Once a soldier always a soldier

Last week Israel received the bodies of IDF reservists Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev. Even though it was assumed they were dead, seeing them returned in coffins was a blow to the country. The night of the prisoner swap, one of the computer programmers/technicians where I work was getting ready to leave for the night. He had changed into army fatigues. Seeing him in uniform and with his gun threw me a little. I thought "Oh, he's going to miluim (reserve duty). No one ever really leaves the army here." Suddenly he became more than just the guy we all ran to when we had an issue with our computer. He was a soldier. I asked him where he was going to do his reserve duty. When he said he was in a combat unit in some Arab village somewhere, I thought "Oh boy." He's 25 and has a baby at home. Immediately the dead soldiers ran through my mind, but I quickly chased that thought away. We smiled at each other, I wished him luck and that was that.

On the way home I thought about how tough it must be to have to do reserve duty and make that switch from civilian to soldier. To me it seems very difficult, but for many here, that's just the way life is. Some people doing reserve duty are away from their families for days, weeks or even a month. I'm so happy the army didn't want my husband. I don't think I could handle him going on duty and spending nights away from me and not knowing what was going on with him or his unit. Thankfully, our wonderful computer programmer/technician whom we had trouble doing without came back from miluim just fine=)

The link below is from the funeral of Ehud Goldwasser R.I.P.

http://www.infolive.tv/en/infolive.tv-25856-israelnews-bidding-farewell-udi-after-two-years-udi-home

Jerusalem's Jewel

When I think of Jerusalem's open market, Shuk Mahane Yehudah, it always brings a smile to my face; it also always makes the eyes roll. Going to the shuk is an awesome, yet hectic and tiring experience, especially on Fridays when it is jam packed with all types of people. I went to the shuk this Friday to get what I think are the best stuffed grape leaves around. Before walking through the gate and becoming part of the moving mass of humanity, I took a deep breath and said "I'm goin in!" With that many people to contend with, it's almost like going into a battle. In fact, it IS a battle to stay on my feet! I used to only go to the shuk with my husband and I'd stick to him like glue so I wouldn't fall, but as time passed I got more aggressive/confident. As my husband says "You have to be Israeli and push back!" Now if I get pushed, I either push back or just keep on going, but the point is that I can handle going on my own.

Going to the shuk is always an experience for all 5 senses. Blind people often frequent the shuk which I find immensely brave. Tourists with cameras are also very often at the shuk. But there is so much more to the shuk than just what the eye can see. Vendors yell out prices and heckle with buyers. Sometimes it gets so loud that I feel like yelling "Shut up already! I heard you the first ten times!" However all that yelling is also what makes the shuk so great. Vendors aren't the cleanest either. Many smoke around the food and their hands are black with dirt and grit, but that's also part of the beauty of the shuk. It may be beautiful but you can be sure I wash all the produce VERY WELL before we eat it! Some vendors have been in the shuk for years and if you are a repeat customer they remember you, offer a handshake, a kind word, or on a Friday, a hearty Shabbat Shalom.

Finally I get to the stand where the grape leaves are sold. I wait till I can make my way to the tongs and containers. I taste a grape leaf before I fill a container and they are absolute heaven. Vendors yell and people push, but my week just got a whole lot better. Being able to taste food without having to ask, whether you buy the food or not, is also what makes the shuk so awesome. After getting my grape leaves I went searching for nuts and a newspaper. I groaned as soon as I walked into the alleyway where I thought I remembered the nut man being. It was PACKED with people. I felt like a sardine packed in there with so many people. I slowly made my way out of there with my grape leaves and peaches intact.

The fragrances of the produce and baked goods always makes my nose happy and my mouth water. The horrid smell of fish and meat always make me hold my breath as I quickly walk past those sections if I have to go there. My husband always laughs at me when we walk through the fish and meat section together because I always hold my breath. Walking through the open shuk is also very entertaining. People play musical instruments or just make their own music by singing and dancing. The people who make their own music are usually overly happy hippies who could usually use a shower.

There are many beautiful things about Jerusalem. Being able to go to the shuk every week, (or every day) and buy fresh, delicious fruits, vegetables and meats at GREAT prices compared to American prices, is just one of the things that makes the shuk so popular. The memorable experience gained, especially on a Friday, makes the shuk one of the best things about Jerusalem.

Terrorism and shooting yourself in the proverbial foot

The terror attack on July 2nd in downtown Jerusalem shook me to the core; just as I was getting comfortable living in Jerusalem. That morning I told my mother-in-law in Australia that I was just getting used to life here, which was why I didn't think it was smart to just pick up and move to Australia, especially without having ever been there first. After hanging up with her, I turned the radio on while doing some last minute things around the house before getting ready for work. When the news came on in Hebrew, I heard that there was some major traffic in the heart of town which is exactly where I needed to go to catch my second bus to work. I listened a bit closer because I wasn't sure if the announcer said traffic or accident since both words in Hebrew are very similar to each other. I figured I'd just leave for work a bit earlier. I called my husband just to touch base which we usually do before I leave for work. I heard my husband ask someone next to him what exactly was going on downtown and calmly asked the person if it was terrorism. My heart froze. "How can he say that so calmly?" I thought to myself. Terrorism isn't normal! but the sad reality here is that it is normal, especially for people like my husband who lived through the second intifada, seeing things no one should ever have to see, so I guess he's somewhat hardened to these sort of things.

