Perceptions and Misconceptions by Jerrold L. Sobel
You could cut the hostility with a knife. The stares, the disdain, the occasional expectoration as our group passed a cadre of Arabs as we journeyed down the narrow streets of the old city. Jerusalem, the ancient capital of the Jewish people is a beautiful place to visit if you’re willing to watch your guard at all times. As my fiance and I were soon to find out, violence can erupt at any time.
Finishing up a harrowing ten day tour of Israel in Jerusalem, Debbie and I, as we’re oft to do, wandered off from our tour group and found ourselves aimlessly traversing the narrow passages and alley ways which run through the Muslim section of the old city. Like lost children, we didn’t think much of it at first, but trepidation and fear began to encompass us as the mood of the local populous became increasingly somber the deeper into the Arab section we went. Desperately trying to find our group or at the very least get back to the Jewish or Christian section of the city we began frantically crisscrossing every back street we came upon and then it happened.
Entering one particular desolate spot we were accosted by three very unseemly characters, two male Arabs and what I assume was a female since with the exception of a slit for the eyes, she was covered from head to toe in a burqa.
The abuse started out verbally but soon escalated into violence when the men screamed out something that sounded like Obama Akbar, pulled out long knives and advanced towards Debbie. They had no idea what they were in for. Debbie a 2nd degree Black Belt in pen fighting pulled out a magic marker from her purse and the battle was on.
In turn, armed only with a Tallis bag I frantically attempted to thwart the attack of the crazed woman that was on me in a flash. Screaming something about President Obama she began choking me. Fighting for my life I kept telling her I was a Romney guy but to no avail. Soon the smell of her Burqa made me light headed and I felt myself loosing consciousness. With a last ditch effort I reached into my back pocket and pulled out an eight ounce slab of ham brought from the States for just such an occasion. Thrusting it through the eye slit of her Burqa she broke off the attack and let out a shill scream that still curdles the hair on my neck.
I then turned to help Debbie but she didn’t need any. Holding on to lamp post she was twirling around like a whirling Dervish parrying each knife thrust from her two assailants with a jab of her magic marker. You could sense their loss of confidence by the panic on their faces as she poked one in the eye and painted the Star of David on the other guy’s head. That was it, that was all they could take. Dropping their knives they disappeared down the alley. Thank goodness it ended when it did, I was out of ham and Debbie’s magic marker was out of ink….
As ridiculous as this poor attempt at fiction may be, it’s not far off from what CNN, the New York Times, or the Washington Post would have you believe is going on in Israel today. The mainstream media in the United States relish portraying this perception of hostility and violence between Jews and Arabs throughout Israel. It feeds upon the natural apprehension people visiting Israel have embarking upon their trip. Discussing this with other travelers on a two week trip, we all laughed at how many friends and relatives asked us if we felt safe going to Israel now, or upon return hearing, “did you have any problems there?” Nothing could be further from the truth.
To me it was reminiscent of my first trip to Israel in 1968 during the heat of the Viet Nam War and the race riots of that era. At the time I found it amusing that many Israelis believed each time a White person encountered a Black person a fight was inevitable. Here again perceptions, misconceptions perpetuated by a news media with greater concern for peddling a point of view and selling a product rather than portraying news in an unbiased, neutral manner.
Landing in Tel Aviv on a Saturday two weeks ago, I was amazed how the city had grown into a major, modern metropolis. With the exception of people still having fun on jam packed beaches and bicycles whizzing by us, it reminded me little of the small town that was 44 years ago.
Joining their fellow ethnic entrepreneurs, Jewish coffee houses, restaurants and other businesses began opening after sundown to the delight of locals and tourists mingling on a festive Saturday night. If there were any thoughts about Iran, terrorism, Hezbollah, Syria, or any of the other problems the media inundates us with, you wouldn’t know it by looking at the faces of a young couple pushing a baby carriage down the street eating a Gelato.
