Desert Oasis & Rapping Jews

The Oasis is a haven for desert birds & other wildlife

Desert Waterfalls:)

Ein Gedi is a picturesque nature reserve sandwiched between the Judean Desert and the Dead Sea - truly an oasis surrounded by barren landscape.  Thankfully this was an exception to desert hiking because we got a late start and did not arrive to Ein Gedi (spring of the Kid) until the afternoon- I was beginning to sweat before I even stepped off the bus just thinking about the desert heat. The first part of the trail was busy with many families and screaming kids..... thankfully as we continued on the trail it got steeper and hotter, successfully thinning out the crowd until only a handful persevered to the real treasures.... cool isolated pools and spectacular views.  This will be a short entry because I think the pictures say enough:)

 A natural window looking out to the Dead Sea

Taking a shower under the dripping ferns:)

Looking down to the Dead Sea & the various orchards - a true testament to 'making the desert bloom'

A look back at the mountain - framed with a date orchard

A bridge over a 'Wadi' (a dry ephemeral riverbed), a very common scene in Israel

Speaking of common scenes in Israel....... I move on to the famous rapping Jew - Matisyahu!!  

(side note- if you google rapping Jew the wikipedia site for Matisyahu is number 1)

Matisyahu - live in Jerusalem

When we saw that Matisyahu would be playing in the center of Jerusalem we knew it was an event we could not miss. He became popular around the world through his reggae beats and hip-hop beat-boxing..... but few people outside of the Jewish community (myself included) don't know his background or what he sings so passionately about.  This concert gave me the excuse to listen closer  and observe what really drew his followers in.

The concert was outdoors in a packed public square - and from the moment we walked in you could feel the high energy.  Some songs stuck out more than others as everyone sang them like they were songs that they had written themselves.  The song 'One Day' has become popular from its catchy tune - but listening closer you can hear an anthem of peace.  A couple of verses  from the song are as follows:  

all my life I've been waiting for
I've been praying for
for the people to say
that we don't wanna fight no more
they'll be no more wars
and our children will play
one day ...

one day this all will change
treat people the same
stop with the violence
down with the hate
one day we'll all be free
and proud to be
under the same sun
singing songs of freedom like
one day.... 

Now imagine that being sung as an anthem under the Jerusalem night sky by hundreds of young people that have grown up amongst violence, hatred and misunderstanding. After mandatory service in the military, many now search for a better way.....
 

Me, Patricia & Dan (two of my classmates) @ the concert

Solidarity: Unity arising from common responsibilities ....

Representing the Palestinian Flag

      Like clockwork every Friday a diverse group of people young and old gather in East Jerusalem to stand up against civil inequality.  The foundation of this is due to the Israel government conducting forced evictions of Palestinian families from their homes in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem.  The demonstrations in the small neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah have come to represent a greater political movement of the Israeli left and continues to draw people in due to its peaceful yet strong representation.

  A bit more background: During the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, Palestinians fled their homes in West Jerusalem and settled in East Jerusalem (which was ruled by Jordan at the time).  Many families waived their UN refugee cards in exchange for the right to build houses on the vacant lots in Sheikh Jarrah.  Then, in 1967 Israel gained occupation over East Jerusalem and the neighborhoods began to fill with Jewish settlers.  Currently different Jewish organizations have begun to claim ownership over the Palestinian land through Ottoman deeds that date back to the 19th century.  The Palestinian families have similar Ottoman deeds to homes in West Jerusalem but are not allowed to regain ownership.  There is an "Absentee Properties Law" that officially allows Jews to reclaim possession of prewar assets, but does not grant the Palestinians that equal right.

