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Quick Links: Introduction I am very excited about my Mission to Germany & Israel on behalf of the Board of Rabbis and the United Jewish Communities. Along with a selected group of rabbis, we will be guests of the German government in Berlin and hosted by dignitaries in Israel during the course of this 10 day trip. You can read my complete itinerary by selecting one of the links on the right side of the page. I am posting post regular updates that appear on this page. Scroll down to read my most recent posts.......  Day One--Berlin Berlin--It’s a long trip from LAX to Berlin, with a six hour stop over in New York, after a red eye from LA in order to make a 4pm flight. All worth it. I eyed the potential rabbis in the check in line at JFK- the kippot were a dead giveaway. No women with kippot. It turns out that there is one woman here on the trip that is the head of the New Jersey United Jewish communities, a sponsor of the trip. But I am to be the only female rabbi. Sigh. We arrived in Berlin, after a change in Frankfort at 4AM, at 6:30 in the morning. Sleep happens only in short spurts, it seems. In this state, we are taken directly to Sachenhausen Concentration camp, outside of Berlin. Nothing can really prepare you for the experience of entering a camp, even one that was to be a concentration camp, rather than an extermination camp. Over 100,000 people died in this camp during the course of the war, and at its height in 1940-41, before the Jews were sent out of the camp to extermination camps outside of Germany, over 30,000 people were crowded into a space smaller than the land owned by the synagogue. Originally there were beds, but later on, the Jews were crammed into inhumanly small spaces. This camp was for “political prisoners and undesirables, Gypsies, homosexuals, political dissidents and criminals as well s Jews, but by Kristalnacht, over twenty five thousand Jews were arrested and brought here, Although there were no gas chambers, there were mass assassinations, and a crematoria to burn the bodies. I walked under the towers, and felt the eyes peering at me from above. What a way to enter Germany. The group of Rabbis said kaddish and the El Male Rachamim prayer for the dead. The day turned bitter and cold. At one point a gate that we thought was the exit to our bus was locked. It was easy to let the imagination run wild. The afternoon was spent with a short rest, and then a tour of Berlin by bus. All the famous sites were passed, including checkpoint Charlie and the Brandenburg Gate. Berlin is an incredibly beautiful city, with wide avenues and only a moderate amount of traffic. We were told that it was because the city is so spread out, but we live in a city that is spread out, and the pace is altogether different. Every block is history, the Reichstag .the library steps that were draped with Nazi flags where those speeches were made, and seventieth century plazas, the home of Mendel son, and the remnants or Soviet architecture next to a glass palace of the new Sony building. The most exciting moments were spent in a formerly upper middle class Jewish neighborhood where a memorial called Street of Signs marks the gradual transformation of this Jewish community from security to annihilation, but more about that later… We ate dinner with the leaders of the Jewish community. Why Jews returned to Germany after the war has always been a topic of discussion, but all has changed with the opening of the gates of the former Soviet Union. Germany now has 100,000 Jews, but the vast majority are from the Soviet block, and can immigrate if they claim Jewish ancestry. IT’S now the story in reverse, there are benefits to immigrants if you can prove to be Jewish. The story is even more complex, because there is a state religious tax that brings the benefits, and even pays for teachers in the Jewish community and now security guards, but WHO is the Jewish community? That’s, as usual a question. It seems that Liberal and progressive Jews are not represented well. Also, the new immigrants are not Jewishly educated, and have varying degrees of long term Jewish connection. It remains to be seen over time, but what I learned at dinner was that the lack of separation of church and state can lead to a bizarre reshaping of a community by authorities, and that Jews all over the world continue to battle over turf. Sad, in light of the morning visit. The whole question of anti-Semitism is complex, and must wait for another day. Much love, Rabbi Judith Day Two--Berlin Berlin--There is no way that you can live in Berlin and remain unaware of the history of the past 60 years. Everywhere there is boiling and reconstruction, but there are subtitle reminders throughout the city. Yesterday morning, I could not sleep, and left the hotel at dawn. Starbucks, I discovered, does not open here until at least 8AM. As I walked down the boulevard in search of caffeine, I came to the commuter train