My novel Catch a Dream:
In Israel, the first Intifada
has just begun, when Palestinian frustration for a homeland erupts in
strikes, demonstrations and suicide bombings and the Israelis respond with tear gas, helicopters, arrests, and house demolitions. Lily Ambrosia and Rainbow Dove
arrive in Haifa with their children on a pilgrimage to sow seeds of peace.
Lily’s fascination with Jewish culture inspires her to dream she can
plant roots in the Holy Land. She falls in love with the land itself, with its
people, and with Levi, a charming enigma, dangerous but irresistible.
Eventually she is fully immersed in Israeli life, earning her way as a nanny,
hanging out in cafes with friends, and attending Yom Kippur in the synagogue.
Her son rebels against the lifestyle she has chosen and war with Syria looms on
the horizon. Will she be able to stay? What does she have to give up and what
will she be able to keep?
Israel has once again stirred
controversy with the President's decision to recognize Jerusalem as the
capital. The city, indeed golden in strong sunlight or ethereal in silver
moonlight, exerts an influence on its inhabitants and pilgrims in ways both joyous
and jealous, celebratory and violent, spiritually uplifting and religiously
restrictive. Here you can place a prayer in the Wall, said to reach God's ears
more quickly, or be awed by beauty in Al-Aqsa Mosque,
the site of Mohammed's ascension and the rock where Abraham almost sacrificed Isaac. You can flirt with a soldier or have your bags
inspected, dance with strangers who invite you to celebrate a Bar Mitzvah even if you have no language in common or be wary of a rock thrown from a
roof-top.
There is an intense
contradiction within the City of Peace.
During its long
history, Jerusalem has been attacked 52 times, captured and recaptured 44
times,
besieged 23 times, and destroyed twice.
The oldest part of the city was settled in the 4th millennium BCE, making Jerusalem one of the oldest cities in the world.
besieged 23 times, and destroyed twice.
The oldest part of the city was settled in the 4th millennium BCE, making Jerusalem one of the oldest cities in the world.
After the
1967 Six Day War, East Jerusalem was captured. Homes in the Moroccan
Quarter were demolished and inhabitants expelled. However, the Waqf (Islamic trust) was granted
administration of the Temple Mount and thereafter Jewish prayer on the site is
prohibited by both Israeli and Waqf authorities.
Most Jews celebrated
the liberation of the city as the ability to once again worship at a beloved
ancient holy site. Many large state gatherings of
the State of Israel take place at the Western Wall today, including
the swearing-in of Israel army officers units, memorial services for fallen
Israeli soldiers, celebrations on Yom Ha'atzmaut (Israel
Independence Day), gatherings on Jewish religious holidays, and ongoing
daily prayers. The Western Wall has become a major tourist destination spot.
The international
community does not recognize the annexation of the eastern part of the city,
and most countries, including the US, maintain their embassies in Tel
Aviv.
"Next year in
Jerusalem" has been a longing and cherished hope for a Jewish state ever
since the days of Babylonian captivity and the diaspora. But in truth the city
has been fought over since King David took it in 1000 BCE.
I spent years longing
to see Jerusalem with my own eyes, teaching myself some Hebrew and and
reading modern histories. Landing on Israeli soil was a jubilant feeling of
coming home, even though I am not Jewish and was not raised Jewish. (Apparently
there may be the possibility of Jewish ancestors, we don't know for sure.)
I landed in Haifa with an exulted sense of anticipation and joy.
Nothing prepared me
for the fact that rusted out tanks and trucks, left-over from wars, lined
parts of the highway that climbed up the mountain. They
are a reminder that Israel became a state after the War of Independence. The nations of the world agreed to the creation of a Jewish homeland but the
Arabic countries declared war in protest.
I do know that
Zionists did not take into consideration the thousands of Palestinian people
within the borders of the emerging state and perhaps were racist, determined
to take back a place where they had always had a presence and which they believed
was promised to them by God through Abraham.
Let's not forget the
Holocaust. The offering of a Jewish state was an attempt to assuage the guilt
of the world after millions of Jews died, including boats being returned to
Europe loaded with people who had fled and were subsequently killed.
It's a complex story
but touching her ancient stones is worth doing. I guarantee you that you will
not walk away unmoved or unchanged.
I only ask that before
you jump into this discussion that you read, read, read, from many sources,
that you go there yourself if you can, that you bring with you a willing heart
that may be broken by the on-going dispute.
Here's some recent
articles:
Google the first Intifada for
more information.
Namasté!
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