Fabulous 40?
This week is the 40th anniversary of Jerusalem's reunification following 1967's Six Day War. If you've kept up with my blog for the past (almost) two years, you know I have mixed feelings about Jerusalem.
On the one hand, it's exhilarating to live in the city that has inspired Jewish thought and yearning for more than 3,000 years. Rolling out of bed and walking to the Western Wall/Temple Mount (in just half an hour!) is something I've done many times since moving here. To stoop to cliches, Jerusalem has its own brand of magic that can be sensed by even casual visitors. It feels like the center of the Earth is Jerusalem, and, indeed, much of the world prays to (and for) Jerusalem.
Unfortunately, the Holy City is also brimming with hate and fear. Though I fully support Israel's security barrier, it's not exactly pleasant to see a giant gray wall snaking through the hills to prevent our Palestinian neighbors from blowing themselves up in our buses and cafes.
Even beyond the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Jerusalem houses religious leaders of all faiths eager to condemn "sinners" and further divide a fractured society. Yes, it was nice to see all those posters put up by ultra-Orthodox leaders offering rewards for the murder of gays last year.
Allegedly sacred and the symbol of symbols, Jerusalem's poverty rate is higher than anywhere in Israel and the streets and fields are strewn with trash. The good, the bad and the ugly come to mind when I think of how I'd describe Jerusalem to someone who knows nothing. Which element outweighs the others depends on the day.
Here is an article I published about the Hand in Hand school - it is tied with the Western Wall for my "Holiest Site in Jerusalem" award. If the leaders and philosophies driving Hand in Hand represent Israel's future, there just might be hope.
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