Every Day a Circus Day!

Missing thumbnail?
July 17

We went to the legendary site of Masada, today. It is our first taste of the desert. At 10 AM, it is already too hot to climb the trail to the top. Elliana (American) and Shay (Israeli) are most disappointed. The others seem happy to take the cable cars up the steep slope.


The non-Jewish children ---both American and Arab--- are not familiar with the story. This was another fabulous palace, built by Herod, on the top of a high mountain. It became a last stand for some Jewish rebels in Roman times. There was a long siege. Finally, the Romans breach the walls, then, assured of their victory, they go back down to sleep before ransacking the place. The story is that the Jews decide it is better to die free than live as slaves. Ten men are chosen to kill the rest. Men have to kill their own families, their friends and then each other. When the Romans make it to the top, all are dead except for a few women and children. The question is what would you do in the same situation?

One says he would die because that is brave. Another that they would go into slavery with the hope of escaping. Keaton says he could not kill his family. Lemond says he would not know what he would really choose unless he was in that situation. All seem moved. We tour the site: the pigeon rooms, the store rooms, the meeting room, the bath house and sauna, the place the Romans breached the walls... Is it all an ancient urban legend? It still provokes thoughts and feelings.




We go from there to the Dead Sea. The kids have a blast floating with no effort. The water feels oily and stings if you get it in your eyes or a cut. But the kids love this part of the journey!



Everyone rinses off and we drive back to Neve Shalom. Our next stop is the Old City Of Jerusalem.

When I first told the Arches we were going to Israel, the first thing Lemond asked was if he would get to ride a camel. Here he gets his chance. At the gates of the Old City, Lemond, Rianna and Kellin all ride a camel.

We meet a guide who takes us to a rooftop that gives us a magnificent view of the city. "There’s the Temple Mount!" Michel says." I prayed there," Menar tell us, reverently, "It is very beautiful."



We go next to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. It is said that on this site, Jesus was crucified, entombed and rose from the dead. There are several incredible shrines and mosaics. The Catholics among us seem particularly affected by this spot. There are many pilgrims and tourists. In one place, the attendant assumes the African-American Arches are all Muslims and makes them take off their shoes.

We walk through the streets of the old city. Who else has walked here? What figures from history and how many pilgrims?
We find a sort of area that is like an Old City food court with a bagel shop, a falafel shop and at the Israeli equivalent of a gyro place. The kids choose what they want for dinner.

Some of the kids shop in the marketplace. Shay’s mother, Hannah, is in great demand as she is great a bargaining with the shopkeepers. It is not unusual for the price to end up to be half of the original asking price.

We get to the Western Wall, the Wailing Wall. There is a security checkpoint and many beggars. Some try to sell you a red thread based on a story about Rebecca. Originally it is meant to protect women but here, men are getting them, too.
At the Wall, you are supposed to write your prayer on a piece of paper and place it into one of the myriad cracks. Diane is prepared and hands out post-it notes to everyone. There is a side for men and another for women. Many Orthodox Jews can be seen praying here. Some people are literally wailing by the Wall. There are plastic chairs for people to sit and pray. Masses of people are pressed up against the Wall. You just sort of wait by the back and seep your way to the front.
The Wall is jammed with supplications. Some are placed so high up, you wonder how they got there. At my eye-level, the wall is so stuffed with pieces of paper it is hard to see a place to squeeze more. Another custom is to walk away from the wall backwards. This is not easy with all the people and plastic chairs.

Israelis talk about having a pluralistic society. I’m not sure the kids really understand the social and historical significance of the different people they have seen who make up the population of Israel----Jews, Arabs, Muslims, Christians, Druze. America is composed of different religions and nationalities, as well. What is it that makes our differences more important than our similarities when we grow up? Why do your labels matter so much? Why is peaceful co-existence difficult for so many on the planet? You can look at the whole of Israel as a microcosm of human society and you can look at our little Galilee Arches Circus that way. I like our model better.
I have not written about problems we have had with and between individuals on this trip. I found out that the Galilee troupe has had similar issues between their members. But in both troupes, these incidents involve personal problems that stem from people living together in a community. The issues actually have nothing to do with race, religion, class, sex or national origin. People have conflicts. It is part of life. It is easier--- generally--- to resolve them one on one than group to group.