first off, and most importantly, my family and i are all safe and sound. for that i am truly grateful. i am also very very glad that there is a (theoretical) cease-fire. my timing is impeccable, isn't it? ahhahaha.
i could write for days about my thoughts and my relationship with the state of israel. needless to say, it means a lot for me to be here right now.
here's a sort of free association brain dump of my last few days here:
a family friend from nahariya was staying at my father's home when i arrived as katusha rockets fell within 20 m of her home on 2 occasions. the bedroom that i sleep in doubles as a bomb shelter. my dad cooked an amazing dinner on the grill. my dad and i had a great day-trip to jerusalem which included falafel, a walk around the old city and a fairly lengthy discussion with a pakistani news correspondent covering the cease fire from the incredible view-point of mount scopus. on the way to jerusalem my father pointed out the area where his father was killed by a landmine. a grandfather i was never able to meet. the news is always on. i attended a 35th birthday party chock full of upwardly mobile tel avivians discussing such things as italian home fixtures. we left early because my cousin's husband has spent many many hours in the last week managing ammunition logistics in the north. i spoke w my aunt on the phone who said that a katusha dropped about 200 m from her home in haifa. this is the same home i spent many summers in growing up. i spent the whole day today in tel aviv w my cousin efrat, people watching at cafes, hanging out at the beach and shopping for furniture for her new home. my libyan cab driver gave me a hebrew prayer for the road and told me to only eat kosher meat and to use my full name "gabriel" as it is a name from the torah as he tried to set me up with every 20 something hot israeli woman we drove by. i bought a dope new pair of adidas at their flagship store on shenkin street. i have been emailing with an old camp friend here who has 2 young children and a husband who's reserve unit has been called up north. hope to see her this week.
i want nothing more for israel than for it be able to live peacefully amongst it's neighbors and for there to be an end to the bloodshed, mistrust and hatred from all sides. i believe strongly that the state of israel has a right to exist as i believe strongly that a separate and autonomous state of palestine has a right to exist. my heart goes out to all of those on all sides that have lost friends and family amidst this crisis.
i have no idea how peace is going to be achieved in the near future, but i still hold on to the hope that it is possible. it's been damn close a few times and peace is ultimately the only answer.
in closing, it is truly wonderful to be here with my family. despite israel's politics that i don't always agree with, it's obnoxious drivers and loud cell phone conversationalists, i love this country and am unapologetically proud to be here. have some pictures that i'll post in the next few days.
paz y amor,
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