleon stood in silence and then said, "Certainly a people which has mourned the loss of their Temple for so long will survive to see it rebuilt!" (taken from aish.com)

Getting Engaged!

Just kidding.  Well, not totally...ISRAEL is getting engaged, or should we say, disengaged from the Gaza Strip, in just five days. If you follow world news to any degree, you've heard about "disengagement" and how Israel will dismantle its settlements in the Gaza Strip next week and move more than 7,000 settlers back to Israel proper.

Once occupied by Egypt, the strip was captured by Israel in 1967's Six Day War. Deemed a buffer between (the once) hostile Egypt and Israel's heartland, the strip today contains more than one million Palestinians. More than 30,000 Israeli soldiers guard the 21 settlements, the bulk of which comprise "Gush Katif" in the southern part of the strip. The strip is tiny (by most countries' standards) - you could literally walk across it in an afternoon.

In recent years, Palestinian terrorists have used the northern part of the strip to launch rocket attacks on settlements and cities and kibbutzim in Israel proper. A security fence surrounding the strip has been successful in preventing suicide bombers from entering Israel. The security fence can not prevent numerous shootings and other attacks against the settlers, nor can it stop the thriving arms smuggling operation that feeds Gaza terrorists.

Israel's "disengagement" from the Gaza Strip marks the first time the Jewish State has evacuated settlements in the absence of a peace treaty (Israel withdrew from the Sinai region in exchange for peace with Egypt more than two decades ago). Many people fear a Gaza Strip devoid of the Israel Defense Force will quickly turn into a terrorist base, "Hamas-istan" as some say. The Palestinian Authority has not been able (or, some say, does not desire) to prevent attacks on Israel coming from the strip. Hamas has tremendous support from Palestinians; not only does it blow up Israelis buses and restaurants, but Hamas offers important social services to the population.

All Israelis are looking ahead to "the day after" disengagement. Will terrorism subside once the strip is no longer "occupied?" Will Palestinians see Israel's unilateral withdrawal as a sign of weakness under terror? Will the international community push Israel to withdraw from parts of the West Bank, a key strategic asset for a New Jersey-sized nation surrounded by two dozen hostile Arab states?

Polls say a majority of Israelis support disengagement from Gaza. Opposition to the plan comes largely from religious settlers and their supporters who believe it is forbidden to withdraw from G-d's given land. A minority of those against disengagement have resorted to violence and acts of civil disobedience in recent weeks.

Last week, an extremist AWOL soldier murdered four Israeli Arabs on a bus in Northern Israel. Protesters have blocked major roads throughout the country, planted fake bombs, and, most recently, staged mass rallies outside the Gaza Strip to drain police and military resources from the settlements. Some say the atmosphere is reminiscent of 1995, when incitement promulgated by those against the peace process culminated in the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin.

On Monday, it will become illegal for Jews to be in the Gaza Strip, apart from military personnel and journalists involved in disengagement. On Wednesday, any settlers remaining will be arrested. All of this comes just two days after the fast day Tisha B'Av, when Jews remember the destruction of the ancient Temples and other tragedies.

Please look at the "Disengagement" photo album to the right for a sense of the public discourse in recent days.

No Cheat Sheets?

Ulpan is the Hebrew word for a course to learn the language, and they are held all over the country. I started an “intense” two-month ulpan at Jerusalem’s Hebrew University this week. When I complete my masters program in 2007, I will have passed six ulpan levels and allegedly be fluent in Hebrew, b’ezrat HaShem (with G-d’s help).

Ulpan takes place five days a week for four and a half hours each day. Two teachers split each day and there are about 20 students in class. My first three days of ulpan were like a roller coaster. The teachers – Idit and Shira – speak only in Hebrew. If you ask what a particular word means, they explain it to you in Hebrew. Snap on your seatbelt and keep up with the ride, or you’ll get quite disoriented (and might even vomit when it’s over).

The class is a mix of mostly 20-somethings from the US, Canada, Russia, France, Japan and Spain. There are also three Arab students, something I did not expect. Everyone is at more or less the same level (advanced beginner), but it’s clear that some people have studied more formally (i.e., at Jewish day schools), while others (i.e., me) know mostly slang and a few impressive nouns that earned them a seat in Bet as opposed to Aleph (starting from scratch). Look, the word "alphabet" comes from the first two letters of Hebrew!

I expect to cut my teeth on Hebrew these next two months. Unlike my high school Spanish days, I won’t be busting out cheat sheets during exams. I want to learn Hebrew for personal, professional and spiritual (?) reasons. Right now, I can’t imagine understanding the radio news or reading a book in Hebrew; but, as Israel’s visionary Theodore Herzl said, “If you will it, it’s not a dream.”

For homework this weekend, we had to write a dialogue between a kibbutznik grandfather and his grandson, who wants to leave the kibbutz. Here is what I wrote (translated, of course):

Grandpa:         When I was young, I loved to be with the group all day. You don’t like this?

Mati:                Yes, but it will be good to see the world. The kibbutz is boring!

Grandpa:         No! The life is good here. I was happy all the time when I was here. The kibbutz is like a big family! To share, this is special!

Mati:                No, I want money. It will be better when I have a car and a house and good clothes. I don’t like to share everything!

Grandpa:          Pity! When I was on the kibbutz, life was secure. There was food, love and fun. It was a good time.

Mati:                There is all that outside of the kibbutz, Grandpa. The world is mine, and I don’t want to share everything. It will be like a dream! “If you will it, it’s not a dream!”

Jerusalem Peace

Jerusalem means "city of peace." If you look close enough, you can see the word "shalom" hiding in Jerusalem. Sadly, shalom has eluded this sacred city during centuries of massacres, Crusades and terrorist attacks. If you look beyond headline news and history books though, there is lots of peace to be had in Jerusalem of Gold.

Below follow some peaceful moments in Jerusalem, as well as some not so peaceful moments of a less serious nature than massacres, Crusades and terrorist attacks.

Peace is...

...A visit to the Kotel, or Western Wall. Jews around the world have faced the wall for 2,000 years when they pray. The adjacent plaza hums with prayers, sighs and heavy silence.

...Shabbat in Jerusalem. Every Saturday, the city looks inward. Traffic clears, stores close and you get a taste of what is meant by "a day of rest."

...Listening to some natives speak English. On a recent tour of Hebrew University's campus, we saw a "computer farm" where one can conduct research on 1967's "Six World War."

...Asking for an iced coffee and getting what amounts to a coffee milkshake. If ordered at an Aroma Espresso Bar, your coffee milkshake comes with a little chocolate bar that sits on the lid.

Peace is not...

...The headache you get from drinking your iced coffee milkshake too fast. Brain freeze!

...The Disengagement foes and their blocking of roads, planting of fake bombs and general fixation on unreality. People: no one looks good in orange.

...Getting jabbed by an M-16 on the morning bus. And fearing the bus will tip over every time the crusty driver makes a turn. Cigarette?

...Having your ATM card rejected by six banks in one morning. Mmmm, hunger.

Please visit the "Jerusalem Peace" photo album at right.