In my head, I imagine the following encounter, and no, this is not the wind-up for a joke:
A Muslim, a Christian and a Jew all die around the same time, and are brought into the room with the Big Kahuna, to review the accomplishments of their lives.
They all immediately start clamoring, asking "Was I right?"
G-d asks them in return, "What do you mean? What do you think it means to be 'right?'"
And the Muslim justifies his actions of jihad by citing the Koran, and the Christian justifies his actions based upon the New Testament, and the Jew justifies his actions based upon the Torah. After all, in order for each to be right, the others must be wrong.
G-d laughs, and explains, when all three fail to understand, their faces fallen and confused.
Each of us is born into a specific set of conditions, a particular color of the skin, a particular race and religion; a two parent home, a single parent home, an orphan; wealthy or poor, educated or uneducated; healthy or sickly and weak. In each lifetime we live, every reincarnation, our temporary existence on planet Earth is meant to teach us something, to refine our soul. If we don't learn the necessary lessons this time around, and live a life of regret and waste, we come back, again and again. Our Karma will most certainly bite us on the Gluteus Maximus. And once we have almost achieved the pinnacle of our understanding, we choose to return to Earth not as punishment, but as a facilitator, to help along others who might need some nudging.
The Universal Power created all human souls, and all the intelligence in the world of Nature, and all the phenomenon that we cannot see nor possibly understand fully. We are all equally loved and all equally expected to (quote Spike Lee), "Do the Right Thing."
Here lies the essential question, after your current term in this collection of life experience, did you leave the world a slightly better place than when you entered? Did you treat all people and all living beings on the planet - most importantly, yourself - with honor and respect? When you woke up in the morning, could you look yourself in the mirror, or were you ashamed of your activities and behaviours of the previous day? Did you take full advantage of the gifts and strengths that you were granted, and did you actively work on your weaknesses?
Did you lead a life balanced between service and joy?
I wish everyone a sweet, happy and healthy New Year.
Peace out, and Stay Super.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Monday, September 10, 2007
Mixed Signals, Epilogue
This morning, when driving home from the pool, the road without a name had some new subtle additions: a bright traffic yellow line painted at both the entrance and the exit to the street. No hi-tech invisible field stopping cars from actually driving on the road, just two bright yellow lines at its beginning and end. And in case the driver could not figure out the meaning, there were two smallish signs posted at either side of the the entrance, saying "No passage."
What surprises me most is the seeming ignorance of the Jerusalem Municipality, as regards the standard operating behaviour of most Israelis; mainly, they must build a tall physical barrier at both ends, and they must post a police officer there to give out tickets to every single driver who violates the law of the yellow line.
Despite the sign, despite the theoretical knowledge that the road should be closed off, we Israeli drivers - and I include myself in this category - will continue to use this road. This route has been a part of our daily commute for so long, that we follow the path without thinking. No one wants to add an extra ten minutes to their daily routine, I personally want to get home the most efficient way possible, and unless someone stops us, the status quo remains.
What surprises me most is the seeming ignorance of the Jerusalem Municipality, as regards the standard operating behaviour of most Israelis; mainly, they must build a tall physical barrier at both ends, and they must post a police officer there to give out tickets to every single driver who violates the law of the yellow line.
Despite the sign, despite the theoretical knowledge that the road should be closed off, we Israeli drivers - and I include myself in this category - will continue to use this road. This route has been a part of our daily commute for so long, that we follow the path without thinking. No one wants to add an extra ten minutes to their daily routine, I personally want to get home the most efficient way possible, and unless someone stops us, the status quo remains.
Saturday, September 1, 2007
Positive Parenting
I was sitting on my porch today, when one of my cats (Sarel "Runs Like Rabbit") jumped down into the garden. A few minutes later, I saw him eating something, along with a little girl and her mother standing by and watching quietly. Assuming that not everyone understands a cat's nutritional needs, I asked the little girl what she had fed him, and she answered, "Leftover chicken." Proteins are fine for cats, though they prefer it raw and I can't vouch for the recipe her mother had used; I thanked her on behalf of my cat, who was busy scarfing down the unexpected treat.