station. There, standing, as sentinel to the entrance was a sign; the kind that has various shingles attached one under another to indicate destinations. Closer, I saw that it read : Dachau, Treblinka, Sachenhausen…… the death camps. You can’t get on the train without reading it. Such signs are difficult to ignore. Everywhere there are reminders- the side of a building in a Jewish neighborhood remains bombed out with plaques attached to the walls with the names of the families who were murdered by the Nazis attached to each floor. Bronze bricks, called tripping stones, embedded in the street in front of apartment houses, memorializing the former Jewish inhabitants. We come upon a memorial in Rosenstrassen, Rose Street, where the non-Jewish wives of “privileged marriages” staged one of the few protests to Hitler’s regime in Feb 1943 after their husbands were taken as Himler’s “birthday present “ to Hitler, to make Berlin Jew Free, was close to reality. Hitler relented in the face of a failing eastern front, and the connections of these women- the men were actually retrieved from the camps. We stood in the place where thousands and thousands were gathered for deportation in this middle class neighborhood surrounded by green and gardens. This generqation of Berliners is making it difficult to forget. The highlight of the day was a visit with the German Foreign Minister, Joschka Fisher. No matter what you thought of his policy towards American involvement in Iraq (He did refrain from saying I told you so.) one could not help but be deeply moved by this man. He spoke eloquently of his commitment to zero tolerance for anti-Semitism in Germany and the EU, and his commitment to peace in Israel. At this particular moment, Likud has rejected the pullout from Gaza, the “game plan” has come to a halt, and new initiatives must be taken. He understands the impossibility of dealing with Arafat, expressed his pain over Abu Mayan’s demise as leader, and his hope despite the endless statement “it is very complex”. The conference that was held here last week, called the Conference on Anti-Semitism of the Organization for security and cooperation in Europe, has at least put the cards on the table. The German government has zero tolerance for anti-Semitism, and pursues cases vigorously. The Muslim population here is Turkish, however, and not anti-Israel, unlike the population in France. Fischer spoke of the need to be able to criticize the policies of Sharon, yet remain Israel’s partner and friend. Clearly, he leans to the left, but is committed to Israel and Jews. Everyone left deeply impressed by this man, and by the fact that a delegation OF Rabbis from the United States has just spent over an hour in open conversation with a world leader in a former Nazi palace. We then visited the American embassy, and spoke with a consul who primarily wanted to know what Fishser had told us. Later, we met with the Public Information officer from the Israeli embassy, who was lavish in his praise for Fisher, and the fact that the German government is Israel's only staunch friend in the EU. The computer is acting up so that’s it for tonight. Love Rabbi Judith Day Three--Berlin----What a day!! Berlin--There has been a great deal of concern about a resurgence of Anti-Semitism in Europe, and to the extent that last weekend, right before we arrived, Germany hosted a Conference on Anti-Semitism of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe which was addressed by Colin Powell on behalf of the United States. In his words, “today we confront the reality that Anti-Semitism is not just a fact of history but a current event.” Germany’s past is very preesent here, and each day has been spent with this question clearly in the foreground. Is there a resurgence of anti-Semitism n Europe? In Germany? Who is responsible? The Israeli diplomat who spoke with us this morning labeled three types of Anti-Semitism in Germany. The first he called “white” anti-Semitism, a non-active type of latent Anti-Semitism that is the legacy of European history, but seldom acted upon unless other forces are present. This is the peasant in Bavaria who grumbles-See, I told you that the Jews were money hungry, violent… you name it. He is just in the background, and great efforts have been made to change his perceptions through the German process of education and a zero tolerance official policy towards any anti-Semitic act. The second type is the skinhead. They are mostly under thirty, and damage property and buildings, not people. Then there is the real threat. The Arab nationalist Muslim. Palestinians, and other Arabs, have made a link between Israel’s policies and anti-Semitism that is terrifying, and they use Europe to attack, often with impunity outside of Germany. Here, the situation is somewhat different. On one hand, the German government, for reasons that are quite obvious (perhaps a good use of Jewish guilt) prosecutes any alleged anti-semetic or racist act. In addition, the