The last day of my trip to Israel was sheer beauty. Today was the day for the “heavy” experiences.
We found a cab driver who took us all around Jerusalem for a fair price. That in itself proves that miracles exist in this holy city.
We saw holy Jewish, Christian, and Muslim sites. Pictures taken of everything from various churches to the holy Muslim site known as the Dome of the Rock were interspersed with the Jewish experience.
We went to the Mount of Olives, the Jewish cemetery.
The most emotional part of the day was going to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Memorial.
This part of the experience brought out the worst in me, although it was confined to thoughts. My father is a Holocaust Survivor, and all the museum did was reinforce deeply felt hostilities already inside of me.
In my view, the world did nothing in 1933. They simply let us die. All it takes for evil to flourish, as the saying goes, is for good people to do nothing.
I was not sad witnessing the Holocaust Museum. I was angry. I did take pride in the Warsaw Ghetto people. They did not surrender. They fought. That reinforced my belief in the Second Amendment to the Constitution, and that the Jews that survived the longest had guns to fight back with. I do not see myself ever compromising on this belief.
Yet what made me angriest was not 1933, or even 1938. I felt like 2008 has the potential to be a repeat performance, and the world is doing nothing.
I see Iran and Syria as the new Germany. Some of the murderers even use Nazi literature to justify their teachings of hate. I have repeatedly said that Iran and Syria need to be turned into 50,000 golf courses. The Holocaust Museum reminded me “Never Again.”
Jews are being murdered by terrorists sponsored by Iran and Syria, and the world does nothing. Dead Jews? Who cares?
I do.
Some say Iran would not attack Israel because they would then get wiped out. This implies that the Mullahs are rational and logical rulers. I suspect otherwise. After all, it is not possible for diplomacy when destruction is the end result. You cannot bribe or bargain with those willing to die.
The IDF lost its power of deterrence in 2006, although perhaps the next Israeli prime Minister will be Bibi Netanyahu, and hope will return.
We also visited the Knesset, which was not in session. Like the rest of the world, they vacation to escape the Summer heat. We passed by the office building of Prime Minister Ehud Ohlmert. Nothing was being done today in terms of government business, so it was a typical day under his administration. He will be fired soon enough, and hope will return.
Yet the best part of the trip came in the form of our cab driver, and Arabic man named Faisal. He was a kind, decent man, and one of the only cab drivers that not only knew his way around, but did so in a safe manner. Israelis may cherish human life, but they do not value it in terms of most of their cab drivers.
Faisal told me how he wanted peace, and that as an Israeli Arab in Jerusalem, he leads a happy life. He has Jewish friends, and he enjoys showing people the city he was born and raised in.
Also, when there is war, it kills tourism, which hurts his economic survival. He hates Hamas and all the rest. He thinks that they destroy peace, and hurt Jews and Arabs.
I did not get political. Faisal expresse his opinions with no solicitation. Yet there was no faking the kindness of this man. I told him that he was “My first Arab friend, and hopefully not the last.”
One moment of beauty occurred outside a Christian Church. Outside the gate, an elderly woman of 80 and perhaps 90 was walking with a cane across some steps. She saw the Chicago Cannonball, and then me, and she clutched for our hands. I helped her several steps inside. Then a big, strong, Muslim man carried her down several steps and placed her in line so she could go through the Tomb of Mary, one of the holiest Christian sites.
The Chicago Cannonball and I did not go through because it is not our faith, and the moment would have been lost on me. Yet to have Jews and Muslims helping an elderly Christian lady reach one of the most important spiritual places in her faith was truly heartwarming.
The emotion of the tour and the sweltering heat took its toll, so we went back to the Old City, to end the trip on a lighthearted note by doing…what else…shopping.
Although the entire trip was a beautiful experience, it was time to go home. Exhaustion and fatigue had set in, and the 11 hour flight back to New Jersey would allow for some respite.
This was after of course, surviving the airport gift shops, as if we did not shop enough during the trip.
I thank God, and of course my friend Uri, for providing me the experience to go to Israel. It is in my rearview mirror, but Tel Aviv and Jerusalem will never be forgotten.
The Tygrrrr Express and the Chicago Cannonball are now back in America. Israel was beautiful, but America is my home.
She is in Chicago, and I am at work.
If anybody needs to find me, I am sleeping at my office desk in Los Angeles.
eric