The little girl, a confident and friendly five or six year old, seeing that I was officially owned by Sarel, explained that she had seen him touring the neighborhood, and was wondering why he didn't have a tail like other cats. I told her the story of how I found him (run over), how he had surgery and not only lived through it, but has thrived significantly since. She then said that she liked feeding cats on the street, she liked sharing their family's food. The whole time, her mother stood by, observing our conversation, and I can only assume that it was her mother who packed the bag of leftovers for her daughter to distribute.
I have witnessed other occasions, most specifically the children of the Ultra Orthodox set, shouting, throwing rocks and kicking street cats, or dogs whose owners have let them out for some fresh air. Apparently the theory states that cats and other common household pets are not "Kosher" (Edible for religious Jews) and therefore cannot be owned, and nor should they be treated with any respect as a living being. Because G-d created all beings, but those that do not stand on two legs and can understand the Torah, and are worthy of being consumed, deserve less.
When I go out to feed the street cats in my area, I often pass an older Israeli man, who thanks me for showing these animals kindness, and will bless me and say, "A person who treats animals with love has love in their heart for all beings." Those who abuse animals most probably don't treat their human counterparts much better.
I can only hope that when I have children, they turn out like this sweet, loving girl I met today, in the way that she treats both human and feline; her parents have obviously given her a proper education, and I commend them for it.
The little girl, a confident and friendly five or six year old, seeing that I was officially owned by Sarel, explained that she had seen him touring the neighborhood, and was wondering why he didn't have a tail like other cats. I told her the story of how I found him (run over), how he had surgery and not only lived through it, but has thrived significantly since. She then said that she liked feeding cats on the street, she liked sharing their family's food. The whole time, her mother stood by, observing our conversation, and I can only assume that it was her mother who packed the bag of leftovers for her daughter to distribute.
I have witnessed other occasions, most specifically the children of the Ultra Orthodox set, shouting, throwing rocks and kicking street cats, or dogs whose owners have let them out for some fresh air. Apparently the theory states that cats and other common household pets are not "Kosher" (Edible for religious Jews) and therefore cannot be owned, and nor should they be treated with any respect as a living being. Because G-d created all beings, but those that do not stand on two legs and can understand the Torah, and are worthy of being consumed, deserve less.
When I go out to feed the street cats in my area, I often pass an older Israeli man, who thanks me for showing these animals kindness, and will bless me and say, "A person who treats animals with love has love in their heart for all beings." Those who abuse animals most probably don't treat their human counterparts much better.
I can only hope that when I have children, they turn out like this sweet, loving girl I met today, in the way that she treats both human and feline; her parents have obviously given her a proper education, and I commend them for it.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Civilized Anti-Semitism
Anyone who has watched the movie "Borat" will acknowledge that within its humor lies the deeper lesson which Sasha Baron Cohen wishes to portray: inside every civilized American is an anti-Semite, just waiting to get society's permission to express his/her true beliefs, those beliefs they share with their bar buddies or their families, those statements that are not politically correct to be heard by the general public.
I love to travel, and as much as I enjoy seeing new places, I look forward even more to meeting people of a different culture and background, and finding that common ground in a brief discussion, or over a cup of coffee. When I used to take the Shuttle between New York and Boston in college, I would often find myself in conversation with the passenger next to me, sharing life stories and exposing skeletons in closets; I have that kind of face and give off that kind of energy, I suppose, the billboard that says, "tell me your stories, I will listen."
For today, I want to focus on several incidents that were less pleasurable, and reminded me that wherever I go in the world, there is someone who hates me or misunderstands me simply because I was born into the Jewish nation, and live in the Jewish homeland. It stands as an important lesson for all of us, that in this enlightened and civilized age, old hatred runs deep.
In my first week at Chiropractic school (1993), during orientation, one man in particular repeatedly approached me, not to speak to me but to gaze at my forehead. After several uncomfortable moments, I asked him why he stared at me so intently, and he answered simply, "I am looking for your horns." He had grown up on a farm in the middle of Canada, and had never met a Jew before, and could not understand why I did not resemble Satan. I patiently explained the origin of the myth of the horns, quoting to him the passage in the Old Testament that described Moses' ray of lights, beaming from his face after he had his encounter with G-d and received the Ten Commandments. I also explained that the modern reference derives itself from the sculpture of Moses in Rome, the artist could not have free standing marble rays of light, and so attached them to the most likely and easiest area, the forehead. This fellow student ended up becoming a close friend, we worked as volunteers in an Ojibwe/First Nation (Indians, for the politically incorrect) clinic together, and all it took was a bit of education.
