Yesterday I walked to downtown Jerusalem to get some exercise but also because I was curious about the Human Chain - a chain of people stretching from Gaza to the Western Wall in Jerusalem. This was a protest of Sharon's decision to uproot Jewish settlements in Gaza. At the one end of the chain in the northern Gaza community of Nisanit was Yitzchak and Shlomit Shamir, two of the residents of the original Kfar Darom community of the 1940's - with the Shamirs' granddaughter, 6-year-old Yael Better of N'vei Dekalim, at the Western Wall. So I walked and walked up and down Jaffa street looking at the sea of people. There were apparently 130,000 people participating in that chain. Everything seemed festive. People were praying. Young teenagers were socializing. There was an announcement that at 10 to seven everyone would clasp hands to make the chain effective. And I felt so strange. Like I didn't belong. I don't know why. I guess I'm a more global person and needed to see more global people around me. This was a strictly homogeneous group of just Orthodox men, women and children - people I used to identify with. But I also feel strange among the extreme left wing with people yelling to end the occupation. I don't fit in anywhere, except for my small group of interfaith peace workers. I'm a real nowhere woman.
4 comments:
I do not believe we were created to all be just alike...which is why the "cookie cutter" mentality of this country (USA) sometimes drives me nutty. I wondered if you would go when I read about it on internet news. I too do not fit much of any mold. There are others like each of us someplace...the finding of them may take some time though.
Elizabeth
What you should consider is that you belong to the largest group of all - the non-extremists.
By their nature, most 'non-extremists' do not voice their opinions, so thank God for people like you!
Hey Leah,
I was also thinking of you when I read about the chain. I enjoyed your post, especially being able to relate to your reluctance to identify with a single group. I feel like I am limiting myself when there remains so much to learn.
I was just reading this BBC piece interviewing Gaza settlers revealing the pain at the thought of leaving their homes. I wonder, do these people fighting for their homes, relate to the Palestinian experience - the sense of being forced to leave homes that were also built with sweat, tears and love? To me, the emotional parallels are so blatant I find myself talking back to my computer (not a healthy scene). Although, I believe the Israelis being forced to leave will be compensated for the land and homes they vacate.
My point is, how do you overcome these situations where each side has dehumanized the other so much that they no longer recognize the shared human conditions of love and pain? I wonder how you approach this in your interfaith work. It seems you work with people already looking for peace.. what do you say to the hard-headed ones, both Palestinian and Israeli?
Hope you keep well and safe
Amna
What do I say to the hard headed ones? Good questions. You can't say anything because they don't believe what you say. Which is why our interfaith group adopted the plan to go out in public. If we're in Israel, Jews will look at us and say - what is that strange group doing socializing together, etc. They may be curious as I was and join. When we were near Jericho, Palestinians were astounded to see Jews wearing kippas (yalmulkas - head coverings of Orthodox Jews - usually associated with settlers) and Arabs eating together. In the end they joined us for the day. This is how it starts.
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