Aviv Days 8 + 9!

One cannot step foot in the land of Israel without being aware of the tension always present between Israelis and Palestinians over the land which they both claim to rightfully own. There are numerous places and attractions situated across the land which are symbolic of the divide between the two cultural groups however none more obvious and literal as the separation wall. For those who don’t know, the separation wall is just as it sounds, it is a roughly 8 metre tall wall which divides Jerusalem and the West Bank. The borders are tightly patrolled and security around the wall is ever-present. We were not actually allowed to exit the bus at the wall due to obvious security risks however we were given a firsthand look at the clearly tense relationship between two groups who culturally share so much yet seem as though they are unlikely to resolve their differences.

Next we headed to a nearby park to consume a packed lunch consisting of sandwiches and a muffin, however some were not content with the humble offerings and headed to a neighbouring shop to purchase and eat an entire pizza. Following lunch we proceeded on foot a nearby street where our security guard regaled us with a tale in which he came ridiculously close to becoming the victim of a bus bombing at the tender of 10. We soon visited the bus stop at which attack occurred and were put increasingly on edge. As a bus arrived at the stop a collective shiver was sent down the spines of all group members as we all scanned the bus passengers for any sign of suspicious activity. The stop featured a memorial to the victims, a constant reminder of the very real threat which lurks around each corner for all Israeli citizens in times of tension.

As tiredness set in on most we hopped on a bus and found ourselves back at Kiryat Moria. Our next activity was the viewing of a Palestinian movie titled Paradise Now, a tale of two young men drafted into becoming suicide bombers and their resultant ideological dilemma. For some, the movie was enthralling, for others the highlight was Emma’s loud snoring which I deeply wish someone had caught on tape for future amusement. After the film we got our glad rags on and hit the town, yet again I urge parents and other people wondering to consult individual participants for the details of their individual nights as my divulgence of such details could well result in my ommitance from future nights out… however I can say that Josh Shubitz and Jared Ellison had a few too many drinks and ended up with some lasting memories in the form of matching nose piercings.

Day 9 was an early start as we yet again boarded a public bus to much resentment before getting off and embarking on a train ride to Mount Herzl. This is a site which features the burial places of some of Israel’s most famous heroes and soldiers, notably including Theodore Herzl, Golda Meir and Yitzchak Rabin whose significance and achievements go without saying. The area marked for fallen soldiers was harrowing, a hugely large expanse covered by hundreds of individual graves which showed all exactly how many men and women Israel have lost whilst attempting to defend itself in battle. The most recent addition, Oded informed us, was just last week. Next we headed off to a contrastingly bright shuk known as Machane Yehuda where we roamed as we pleased. Most picking up a spot of lunch, and bringing home the tasty treats which they had been craving for the last week of at times hellish cooking. Nuts and pastries were picked up by many, needless to say we will all be well and truly full for the next few days.

We soon caught the bus back to Kiryat Moria and began preparations for our second Aviv Shabbat which is set to be yet another highlight of an already life changing program.

One more awesome day down, 141 days to look forward to!

Jake