I won two tickets to Switzerland from a chocolate contest, and my friend and I went to that stunning country for one week (2001). On the train in Grindelwald, we presented our tickets and passports to one of the conductors; he looked at our two passports - One Israeli and One American, but issued in Jerusalem - nodded his head and as he walked off, clicked his heals together and did the "Sieg Heil" motion with his arm. I reacted immediately, and said to my friend, "He just Hitlered us!" But she did not see it and we dismissed it at the time.
Later, my friend and I were in Zurich on an English tour of Chagall windows in a Protestant Church. Of the five windows, four had completely Old Testament content, and only one window portrayed Jesus in any way. The guide said at one point, "And here we see the Jewish window, called so because it is dominated by the Jewish color, yellow." Not wanting to display immediate belligerence, I raised my hand and asked politely, "Though I am not aware of any official Jewish color, wouldn't you think the colors would be blue and white, the colors of the Israeli flag?" She replied that I knew nothing about art, and that the Jewish color was most definitively yellow.
Inspired by one of my all time favorite movies, "Field of Dreams," I stood up, called her a "Nazi Cow," and for the sake of the rest of the group, explained that the Nazi's assigned yellow stars to the Jews, before they exterminated them; and that the Swiss ought to know, because they got rich during WWII by stealing the Jews' money. And that I in fact had a degree in art and art history. No one in the tour group seemed shocked or surprised, and I thought at the time that a few people were thinking what I dared to speak aloud.
In Istanbul (1998), on a tour of a Sultan's palace, the Turkish guide made several minor anti-Semitic statements. My friend Ami, unable to hold herself back, asked the guide about the Turks' role in the Crusades, and about their occupation of the land we now call Israel; the man answered that he had no idea what she was talking about, and that she ought to go back and study her history.
This past week in Jordan (2007), Ali the Petra guide kept speaking about the Nabateans and the Fertile Crescent, mentioning every country along the ancient Spice Route except Israel. Ed, the American Jew from Philadelphia sitting next to me inquired Ali about this omission after it appeared several times, and Ali answered that technically, Israel did not exist then. Neither did Jordan, technically, but never mind.
History is told by those who survive it, and contrary to the belief proliferated by the Nazis, the facts do not change if you tell the lie enough times. Anti-Semitism, alive and well in our lifetime and only growing stronger, cannot be tolerated. We must all be on guard to protect our heritage and our history, and to not misconstrue the facts to suit political purposes.
I love to travel, and as much as I enjoy seeing new places, I look forward even more to meeting people of a different culture and background, and finding that common ground in a brief discussion, or over a cup of coffee. When I used to take the Shuttle between New York and Boston in college, I would often find myself in conversation with the passenger next to me, sharing life stories and exposing skeletons in closets; I have that kind of face and give off that kind of energy, I suppose, the billboard that says, "tell me your stories, I will listen."
For today, I want to focus on several incidents that were less pleasurable, and reminded me that wherever I go in the world, there is someone who hates me or misunderstands me simply because I was born into the Jewish nation, and live in the Jewish homeland. It stands as an important lesson for all of us, that in this enlightened and civilized age, old hatred runs deep.
In my first week at Chiropractic school (1993), during orientation, one man in particular repeatedly approached me, not to speak to me but to gaze at my forehead. After several uncomfortable moments, I asked him why he stared at me so intently, and he answered simply, "I am looking for your horns." He had grown up on a farm in the middle of Canada, and had never met a Jew before, and could not understand why I did not resemble Satan. I patiently explained the origin of the myth of the horns, quoting to him the passage in the Old Testament that described Moses' ray of lights, beaming from his face after he had his encounter with G-d and received the Ten Commandments. I also explained that the modern reference derives itself from the sculpture of Moses in Rome, the artist could not have free standing marble rays of light, and so attached them to the most likely and easiest area, the forehead. This fellow student ended up becoming a close friend, we worked as volunteers in an Ojibwe/First Nation (Indians, for the politically incorrect) clinic together, and all it took was a bit of education.
I won two tickets to Switzerland from a chocolate contest, and my friend and I went to that stunning country for one week (2001). On the train in Grindelwald, we presented our tickets and passports to one of the conductors; he looked at our two passports - One Israeli and One American, but issued in Jerusalem - nodded his head and as he walked off, clicked his heals together and did the "Sieg Heil" motion with his arm. I reacted immediately, and said to my friend, "He just Hitlered us!" But she did not see it and we dismissed it at the time.
