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Israel is a special place in the world; there are so many ways to travel it. You can be religious of various faiths and pilgrimage. You can change your religion to Jewish and go on a free ‘birthright’ tour around the country. You can even go humanitarian and travel it on a political motive. But I chose in most part to be ignorant and wondered can you travel Israel and feel normal?
As an on and off backpacker for over 6 years I have met backpacking Israeli’s and met other backpackers who have met backpacking Israeli’s. The overall assumption is that they a rude, unsociable, stick to their own kind and different. But on the odd occasion when they do separate you met some really cool people like Shy Lee and Chen. But what about the rest of Israel and Israelis in Israel - Is it a different vibe to the traveller?
Tel Aviv my first stop was easily the best way to get away from it all. It has the fine beaches with high rises on the promenade. Bikini clad women laying on the beach and bat and ball playing on the shore. At night there are such
a variety of nightspots it’s hard to feel like you are in the Middle East.
Communicating with them was easy but that may have been a lot easier because I knew people here. I did found it interesting that people were surprised I was here. It seemed unusual to some that I would come here if I had no family history or Jewish blood. Common questions early was “Are you Jewish?” “Why come here then?”
That is because staying at a hostel outside of Jerusalem than most people are of Jewish heritage. One of the must stay places in any backpackers itinerary is the Heyarkon 48 hostel in Tel Aviv. It’s only one night and that’s Thursday night. It is easily the hottest group of guests ever in my travels. Stunned!
What was interesting was travelling on a Sunday anywhere in Israel. I happened to travel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem on the 2 Sundays I was there. What happens is that most soldiers that are rostered off make their way home for the weekend. Come Sunday (this areas Monday) they have to make their way back to their duties. This means they go on public transport,
present their card, which gives them a free bus journey and go to work. All this is done with their rifles either hanging off their shoulders, on the side or out the back like a backpack. There is something not right to me about putting an 18-19 year old whose vulnerable and still not mature enough and forcing a gun in their hands. But as they say here “What are we suppose to do?” (And I am comparing my maturity at 19 to me now.)
This is just one of many little reminders that life here is different. And to re-confirm that, is whenever you enter and exit the public transport area. For some stupid reason they have put the bus station in a semi shopping centre meaning all bags need to be checked. And as a tourist, when you hit a Jewish site - Not only the Whaling Wall but on the tourist entrance to the Dome of the Rock and Al Aqsa Mosque. This is where the Muslims believe Mohammed ascended to heaven in the Night Journey.
There are only certain times you can visit here. It is elevated above the Whaling wall and is best
seen under the 1:30pm light. There is a ramp to walk up that goes to the side of the Western Wall and up to the Rock courtyard. Prior to that after already x-raying, you x-ray again. I find it interesting however that the guards seem to be Israeli soldiers (I was wondering if the religion has to be non Jewish to man this area?)
Whenever the soldiers go home they have to unload and disassemble the rifle and put it under two lock and keys. Failure to do so than they will be punished. Both Shy-Lee and Chen have brothers in the army and it was interesting to see and hear them separately communicate with their brothers when they came back for the weekend.
Family orientated society, it’s amazing how close they are alike to the Arabs in this regard - They too class hospitality very highly. I like to use the Confectionary Theory to support what I mean re: family. If you look around the world and look at how they sell confectionary products like chocolate and lollies you get to distinguish what type of community they are. Take majority of the western world. We sell chocolate
bars as individuals and there is very few lolly stands to make mixed bags anymore. That is because we’ve become a very individual society and lost the art of the weekly family gathering. Not Israel and Arab countries. They have lolly, nuts and dry fruit stands everywhere. From these you can pick and choose a family of sweets. There is something different to how they gather as a family. I don’t know… this consumer age we live in… I think we have to blame that guy who came up with the concept of the individual chocolate bar… Oh how our lives could have been different.
But when asked how many times does my family meet I had to reply “Not too often.” They were shocked but I continued. “Its different there, families are not as close, there is big distances to cover. It’s not as easy as here; people have to travel hours to meet up. Your country is a lot smaller to cover.” Maybe if the individual chocolate bar weren’t invented families wouldn’t split from their communities. Or maybe it’s just a big country thing? I’m going to have to keep an eye on that!
Anyway, I
was invited on my last Friday to a real family occasion Shabbat. Blessings, wine, plenty of food, congrats speeches to family achievements and catching up with family. Done every Friday but the extended family every so often. Apart from Shy-Lee’s dad picking up the mobile before I arrived and telling me as a joke to “STOP CALLING MY DAUGHTER!” etc. etc. I felt very welcome and at home.
Being with non-native English speakers mean another mentally draining effort though. See for most of JP4 people have been English 2nd or 3rd language, always asking for the correct English from the native speaker. This is something I find difficult, as my English is not that good but I ploughed through.
In conversations naturally where I’ve travelled is part of it and when I mentioned “In Lebanon…” it would be an unusual experience for them. I was more than likely the only person they knew who had been to Lebanon and not as a soldier. I could give a non-war story!! Iran was interesting too, as both sides have said the same thing virtually. We actually use to have a really good relationship with Iran and didn’t really have a
problem with them apart from the Iranian Government’s comments. (Iranians are adamant they are not Arabs - they hate Arabs)
I did find Israel a good break from the journey. You can in a way live ignorant of your surroundings and that’s because the streets feel safe and the people are friendly. But in reality the problems are not too far away from just being there. There is a lot of life here, a sense of living, something that parts of the world lack… not Israel.
My last morning I again had an option to go to Bethlehem. But sitting on the rooftop of the Citadel hostel in Old Jerusalem the sun was rising, birds were chirping, the peaceful setting was the perfect way to finish an Israeli trip. I decided to leave and leave the Christian sites for another time. I was just wondering if maybe I missed out on seeing the West Bank as it is? Somehow I doubt it.
*** Again it needs to be pointed out my analysis previously on Israeli women needs to be put into context. I have been travelling around Muslim countries for almost 6 months prior so they do
get an unfair advantage in a judgment call. Maybe I just found skin and hair attractive? Somehow I doubt it…***
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