Shabbas in da city

So I just spent my first Shabbat this year in Jlem. Of course, being me, I spent it with Christians. There I was, at the holiest site in the world, the place towards which all Jews pray, sitting on the cool stones with an Singapore-Canadian, who is working for the UN. Relief agency for Palestinians, and a French-Britain, who had just finished writing a book on museums, and a Norwegian, a band member who told me that it broke her heart that Jews were going to hell. (very sweet girl though)

How did I manage to be in Jewish nation and spend Shabbat with non-Jews?

I really don’t know. One Jewish girl was there; she was also working for the UN. Relief agency for Palestinians.

After the Kotel we went to Damascus Gate in the old city which is, as far as I know, part of the Arab quarter. Here everything was still open for business and the others got some coffee while I just sat holding my Siddur pretending to be a good little Jewish girl by not spending money on Shabbat.

I learned a lot from French-Britain, who had just finished writing a book on museums, basically because he is obsessed with museums and told me that the Israel National Museum is the only museum in the world that is privately funded. Therefore, the state can’t use the museum for propaganda. The example that he used was that the Dead Sea Scrolls could be used as establishing that Jews were their first or whatever, but instead it is just used intellectually.

He was also wearing on of those striped headbands that you can turn into different things like a headband, a touque, a scarf. Basically an overpriced stretchy piece of fabric.

Then we went out drinking (but not the good little Jewish girl) and I learnt all about the bad Settlers in the West Bank from Singapore-Canadian, who is working for the UN. Relief agency for Palestinians. I was personally shocked.
I was and still am part of the whole “But all Israel wants is Peace camp” but I have realized its not all that simple. These settlers in the West Bank are extremely right wing and they apparently beat up the Palestinians. Now, a Jew should not beat up anybody. This guy told me he actually saw these settlers beat up a 6 year old Palestinian girl.

I know. Jews? Fighting? Being mean? Apparently so. If you don’t believe me just youtube search Btselem


Thus, I have decided to visit the West Bank. I think its important to see these things for oneself. How can I judge something that I’ve never seen? Most North American Jews see everything in black and white. And its tiresome, and I think we are going to have to face up to the fact that we’re not all so great and we have our crazies too.

Museum guy wants to see a museum not on the holocaust but on how Germany go to the point where they could do what they did. Very interesting… like how did an entire nation get to the point where they ignored or perpetuated Nazi-ism? The same thing today like in the Congo and Sudan, how do people do those things? I mean…we’re also people. People just like us do these terrible things. So yea, I would like to have a museum to understand how and why! Or a book. But this guy is Museum boy, so he wants a museum.