Muslims here are not Arabs, but Turks. They do not speak Arabic, and do not have the same political issues with Israel. Arab TV stations, however, do broadcast heavily all over Europe, and so they come into Germany though the “back door”. The fear is that the message of the fundamentalist Arabs will unite with the latent Anti-Semitism that already exists, and take Germany backwards. In all fairness, the problem now appears to be in France not Germany. The only other countries with significant Jewish populations in Europe are those of the former Soviet Union, many of whom are emigrating to Germany, and England. All in all, this is about the Arabs, specifically the North Africans and Palestinians who life here, and not the Europeans. At the least, this is what has been told to this group by the dignitaries of the Jewish community, as well as German government officials. In fact, the German government, after intense lobbying by the Jewish community here, has agreed not only to allow ANY Jew from the former Soviet Union to emigrate to Germany, but they offer significant assistance in resettlement here. For this reason, the German Jewish community, decimated by the Nazis and home to only a handful of returning Jews after the war, now numbers more than 100,000 Jews, most of who have moved here from Russia in the last seven years. Much like the Jew who moved from Russia to Israel or America, they have little or no Jewish background- they just need to get out of Russia, where they are poor and often ill. We met with Russian Jews in a center neat Potsdam this morning. The children, they complain, are integrating into German life, but are not interested in being Jewish. The catch is that they needed to fill out a form that said religion: Jewish in order to come, and this registers them in the Jewish community, where they receive benefits. It is still too early to tell what the long term effects of this immigration will be, Are these the seeds of a new German Jewish community, or are they only passing through, ready to go on to America, or to be totally absorbed into German as Russian Germans? Jewish institutions worldwide are taking note of this growth, and trying to help, but the internal structure of this county is very complicated. This afternoon was one of the most moving of my entire lifetime. I realized that, just as talking about Israel is not the same as visiting, reading about the Holocaust is not the same as walking into the palace at Wannsee, where the “final solution” that eradicated European Jewry was devised over cigars and brandy at a dinner table. How do human beings get to this point of detached evil? In this somewhat emotional state, we concluded this section of the journey at the Berlin Jewish Museum. It is unlike any museum I have ever seen. The building itself, its shapes, its walls and its spaces literally create the Holocaust experience for the visitor. The exhibits on German Jewish life over the last millennium are outstanding, even ending with a section on Mel Gibson’s movie. The museum alone is worth the trip. Tomorrow at 7:30 am we leave for Israel. So, there’s more to come Love to you all Rabbi Judith Day Four--Eretz Israel Tel Aviv & the West Bank-- What a mixture of sights, sounds, opinions, ideas, colors, questions and answers. In Germany, everyone was polite. I knew that I was home when we touched the ground in Ben Gurion airport. The woman who was sitting behind me began to push past the couple that was sitting opposite me. What’s the rush, “giveret”(lady) What’s such an emergency? The yelling and screaming took us all the way to the bus that takes you inside the airport. Can’t you just wait your turn? As for security, you haven’t seen anything until you’ve seen Berlin. El Al has its own small boiling, and the entrance is guided by an armored tank, provided by the German government. The irony of Germans protecting Jews was not lost in me. We then entered a many-tiered system. First, the man stamping your passport chats with you, An Israeli who is very friendly, but subtly asking a lot of questions. Then, the first usual inspection through the usual machine, where they open and search only your handbag. Not bad, I think, they didn’t even make me take off my shoes. That’s because they do a body search on everybody, so why bother. Then, you go to the REAL bag inspection. The man opens every single item in your bag. disappears with the computer for five minutes, returns, and re-examines the handbag. Why, I do not know. The whole thing takes about twenty minutes, no joking around. We spent 0ur first night in Tel Aviv. The city’s buildings look tired and somewhat dilapidated, as if resources for renovation are diverted elsewhere. We were taken to eat in a great restaurant called Lilith in an old neighborhood of Tel Aviv. The United Jewish Communities (Federation) sponsors a program where youth at risk are trained to be cooks by professional chefs, and are given counseling as well. The kids are 15-18, and