For Prophet Joe

I am so honored to think that I can send someone into withdrawal pains…

It’s been a hectic few days – the summer is shaping up to be a very busy time. A lot has been happening. I have family that visited from America – the first time they have come to Israel and last night we had them over for a barbecue. During the dinner, a kassem rocket was fired at Israel. It landed near Ofakim.

My mother got scared – my sister lives near Ofarim…

Ofakim, we explained to her – in the south, not Ofarim. A letter is enough to scare a mother for that split second it takes for the heart to race. My relatives came here as Obama supporters; I do not believe they left Israel the same way.

My uncle stood on the Golan Heights and saw Israel laid out below him. Insanity, it would be to withdraw from the Golan. They came to my house and I explained that I live in a thriving city – they could see our beautiful backyard with the passion fruits just about to ripen; with the lemon tree struggling to grow; with its beautiful balconies overlooking the desert.

There was nothing here – ever, I could have explained to my uncle. Never. Instead, I spoke of the almost 50,000 people who now live here; a city that has been here for more than 40 years. Arab aggression led to the 1967 was; Jordanian intransigence and a determination to fight with their “brothers” led them to lose the land on which Maale Adumim was built.

Beyond these deeper thoughts are several posts I keep meaning to make. Shmulik finished with the army this week, a week after Elie did his first Reserves Duty stint. It reminds me of the other side of this – the week Elie finished the army and Shmulik went in. I have so many thoughts as Shmulik finishes. His experiences were so different than Elie’s and yet, he has changed in many ways, developed, matured.

So, Prophet Joe – I’m sorry I’ve been out of touch – all is fine; everyone is enjoying the summer and a bit of freedom…except me. I’m teaching three days a week and a client has pulled in the extra time; and another is looking for time I can’t even find. I was hoping to take a vacation with the family – budget and time allowing.

Recipes…oh, I have so many I was thinking of posting. I’ll try soon! Thanks, as always, for caring!

5 Comments

  1. Have to put on my tour guide’s hat for a sec and point out that there WAS something here, about 1700 yrs ago: Martyrius’ monastery (right by the turn into Nechalim). Also Euthymius monastery in Mishor Adumim (@1500 yrs ago).
    I’ve seen you write before (as a point of confidence) that MA is built on virgin ground, and that argument has intrigued me. What IF there was something here 2000 or 3000 years ago — do you feel then that your life here would be built on a shakier foundation?

  2. I was worried about you too Paula, glad everything is OK, and that you have been entertaining family. Our son finally made his ALIYA, arriving Tuesday morning with 245 North American olim…they are getting settled in the dorms in Talpiot now. They even interviewed the single Olim in the Israeli newspaper…our son was one of the 6 featured yesterday, or the day before. Stay well, Shabbat Shalom! Jan

  3. Sorry, Jan – I really didn’t mean to worry everyone. I just went cruising along for a few days with family visits and work. Mazel tov on your son’s aliya! I really would love him to contact us and maybe come for Shabbat, if he wants.

  4. Hi Tamar,

    When I write of nothing being here, I am writing more in the context of the current Israeli-Arab conflict. The ancient ruins of both monasteries remain as sites guarded by Israel and open to tourists. Both were discovered; neither had communities living around them. Neither was destroyed but rather was enshrined for visitors to come and visit and likely both were created because they were in distant, remote locations, away from civilization and likely “temptation.” If there was something here 2,000 or 3,000 years ago, it has long since be reclaimed by the dirt and the wind and no traces remained when, in the early 1970s, Maale Adumim was established. If others lived here in the long and distant past, their descendants aren’t today’s Palestinians, whose origins trace back to distant lands and cannot claim, as we do, that once this land was theirs. It was, for a brief period of time, under Islamic control, but not Palestinians as we know them today. It went from the Jews to the Romans; briefly to the Islamic period, which faded with the Crusades, than the Mamluks, than the Ottomans (for a much longer period than the Islamic period’s control), to the British and finally to Israel.

  5. I’ve been out of the office most of yesterday and today. Wow, imagine my surprise to see a post directed to me!! 😉

    I’m glad everything is well and you’re able to visit with family. How is it possible that Shmulik is finishing his army duty already? It seems like just yesterday I was reading about Elie’s service!

    So what do the boys do now? Will Shmulik go to work, or University? How long will Elie be doing his Reserve Duty?

    Keep us all posted. We love your writing and your view from (or of) the Middle East brings the Land of Israel to life for us!

    Have a wonderful and peaceful Shabbat.

    Shalom,
    PJ

    P.S. Paula, if you get a chance, go over to Robert Avrech’s blog and see the comment I wrote about American Christian Zionists — I think you’ll see a lot of yourself in my comment. The link is: http://www.seraphicpress.com/stupid-american-jews-getting-not-so-stupid-or-how-american-jews-learned-to-start-worrying-about-obama/#comments

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