Before calling my husband I called my co-worker to give her a heads up on the traffic situation since we catch the same buses. She left right after I called her. After talking with my husband I listened to the radio again. When I heard the word terrorist in Hebrew I had to remind myself to breathe, especially after hearing bus 13, the bus I take everyday, was involved. I called my husband again to find out exactly what was going on. My co-worker who I had called earlier was now walking through the carnage in downtown Jerusalem. I felt terrible. She kept insisting she was fine but that what she was seeing, crushed cars etc. was really bad. Finally we all got to work. Needless to say our morning meeting was very subdued. I had a very hard time working in the first part of the day, wishing the Americans I was calling and selling to a happy 4th. My stomach was in knots and I felt like the whole world just turned upside down, mostly because bus 13, which was knocked over, was the bus I take down Jaffa Road every day, twice day, and just the day before I had been on a bus at that time down that road on the way to meet friends at the Central Bus Station for lunch. As hard as it was, work we did and at the end of the night we had an office party for July 4th since a majority of us working in that office are Americans.

What struck me as amazing is that the city and its people went back to normal so quickly. On the way home in a cab I saw that buses were full, people were out etc. When I walked our dog Doggie that night, I stopped by the 24-hour market to pick up some milk for coffee the following morning. The people around me were having normal conversations like nothing happened. Me? I'm walking around still in shock and nervous as hell. I felt like shouting "How can you be having normal conversations after what happened today?" The calm and comfort I felt was just completely shattered. I realized again that terrorism is part of life here. It happens, you clean up and move on.

My fear and sadness turned to anger when I learned that Wednesday's attacker was an Arab-Israeli living in east Jerusalem and that he was the holder of a blue Israeli ID card.
A blue ID card means that he was an Israeli resident who had full rights, freedom of movement and insurance like every other Israeli. He was also working on the construction site for Jerusalem's Light Rail, which is why he was driving the tractor. Why Israel gives Arabs blue ID cards is beyond me. I don't care if they agree to live under Israeli rules etc. and yes it's conflicting when I see Arab women walking around Jerusalem dressed nicely with their kids etc. Some of them are actually very nice but you just never know. I notice that Arabs like climbing trees or jumping between trees while tied to a rope. I see this all the time in the park when I'm walking Doggie, often it's for a child's birthday party. The first thought on my mind is usually that I hope they break a bone. But when I take a closer look, I see they look like they just genuinely want to have a good time etc. who knows? The bottom line is that this construction worker/attacker was an Arab and I wouldn't trust an Arab as far as I could throw them. I think they all want Jews dead.

Four months ago the terrorist who killed eight yeshiva students was also the holder of a blue ID card. Palestinians have a green ID card. Reading the paper this weekend only infuriated me more. Israel is basically shooting themselves in the foot. There was an article on the issue of ID cards. There's a preliminary bill in the Knesset that would prohibit Arabs connected with terrorism from having a blue ID card. Great, so take it away from a select few and not the rest?! Evidently, the guy who carried out Wednesday's attack acted alone. If this bill goes into law then people like him will continue to work and live with complete freedom and attacks will continue. I don't understand this government. No Arab should be given free reign! I don't care how delicate the issue is or for how long Arabs have lived here. The proof is in the pudding. Another article was about whether or not the government could demolish the terrorist's home. The attacker's aunt was singing his praises afterward in their home and the Israeli's saw it! If that's not reason enough to knock that house down I don't know what is, but they won't do it because of Arabs rights and what humanitarian groups etc. would say. So basically the Israeli government is saying our hands are tied. Sorry. Say sorry to the three people who were crushed to death and to the 5-month old baby whose mother threw her out of the car window realizing that if she wasn't going to make it, at least her baby would. The baby's mother was killed after the attacker was apprehended by a security officer, but not shot. The attacker still had his foot on the gas pedal and he crushed the 33- year old mother to death. What the officer was waiting for is beyond me. From what I've read, the officer was worried about activists reaction etc. Thank god for the off-duty soldier who grabbed the security guard's gun and shot the son of a bitch a few times in the head to make sure he was good and dead. Ironically, it turns out that this off-duty soldier was the cousin of the baby's mother and the brother-in-law of the other off-duty soldier who shot and killed the yeshiva attacker in March. I have a feeling that even though the issue of ID cards is being raised now it will die down soon and nothing will be done. Again, Israel is shooting themselves in the foot. What's worse is that there hasn't been security on buses in months. Why? Because there hasn't been an attack on a bus in years. God forbid a bus gets blown up, what's the government going to say? Oops? Furthermore, Israel agreed to a prisoner swap for 2 soldiers kidnapped during the Lebanon War. Even though it's highly likely the soldiers are dead, Israel is agreeing to release a terrorist mastermind and a number of Palestinians. I don't understand that. I always used to hear people in the US say "Oh the Israelis suffer so much etc" True, but now that I live here and I'm seeing things up close and personal I think that a majority of Israel's suffering is their own doing. They just don't have the guts that they used to; this government definitely doesn't anyway.