The Golden Path

There were two separate groups getting together yesterday for an interfaith peace walk into Jerusalem in honor of the last days of Passover. One was The Middle Way - who do silent Buddhist-influenced walks handing out cards as to what they're about, while walking without talking. They do compassionate listening in both Arab and Jewish cities. Of course it's compassionate listening, if they don't talk. They wear white sashes across their chests, and when they walk they do make quite an impact.

The other group - The Path Circle - is a group of noisy, bohemian musicians who sing and play musical instruments throughout their entire walk.

Eliyahu was telling me it's like the Litvish Jews and the Chassidic Jews - the Middle Way people being more serious and thinking the other group are clowns (the Litvish way), while the Path Circle are more like Chassidim - believing that dancing and being joyful will bring peace.

Hubby tells me if I want peace I should go back to America.

I waited an hour for both groups of "hippies for peace" by the Old City entrance at Jaffa Gate, to show up. I dressed the part so they won't miss me. I wore turquoise bell bottoms and a white Indian top. One person from the "noisy" group arrived. She looked at me and figured I was with one of the groups. Hippie Radar. Ofer Golany, the Peace Musician, took out his guitar and pretty soon an impromptu concert took place just inside Jaffa Gate while hundreds of people passed by - tourists (and there were loads of tourists!), Hassidim who couldn't figure out who and what we were - one couldn't handle the sight of us and put his hands over his eyes so he wouldn't have to see us while he walked passed our group. Someone played flute and one played darbuka and there were two guitars and a violin. And with the "noisy" group drawing attention - the silent group had to join the noisemakers in the end and we sauntered down the alleys of the Arab Shuk singing peace songs. The shopkeepers had different reactions. Some joined us and took out their darbukas and sang with us - others looked at us like "peace. yeah right." I think they would have rathered we bought a shit load of stuff in their shops than just singing in their alleys. But we gave out our flyers in Hebrew/Arabic and English/Arabic about what the groups were about. Many were impressed that someone even bothered to print the stuff out in Arabic.

The local Dylan wannabe was there too, talking to me about Jesus. Why talk to me about Jesus, man. Don't you think Dylan is the Messiah?