    We were on our way to the market on Friday when a large crowd on the corner drew our attention.  We found someone who spoke English and began to get pieces of a very involved and disputed story.  The woman was a middle-aged teacher from Haifa and turned out to be a great resource.  She was very passionate about the movement and standing up for equality but also admitted to becoming very disheartened over the years.  She had spent many years trying to make a difference through peaceful demonstrations but had only seen a continuation of injustice.  She reminded me of so many people back home who have fought hard for what they believed in, but then they got to a point where they also had to live a normal life.  It takes so much emotional and physical energy out of someone to go against the grain.  She said that when she begins to get down about the situation surrounding her she travels several hours to the Sheikh Jarrah demonstration to feel refreshed and revive the hope and passion towards a brighter future.  A major reason this movement continues is due to the energetic youth that are not giving up.  It stands as another reminder to me that although it may be easier to live your life in ignorance of heavy issues, it is important to stand for what you believe in.  The key as always is to find a balance within this so you keep a positive energy and don't burn out completely.

    As an observer I walked with the group of demonstrators through the disputed neighborhood, pausing in front of each of the houses where forced evictions occurred.  At some of the houses the Jewish Settlers came out to stand on their porches and rooftops, waving their Israeli flags and standing proud. At one house the Jewish Settlers even had speakers set up on their roof playing loud music to drown out the demonstrator's chanting.

    Because this demonstration is every Friday it is a very interesting dynamic - people get to know eachothers faces on both sides.  Many of the loudest voices on the demonstration side are the kids and adults that were evicted.  They yell with passion and in solidarity towards the houses that are now home to new families - which believe just as passionately about their right to be there.

The same guy has been arriving with the pirate flag for over a year - he has a strong grip on the pole as the Israeli flags aim to knock it..... I guess he feels that it is the most suitable flag to represent what is happening

Eilat

First time to the Red Sea!!

Eilat beach front

Looking across the bay to Jordan (you can see the Jordanian flag)

 

       This last weekend I traveled to Eilat – which turned out to be the Cancun of Israel.  Eilat is the southernmost city in Israel, nestled right in-between Jordan and Egypt.  It was once a small port city along the Red Sea, but it has rapidly developed for tourism with glitzy hotels and an overabundance of shopping.  It is a popular destination for Israelis, where they can all let loose a bit.... shop for clothes that are only considered appropriate in Eilat, smoke hookah on the beach, fry in the sun, and drive away with stories they probably wouldn't share with their mothers.
 
      It was a bit of a trial and error day traveling to Eilat.  We got an early start only to find the bus was full (turns out you can buy tickets in advance).  We opted to take a series of buses that would take a bit more time but get us on the road earlier – the second bus we took was full once we got on, which was confusing because we thought they only sold as many tickets as there were seats… a little confused and with the bus already moving we sat in the aisle and prepared for a 2 hour bus ride.  Partway through someone must have felt a little bad and helped us out – turns out the military ride for free and just take any available seat – so we kindly found our seat numbers that you almost needed a magnifying glass to see and kicked out the people in our seats. 

       Because military duty is a requirement for every Israeli citizen (except orthodox Jews) the influence is everywhere.  I don’t even know what they all do but everyone is in uniform and the majority of them packing large weapons, loosely slung across their shoulder or stuffed in their back pocket and seemingly almost forgotten about.  Also, because it is a requirement there is every type of person in uniform --- many of the girls seem to wear the uniform fashionably with gold aviator sunglasses, some people don’t even look like they could pick up one of the guns while others look like they have been training their entire lives.  To say the least it seems to be a very diverse and casual military feel most of the time - it is a part of everyday life.