On Sunday our guide picked us up at the hotel and along with a group of very cordial people from different parts of the States we began our tour of Northern Israel. About half way between Tel Aviv and Haifa we stopped at Caesarea National Park, an awe inspiring archaeological site named after the Roman Emperor Augustus Caesar. Built on the coastline by Herod the Great, it contained the ruins of crisscrossing roads, a temple, theater, amphitheater, bathhouses, markets, and residential areas. It soon became a flourishing city by the 2nd and 3rd century and headquartered The Roman government in Israel during that time.
Like so many other parts of Israel we would come to see, Caesarea flourished during Roman and Byzantine times but lost its political and economic standing post the 7th century AD. Arab takeover of the area and during the Crusader era 1095-1291 AD.
As we continued on towards the Galilee region of the country, our tour guide Uri gave us a comprehensive history of the region and mentioned that subsequent to the Grand Monarchy of David and Solomon the Jewish people were subjugated in their own country during 17 foreign invasions.
Upon reaching the Galilee, we booked on to stay 2 nights at Kibbutz Lavi. Once again more perceptions, or should I say, misconceptions. Most of my fellow travelers, including myself, envisioned soldiers walking the perimeter of 1940’s circa buildings and possibly sharing a bathroom with 10 other people. Not even close. The facilities were ultra modern, rooms decked out with comfortable beds, flat screen T.V.s, and bathrooms with state of the art fixtures. Breakfasts were held in a large modern dining room and were more like banquets which were over the top for a guy like me used to a bowl of raisin bran in the morning.
Continuing our tour northeast we came upon the majestic Golan Heights region. Here again many people are under the misconception that these are small hills just hanging over the Sea of Galilee, when in fact they span 690 sq. miles and range in height from 9,230 ft. near Mt. Hermon to below sea. Although not recognized by the international community, this mountain range was annexed by Israel subsequent to the Six Day War. A visit there makes it abundantly clear why Israel undertook such action.
For many years prior to the Six Day War Israeli farmers put their lives in danger on a daily basis as Syrian snipers would take aim killing many in the fields below. Likewise, dependent upon one third of its water supply from this area the region is crucial to Israel. The likelihood of this strategic mountain range ever being returned to Syria is nil to none as no other issue unites Israelis as the importance of maintaining the Golan.
Along with: Jerusalem, Hebron, and Tiberias, Safed our next destination is one of the four most Holy cities in Judaism. Nestled away within the northern mountains of Israel approximately 3200 feet above sea level, it was founded in 70 AD and flourished well into the 16th century. Safed is the birthplace of Kabbalah; Jewish mysticism. Many famous Jewish scholars such as Rabbi Yitzhak Luria, Rabbi Shlomo Alkabetz, and Rabbi Yosef Karo settled there following their expulsion from Spain. Having published an article, “Safed: The Forgotten Pogrom of 1834,” earlier this year, the city had special interest to me.
What I soon recognized in Safed and would later see in Jerusalem is economics and the desire to support one’s family trumped the political concerns of both the Arab and Jewish merchant class in these cities as well as others we visited. You could buy a Judaic or Islamic painting, artifact, or a freshly squeezed glass of Orange juice from either vendor and be treated courteously by both. Each sold goods of the other; both a bit more pushy than some are used to here in the States but never threatening.
As our guide Uri intimated to us, it’s not to say that animosities were far below the surface and that an argument between a Jew and an Arab couldn’t escalate into a greater confrontation. But that’s true between ethnic and racial groups in other countries as well as our own.
Having swum in the Dead Sea, toured the ruins of many civilizations, and prayed at Judaism’s most Holy site, the The Western Wall of the Second Temple; the Kotel, I came away with the following:
Israel is the home and soul of the Jewish people locked unfortunately in an irreconcilable dispute with an enemy sworn to her destruction, one which seeks acquiescence in lieu of compromise. Yet despite the political challenges, and misconceptions outsiders are made to believe, the Jewish State is a peaceful place where Jews, Arabs, Christians, and people of all genders, and color do thrive, unhindered by their beliefs. Some question if this situation can continue, if such a political status quo is sustainable? I answer, why not, given the pragmatic, recalcitrant nature of her enemies, what
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