then go into the army, but with a useful life skill. It is quite successful- and the food was great! We stayed in Tel Aviv so that we could meet with the American Ambassador to Israel the following morning. I thought that it would be a quick “hello”, but I was mistaken. Ambassador Kurttzer is an observant Jew, and has held the post of Ambassador in Egypt was well as Israel. I found him to be open and straightforward. In his opening remarks, he articulated the fact that everything is at a standstill this week, treading water as everyone figures out what to do since the Likud party voted down Sharon’s Bush-backed unilateral pullout from Gaza. It was not expected to fail. The European Quartet has met in New York, but Kurtzer did not think that this would have a direct result, although the Europeans are able to make some diplomatic things happen “through the back door”. Meanwhile, there was a significant exchange of fire in Lebanon with Hezsbollah that morning, not yet announced in the news. The Israelis entered Lebanon, and retreated. Kurtzer feels the Syria is the great danger. He appears to be a solid friend of Israel, I think for his own reasons, and not because of President Bush. In fact, he never mentioned his name once in the entire hour and fifteen-minute interview. I left somewhat reassured that, once again, there was a person who understood the complexities of they Middle East at the helm in Israel. We then went to the opposite end of the world, although only forty-five minutes away. It was the huge settlement on the West Bank, Ariel, where Kurtzers name is not a good one because they see the Americans as blocking future settlement development. A beautiful but empty superhighway leads through the Shomron valley to the West Bank, and we passed the very site of the disputed fence area on our way. There are placed that will receive a wall, and others a fence of concrete and barbed wire as a barrier. I saw the olive trees that belong to the Arab villages that will be cut off from the village, although the current plan is to build access bridge over the highway to the trees. The wall is not there yet, but does exist in Kalkilliya, up the road. Ariel is a complete development town, with a large industrial park; a university, twelve schools, and a very large though empty hotel, and 18,000 residents, the majority of whom are Russian immigrants. The whole project is the brainchild of the Mayor, Ron Nachman, who was very anxious to be our guide so that we could share his views with the international press. At the moment, he claims that he is getting no government funding. In fact, his main supporters seem to be evangelical Christians from all over the world. This does not bother Mr. Nachman, as he really is building a home for the Jewish people, and the Russians there are learning Hebrew and some Judaism. Nachman’s own personal advisor, he tells us, was the Lubavisher rebbe, who advised him to build the city even if it was to be secular. I have to say that even though I do not personally agree with the man’s politics, I could not help but have admiration for what he has accomplished. By now, any settlement will probably include Ariel as a non-negotiable. We then returned to Jerusalem for Shabbat. A quick change and then off to pray at the Western and then Southern wall for erev Shabbat. The city is filled with “blackhats” from New York who have come to celebrate Lag B’Omer on Sunday. A sweet group of Conservative kids led perfect “daavining” at the Southern wall as the sun set on the City of David behind us. I could not have asked for a better service. The walk back to the hotel was wonderful in the Jerusalem night air. Dinner was not The kosher duck was great, but the overly loud singing coming from the Yeshiva youth in the dining room was not. Once again, when do we learn to respect each other’s spaces? I went to bed with a headache, not the way to have Shabbat in Jerusalem. This next day (I am in the middle of nap time) has been wonderful. I got up too late to go with the Rabbis headed towards the perfect egalitarian minyan. So after breakfast I headed across the street to Hechal Shlomo, the Great Temple of Jerusalem. The all male choir and the Hazzan more than made up for the fact that I had to sit in the women’s section upstairs, where I think the acoustics are better anyway. It was like hearing the voices of angels. By the “kedusha”, I felt my soul lifted to heaven. I then walked out into the Jerusalem sunshine, and down the long hill to the Old City. I entered the Jaffa Gate, and headed to the Wall, only to stop for a moment at an Arab shop. There, I had one of those incredible conversations with a Palestinian Arab. I told him that I had no money on me, was not buying, but he really did not “hustle” in the usual fashion. Instead, we drank coffee and discussed the situation for an hour or so. He expressed his contempt for Arafat, for lining his own pockets, and his fear that even if a state were to be established, it would have no economic base other than outside help. He even grudging said, “Sharon, well, at least he takes care of his people”. He has had that shop for twenty-five years, and has seen the changes through both intifadas. Until now, he has maintained a friendship with Israelis, but now it is too difficult. The future, I asked? He felt that a settlement, any” settlement, would bring a better life. Most of all, he missed King Hussein. What was so wrong when Jordan took care of the West Bank, and Egypt took care of Gaza?”, he asked. It has never been as bad for all sides as this, he told me. Lunch at the hotel, more singing. Now, for the Shabbat nap before it is too late. Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Judith Days Five and Six--The Real Story Inside of Israel Dear MJCS Family, Jerusalem--There are so many impressions, so much to write, and the choice over the last few days has been either to experience the events, or write about them. Shabbat ended with two great and opposing events. The Rabbis as a group had an audience with Bishop Sabbeh, the leader of the Catholic Church in Jerusalem- no small position. Religious leaders can play an important peace-making role, but I would not count on this man to be a force for positive change. He made it clear that he is a Palestinian first, Catholic second. It was impressive to be in an ancient church talking to this prelate, but disheartening to hear his biased views. We then entered another world, right next door. Sunday was Lag B’Omer, the holiday where Jews light bonfires all over Israel in honor or RABBI Shimon Bar Yochai, author of the mystical Zohar. Or perhaps, just because its fun to light bonfires. We were taken to the religious section of Mea Sharim, and there were thousands of people dressed in full Chassidic garb, with music blasting and dancing- men only- everywhere in the streets. The next day Jerusalem was filled with smoke, which combined with a “hamsin”, an Israeli Santa Ana, made it feel like Malibu at fire season. Monday was set aside for a trip to the upper Negev, past development towns to a water resources center. Not all that interesting compared to the time in Jerusalem, but again, it was impossible to ignore the incredible growth of farming and towns in this area. We stood on a hill just a few miles from Gaza, which made me quite uncomfortable. It was the site of an absorption center built a few years ago for Argentinean, Ethiopian and Soviet youth who had finished high school and immigrated to Israel without their families. We spoke at length with a group from Argentina, who were so happy to have at least one rabbi who spoke Spanish. Most of these people go into the Army after a two-year period of intensive study, or to the University for free. They all seemed to be happy with their decision to leave Argentina for Israel. We returned to Jerusalem for the final dinner, a great meal at a South American type restaurant with more meat than I have ever seen in Israel. The others rabbis went to the airport, I went to sleep. The great advantage of going on a Mission is that doors are opened that I could never enter alone. I doubt if the American ambassador or the chief prelate of Catholic Jerusalem wants to spend time with the Rabbi from Malibu. On the other hand, the time is structured, and there is very little time to just chat with a wide range of folks. That is what I have been doing for the last two days. That, and of course, shopping. I moved to a bed and breakfast in Jerusalem near the hotel. The woman’s name is Toby Schuster, and she made aliyah from Philadelphia to Israel thirty years ago. Toby lives right across from Café Moment, the café that was bombed last year. She witnessed the whole thing from her bedroom window. Toby became an instant friend, and offered me an insight into day-to-day Israeli life that was impossible to glean from staying with the group. She, like many Israelis, thinks the US is dangerous now, even though she travels there often for business. Ironically, Toby feels safer in Jerusalem. To my amazement, human beings have an incredible ability to adjust to tough circumstances. Toby is an organizer and collector and her way to respond to the crisis was to organize “buy Israel” fairs in the US. She now deals with jewelry exclusively, and organizes shows of top Israeli artisans. I have invited her to come to Malibu in mid July, as she will be in Scottsdale, Arizona for the Hadassah convention. Hopefully, we will set up an evening in someone’s home. Leave it to me to find the best shopping cure for Israel’s economic woes. I have spent the last two days talking to people everywhere I go about “the situation” and possible outcomes. The answers range across the entire spectrum, with some surprising results. I expected the Arab quarter of the Old City to be heavily guarded and marked off, with no entrance. On the contrary, the best way to get to the Wall is still through the Jaffa gate, through the Arab