       Anyway, back to Eilat…..  I was happily surprised that the water in Eilat was clean (considering it is a port city) and beautiful.  There is one coral reef a bit south of Eilat where we spent the day snorkeling – it was great! In fact it was so good that we lost track of time and space and went a little too far down the reef.  I was thoroughly distracted by an octopus I spotted when all of a sudden I heard a thundering horn from an approaching boat.  We were close to the reef and buoys so I was really surprised to see it coming closer – then they started yelling something over the loudspeaker in Hebrew, then in Arabic and finally in English “you are in a restricted area, you must head north now” – oh shit, I wondered what kind of area we had floated into…. It didn’t take long for me to begin swimming as fast as possible back to our beach.  Then, along the way right after the boat incident we started to hear the loudspeaker on the beach – once again I couldn’t understand what they were saying, but it did not sound nice.  I was just imagining the worst case scenario of them waiting for us at the beach – ready to harass and question us like we were spies going into dangerous territory.  All I could hear was my breathing and the warped loudspeaker, with a mouth full of salty water from the choppy water I lifted my head to look for my two companion’s snorkels… they were nowhere in sight (at this point it didn't seem like anyone was out snorkeling).  Just when my heart was beating a little faster and I thought it was bad – I heard the English part of the beach loudspeaker……. “All equipment in by 5, don’t forget your sunscreen and have a nice day”  REALLY – that is what they were saying?!  There is something about the Hebrew and Arabic languages (especially since I am not too familiar with them) that always sounds aggressive – even when they are just talking about sunscreen:)  I made it back to the beach and waited for my two friends – I guess I had raced on ahead and completely left them in my wake (which is why I couldn’t see them).  All was well after a good laugh and a cold drink!

Finally back in warm salt water :)

The distracting octopus

Jerusalem

View from the top of the walls in the old city

Israel came to me like a person ordering dessert first at their favorite restaurant.  I was excited for the idea of it, but did not put much thought beyond that.  I was enjoying the various courses before me – making the most of every moment and day back home - with the people and in the places I love the most.  I knew dessert was coming, but I had no plans of how I would eat it……. And now I’m simply taking one bite at a time!  That is the beautiful thing about this adventure – I am actually living here.  I can settle in and not worry about an itinerary or travel plans, and I am very thankful for that.  I have only been in Jerusalem for a few days, but I already know this place deserves more than just a visit – to truly experience the energy, communities and history one must be able to explore and observe without an agenda.

Upon arrival everyone has been very friendly and welcoming, especially at the university.  The campus and residence halls are quite beautiful and seem fairly new.  I have always enjoyed the energy of an academic setting – the people and surroundings are usually interesting, inspiring and challenging.  The tight security around the campus and residence halls help to create a comfortable bubble where the time passes slowly and you easily forget that you are actually in Jerusalem; one of the most politically, culturally and religiously tense places on earth.  Although it is a nice retreat, I have to remind myself not to get too comfortable – because the real stories are outside the gates and the bubble. Laying in bed and hearing the Muslim prayers (that are broadcast through large speakers atop several buildings) reverberating throughout the cool evening air is my reminder that I am sleeping in a foreign land.

The campus is just a 30-40 minute walk to downtown Jerusalem and the old city.  I have been able to walk downtown a couple of times to explore the markets and observe the hustle and bustle of Israeli life.  The area is divided between the Arab and Jewish population with invisible borders and a hanging tension in the air.  Each person I have talked to in regards to these areas seem to have a different opinion – on one side it may seem like they are living side by side almost harmoniously, while on the other side you hear of the injustice with forced evictions and new settlements.  It is bit early to say anything with certainty, but I am eager to gain insight into the various perspectives.

    The city is also an amazing portrait of the modern and the ancient worlds side by side. At first they seem to sharply contrast, but you can also see how the city’s future rests in its ability to create a bridge between its history and its new contemporary culture.  For example, in the old city market you can see a shop with ancient artifacts or beautiful crafts right next to shops that sell westernized candy and plastic toys.  This scene was a bit surprising to me because I was imagining the market in the old city to only have small shops with crafts and produce, but it is more like a small mall built within ancient walls.  You can find everything from Nike shoes and electronics to hand-woven Persian rugs.  But it makes more sense when I remind myself that the old city is more than a tourist stop – it is a living city with approximately 15,000 people residing inside the walls.  This prime real-estate is home to Jewish, Muslim & Christian people living in very close quarters.  There is so much history and numerous holy places within the old city that I have yet to explore, so I will write about it more thoroughly later…..

Satellites adorn the top of ancient buildings

A shop full of relics and stories

The contrasting candy shop

within the walls there is a school and recreation area