Israel Part 2

Israel, Part 2

Jerusalem revisited. Editorial: What amazes me about Israel is the juxtaposition of the religious and secular Jews. As we were leaving the port, at a bus stop there was a young Israeli solder in uniform complete with gun and a religious Jew with a long black coat, pantaloons, and wide brimmed hat.
The religious Jews are as much an oddity to me as they would be to any Christian. I saw young women either wearing wigs or head coverings ,with long skirts and long sleeved shirts although it was hot and humid. Many of the men in addition to the outfit described above have beards and peous (don’t know the spelling) These are the long curls coming down on either side of their faces.
The children are miniature versions of their parents. While I am respectful towards them, I don’t respect them at all. They don’t think I’m Jewish, and I think they’re following a Judaism out of the Middle Ages-Nineteenth century schtels. Even my grandparents from Eastern Europe looked at them as something foreign and strange. As my cousin Alison said, “Rather than repairing the world (one of the basis of Judaism, they are splitting hairs as to what is the right thing to eat, to wear, etc.” As to the soldiers, there are so many young, handsome soldiers (men and women) throughout Israel, you get used to seeing guns everywhere. I feel completely safe in Israel more so than in Oakland, parts of SF, or even parts of San Jose.

Editorial 2: Israel vs. Egypt Egypt was filthy dirty with terrible roads. We saw many villages that looked probably the same as during Biblical times with men on donkeys, using primitive farm tools. Israel is extremely modern, clean, with a great infrastructure. The desert has been turned into beautiful farmland. Yesterday we saw groves of bananas and other kinds of fruit. At historical sites, Israel has excellent movies, videos, signs telling about the history. Egypt doesn’t.
There are 5 million people in Cairo alone. There are 7 million people in all of Israel. Why can’t the Arab states let this tiny, wonderful nation exist?!!!


Haifa 80’s

Our relatives picked us up. We drove around Haifa to see the sights and then spent most of the day in Caesaria. When we were in Caesaria 17 years ago, it was a beach with Roman monuments sitting in the sand. Today it is a complex of restaurants, shops, swimming beaches, and centers explaining the history. The presentation was one of the best I’ve ever seen with dual screens showing the present and the past simultaneously. We had lunch outside overlooking a multi-blue colored Med. We then drove to a small town on Mt. Carmel. Our cousins’ one son, Dror lives there. It has a tourist street with little art shops and restaurants. From there we drove through the mountains to our cousins home in Haifa, where one of their 2 daughters, their son, daughter-in-law, and 4 of their 11 grandchildren came to see us. They had a lovely garden, and we had a great visit.

There is an intestinal virus that has hit the ship. Our cousins Phil and Alison had it pretty badly, Dan mildly, and I am on board ship today instead of in Cypress because it’s my turn. I feel fine—just want to be near a nice, clean, modern “john.” I know, TMI……!