section. Annoying, persistent vendors are still the only problem. I entered an Arab shop on the way to the Jewish sector, and of course found the great Arab dress without enough cash to pay. They do not take credit cards. No problem, he told me, take the dress, and pay me tomorrow. When I returned with the money, the Palestinian shop owner was sitting and drinking coffee with his friend, an Afghani Jew who has been in Israel thirty odd years. They have been good friends since 1967, they told me with a lot of joking, and they clearly had no intention of stopping their friendship now. This was not staged for my benefit. I just wandered into their conversation. The Jew with the kippah had just bought a rug for his wife. They traded stories about friends and the children while I drank my coffee. What will be, I asked. They both replied that it can not continue like this, and that new leadership must emerge on both sides. You know, Mr. Barani, the Arab told me, “ This place is paradise if they only will make peace”. His Jewish friend agreed. They shook their heads, and just kept drinking sweet coffee. It was an island of sanity. Outside, the world was not so sane. By mid-day yesterday, the news had broken that six soldiers were blown up when their jeep, carrying explosives from a clean up operation of an ammunitions dump, was exploded by a trip mine in Gaza. It seems that the Palestinians were holding body parts all over the city. As I got in the cab, the news was on. Everyone freezes at the mention of these words- "Its three o’clock, this is the news." The Yemenite cab drivers pounded the wheel and cursed. “What will be”, I asked. We need to get out of Gaza, he replied. It does nothing for us. I heard this sentiment echoed throughout my wanderings. Change the leadership. Get out of Gaza. The image of Palestinians waving body parts on TV just adds to the fuel on both sides. A few people told me that they no longer watch the news- it just isn’t worth it. I heard a range of everything from a Palestinian who wanted to return to the good days of Jordan’s King Hussein, when obviously business was better, to Jews who wanted to deport all Arabs to Jordan. Everywhere I heard “Enough Already!” But no one had the short-term solution. Today’s Jerusalem Post editorial questions Israel’s current efforts to spare civilians in Gaza in light of the explosion of the tank yesterday. Others beg for the pullout from Gaza. If I ask about long term, Israelis are very aware of the ‘demographic’ problem, and no one wants the world to consider a bi-national solution, which will eat Israel alive. There must be two states, most tell me. The “how” is the problem. I have the feeling in the end that everything is negotiable. And yet… life in both Tel Aviv and Jerusalem continues as normal. You do not feel that you are in a war zone, despite the man checking your bag as you enter a café. Israelis are out until all hours of the night in Tel Aviv. Jerusalemites do business with their Arab neighbors. All wish for more Americans to come to visit. I will continue my wanderings for one more day in this seaside and somewhat dirty city. Everyone here is glad to see me. B’Shalom Rabbi Judith Day Seven--Farewell Israel but not good-bye Tel Aviv--In this land of contrasts, this has been a day of constant emotional highs and lows. I had a wonderful day walking the streets of my old neighborhood in Tel Aviv. At the same time, there was news of five more soldiers blown up in Gaza in the process of looking for the remains or the six soldiers killed the day before. A young American Jew was beheaded in Iraq. Donald Rumsfeld defended the use of torture in a war on terrorism. The world seems to have entered a phase that is particularly bizarre. I understand why Israelis all hate CNN. Watching it from my hotel room throughout the day, I see that they constantly broadcast pictures that make Israel look as if the land is in flames. At the same time, there is a serious situation in Gaza. Everywhere today, I could hear people saying. Get Out. We have nothing to gain by being there. In the week that I have been here, a family on the road to Aza, settlers, were shot one by one, and then a family was killed in a settlement in the Gaza strip. Yesterday, the news broke about the six Israelis who were blown up, their body parts scattered all over Gaza. Today, five more soldiers were killed looking for the body parts of those already dead. One thing about Israel- this is definitely a free country and a democracy, and everyone feels entitled to express their opinion. Israeli TV is open to alternative views, and a few times I heard the commentators asking “Why”? Why look for the body parts, and put others at risk? Is this governmental ego? I pass though the lobby and hear, “Get the settlers out”. NOW. Just lock the doors and turn off their lights. Why should 1500 soldiers be in Gaza to defend 7500 settlers? I meet with our “family”, Diana and Allen Katz, for dinner. We adopted them as a synagogue