Contradictions

When people ask me how I'm feeling about living in Israel, and about the country itself, I say that its amazing and bizarre at the very same time. I have found that these surprising contradictions exist everywhere in Israel- especially in Yafo- where on the most simplest of levels, you can be sitting on the beach in Yafo, wearing a bikini, listening to the call to prayer coming from the minaret yards away, watching women walk by in full veils, with the Tel Aviv hotel sky line as their back drop. In a place that is touted as one of the shining examples of an integrated Jewish and Arab city in Israel, it is far from integrated. We have come to see that most of our "coexistence" work this year will be being the only Jew within the very Arab community center, public school or non-profit organization. For many of these kids and teens, we might be the one Jewish person they can relate to, despite the fact that they live in a Jewish country.

Yom Kippur has been a time to think about a lot of this. The entire country observes this holiday, in that you see no cars or buses on the roads, and there are very few stores open. This is interesting because only a very small percentage of the population considers themselves religiously Jewish. Regardless of your identity, within Israel, you are culturally Jewish, and so it is common place for your Arab taxi driver to wish everyone exiting the cab a "shana tova" (good year). Signs all around stores and restaurants, even within the Arab sections of Yafo, spread the cheer as well, like signs do in America during Christmas time. As a person who is used to secular life, it is quite bizarre to see.

As I stood in the bathroom brushing my teeth tonight at 1:30 am, I heard my next door neighbor screaming Hebrew curses at his crying infant daughter which was one of those rare times that made me wish I knew less Hebrew than I do. This happens though, coming off of a wonderful afternoon of visiting a local public high school where amazing teachers from all over Israel come to this Yafo school to teach English to Arab and Jewish students through creative ways. Yafo is vibrant and beautiful, and so far from perfect. There is so much happening already, and yet so much more to be done.

This place is far from integrated. The prime minister of Israel sat in peace talks with Abbas, as Haredi Jews congregated half a block away from our apartment to protest the construction work being done on the Sderot Yerushalayim median, because it may be disturbing the site of an ancient Jewish cemetery. However, at the same time we smile daily, when we are met with greetings from the man at the makolet (convenience store) on the corner, as he wishes us good night, or the friendly shoe salesman who threw in an extra pair of sandals for free, or the people on the bus who help us findour stop when we look confused and American.

Life here is oh so complicated, yet strikingly beautiful. I'm so happy to be here for this coming year.

Shana tova to everyone! (And a post will come soon about my high holiday travels).