Israel is a Small Village

Sunday, June 21, 2009
Ashkelon, Israel
The sun was bright in the sky. A family of perhaps 12 men, women, and children were gathered around a pcinic table in a park, with the sounds of multiple conversations; children laughing and playing nearby. Not really an unusual occurence for a Saturday, Shabbat, as we walked past. Except for one main difference-- we were about one km away from Gaza. Yes, the Gaza which has dominated the news for years, which has captured the attention of the world, which represents the quintessence of the Arab-Israeli conflict, and which is the source of the rockets which regularly rain down upon Israel. But, today, all was quiet, Gaza, from the hillsides upon which we stood, looked like any other city might appear--life progressing normally and peacefully. How could this place before us be the source of so much dissension and unrest? It seemed so paradoxical to us, as we stood there with our Israeli hosts pointing out the spots where the army was positioned, the radar balloons overhead, and the almost imperceptible border fence that this bucolic scene could be the site of these hostilities. Things here have been quiet for months, thankfully, and, as evidenced by the laughter of the nearby picnic, life continues as normal.

Well, not quite normal. We are staying on a kibbutz, Nir Am, with my brother-in-law's family, who have lived here since the 60s. The kibbutz has seen its numbers dwindling, as the attractions of its beautiful surroundings and location just about an hour south of Tel Aviv are counterbalanced by the ongoing stress of being a regular target for the rockets coming over the nearby border. Today, every home and building on the kibbutz has a shelter attached, a safe room laden with essentials and built to withstand the bombardment. Each is connected to a pager system which emits an alarm giving the residents about 90 seconds notice to get to the nearest shelter. Ninety seconds can mean the difference between life and death here. And the system works, because there have been few personal injuries suffered over the past 20 years. We saw holes where rockets and their shrapnel had landed amidst the orchards and fields. It's very sobering indeed when you see with your own eyes what you've only seen on TV or in the papers. This is reality for these people, and yet, they are strong and confident and willing to face it square on. Truly a testament to the Israeli spriit, and an inspiration for Bonnie and me.

I don't want to paint an unfair picture of life here. In fact, we've had a wonderful stay, and got to share in the warm, happy life within this family. We had a great time meeting Tzviah and Arie's kids, and their precious 6-month old grandson, Eytan, a Gerber baby if ever there was one. We've been treated so well, and felt at home I've had carte blanche access to the Internet, which you know is an addiction for me. The home cooking has been a welcome change from the steady diet of falafels and restaurant meals we've had. We've had the royal treatment, and know that these times will remain special for us, and that we now feel that we've connected with mishpucha (family) with whom we want to stay in touch.

Now, an explanation of the title of this blog entry. When we first arrived in Nir-Am, we were given a walking tour of the kibbutz. We encountered one of the students at the nearby university, and in our brief conversation with him, we described our visit to Israel, and he said: "Israel is a small village". I was struck by this casual comment, and by what I felt it implied. Here is a country, which at 60, is still in it's infancy. Yet, to see what it has accomplished in that short period of time, despite the overwhelming obstacles and challenges it has faced and still faces today, now this is something remarkable. Yes, I can see Israel as a small village, in that a small village is a community, a tight-knit group of individuals with common purpose and caring attitude among its citizenry. This is the Israel that we have experienced, and let me tell you, it is more than just a visit, it is an emotional journey. I believe that no one can leave Israel untouched and unaffected by what they have witnessed here. Although we still have a few weeks, I can state without reservation that it has truly been the cherry on the top of our travel sundae.
 
Today, we leave on the way to the northern region of the country. We'll be renting a car and driving along the Mediterranean coast, visiting beaches, historical sites, the beautiful city of Haifa, and into the Galillee and Golan Heights. We still have a full list of things we want to see and do before we leave for home. This will represent a change from the trains and the Egged buses we've been using to get around the country. And speaking of that, yesterday, we booked our tickets home. So, there is an end in sight, which after almost 3 months on the road, seems hard to believe. We'll be travelling to Turkey, where we'll be spending a few days at a resort on the southern Turkey coast, and a day in Istanbul. Then, we'll be flying via Warsaw to New York City and making our way back home from there. 

As always, please keep those cards and letters coming in, as we do so cherish hearing from you. 

All our best,
David and Bonnie  
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