project when Diana was wounded in a bombing at a shopping mall, along with her mother, last year. She has had numerous operations, but only partial use of her eye, as they have been unable to make the pupil dilate. Our seventh grade class adopted Mical, the daughter, as a pen pal, and we as a community helped them to celebrate Mical’s bat mitzvah. They are a wonderful family. Diana teaches high school in Ranana, but Allen has been unemployed for the last few years, ever since the downturn in the Israeli economy. He lost his high level job in a retail company, and at 50, remains unemployed .The Katz family made aliyah from South Africa in the 80’s, and until now lived a solid, middle class life . Eitan, the son, finished the army last year, and like so many Israeli youth, he is traveling, mostly in the US, before returning to school. These kids need the break. Yael is still in the army, and suffers from tremendous migraine headaches. She has an overwhelming fear of buses, yet must take public transport to get to her army job. Her parents are quite concerned for here future well being. Mical is the well-adjusted Israeli teenager, who excels in sports. We sat in a café on Dizengoff Street in Tel Aviv, and discussed the situation in Israel for hours. The middle class is shrinking, they tell me. Now 20% of Israelis live below the poverty line, something that was not true despite all the absorption of immigrants, up to five years ago. The military expenditures have seriously damaged the economy. There are also very wealthy Israelis, due to “privatization”, but the middle class, who carry the burden of the taxes and military service in an endless series of reservist call-ups, has taken the brunt of the burden. Diana really should not be working and grading papers with her one good eye, but there is no choice. Allen fears that no one will hire him because he is overqualified, and they struggle by on very little. Gasoline, by the way, is around five dollars a gallon. Let's remember that no one likes to take the bus. Ranana is a quiet suburb, and they love living there, but I don’t know how much longer they will last in this situation. They have no South African family to return to, and Diana, who is from Rhodesia, certainly would not return there. Most of all, they are really committed Israelis, with three kids, one yet to go in the army, and a Zionist love of the land. If they are forced to leave, it reflects on the whole situation. Those with talent and ability are forced to go elsewhere to survive. Tears fill Diana’s eyes as they look at the alternatives. Israel risks losing its best and it's brightest. I ask Allen, who is articulate, committed, and see himself as somewhat “right wing” the endless question, “Ma Eheyeh”, what will be. He too looks back to the good period of Oslo, 1993-99, when there was hope. No, he says, there will not be a “greater Middle East” at peace, but there must be a resolution. The two states solution is the only way. We need to get out of the settlements, where billions, not millions of dollars have been spent, and put the economic attention where it belongs within Israel. Yes, there should be a fence, but he too ridiculed the ability of Ron Nachman and Ariel to push a long strip of settlements that cannot be defended deep into Samaria. “Even those people”, he said, “can be moved”. And this from a “right wing” Israeli! Meanwhile, Tel Aviv swirls around us. It is midnight, and the cafes are full. People don’t stay in their houses, but come outside, as always to meet and talk, and the young to dance and party until all hours, even on weekdays. There is an inner sense of despair, but outwardly, life is lived to the fullest. Ma Eheyeh? What will be? I take my last walk on the tiyelet, the seaside walkway that borders the sand, knowing that by the weekend I will take the same walk on Zuma beach. I look up and see a huge sign that says “DANGER” planted on the beach, and despite the apparent peacefulness of the morning, I know this to be true. As I read the Jerusalem Post of the day with my coffee on this last morning, I see a quote by Uri Avneri, who is addressing a group of “Yekkis”, Jews of German descent who made it to Israel in the early years after the war. “Look,” he asks, “If Israel, 20 years after the Holocaust, could reconcile with Germany, how much more so can it reconcile with the Palestinians?” Suddenly, I am back at Sachenhausen, the camp outside of Berlin, ten days ago. Who ever thought that a group of Rabbis would be invited to meet with Jashka Fisher, Germany’s Foreign Minister, in the building once owned by the Nazis, and that German tanks would defend the El Al terminal? The circle is complete. There is hope, there is change- there has to be, and we have no alternative. I wonder what I will do with my last hours, and wander past the Spa in the hotel. Of course. See you at the dinner dance on Sunday. Much love to you all Rabbi Judith |
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