Later, my friend and I were in Zurich on an English tour of Chagall windows in a Protestant Church. Of the five windows, four had completely Old Testament content, and only one window portrayed Jesus in any way. The guide said at one point, "And here we see the Jewish window, called so because it is dominated by the Jewish color, yellow." Not wanting to display immediate belligerence, I raised my hand and asked politely, "Though I am not aware of any official Jewish color, wouldn't you think the colors would be blue and white, the colors of the Israeli flag?" She replied that I knew nothing about art, and that the Jewish color was most definitively yellow.
Inspired by one of my all time favorite movies, "Field of Dreams," I stood up, called her a "Nazi Cow," and for the sake of the rest of the group, explained that the Nazi's assigned yellow stars to the Jews, before they exterminated them; and that the Swiss ought to know, because they got rich during WWII by stealing the Jews' money. And that I in fact had a degree in art and art history. No one in the tour group seemed shocked or surprised, and I thought at the time that a few people were thinking what I dared to speak aloud.
In Istanbul (1998), on a tour of a Sultan's palace, the Turkish guide made several minor anti-Semitic statements. My friend Ami, unable to hold herself back, asked the guide about the Turks' role in the Crusades, and about their occupation of the land we now call Israel; the man answered that he had no idea what she was talking about, and that she ought to go back and study her history.
This past week in Jordan (2007), Ali the Petra guide kept speaking about the Nabateans and the Fertile Crescent, mentioning every country along the ancient Spice Route except Israel. Ed, the American Jew from Philadelphia sitting next to me inquired Ali about this omission after it appeared several times, and Ali answered that technically, Israel did not exist then. Neither did Jordan, technically, but never mind.
History is told by those who survive it, and contrary to the belief proliferated by the Nazis, the facts do not change if you tell the lie enough times. Anti-Semitism, alive and well in our lifetime and only growing stronger, cannot be tolerated. We must all be on guard to protect our heritage and our history, and to not misconstrue the facts to suit political purposes.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Wadi Rum (Day Two)
A Story from the Koran: Muhamed ascended to chat with G-d, to ask the Ultimate Almighty Being how the new religion of Islam should be structured. They spoke, and on the way down, Muhamed bumped into the other prophets, Moses, Jesus and Father Abraham. This auspicious group asked Muhamed, "Nu, so what does your new religion have in store for its people?" Muhamed answered, "They must pray 50 times a day."
The other prophets immediately told Muhamed to return and negotiate that stipulation, that no normal human would stick with that kind of demand, that they would get nothing done. And so Muhamed returned with the more reasonable number of five times a day.
(Of course, Muhamed could have mentioned in the Koran that the Muezzin should not start at 4:30 in the morning in a five star hotel called the Taybet Zemen, where certain non Muslim guest are trying to sleep...)
Other things I learned from Ali2 about the Koran and Muhamed:
1. A woman experiencing her "Monthly Secret" [whispered the way people talk about cancer] does not do Ramadan, does not pray, cannot even touch a copy of the Koran. Nor do most woman in most situations, they pretty much get a free pass from the fasting. A man can buy Ramadan points by giving charity to poor people, or by organizing a prayer group.
2. Muslims do not use toilet paper, they must wash out their bodies on the inside with water every time, and they must wash their hands a special way afterwards. They also must shower immediately after having sex.
3. They can have up to four wives, but must treat each wife with "fairness." Which means that a husband must juggle his household with "White Lies." (Ali2's words, not mine) and give all his wives the same gifts.
4. The Koran has answers to every problem that has occurred and that will occur. The text covers physics and space and genetics, and solved the baby switching problem in the US during the Reagan presidencies.
5. Gosh Darnit, why haven't we all converted to Islam? It's such a terrific religion and it respects everyone!
All issues of Ali2's [another guide, also named Ali] proselytising aside, I spent a wonderful day in the Wadi Rum Desert Basin. The color of the sand, the crystal clear blue of the sky, the overwhelming natural beauty of the rock formations, ancient stone carving from the Nabatean and Stone age. We saw it, we walked it, we jeeped it, we built a fire in a cave and had a simple Middle Eastern lunch. When we ran out of specific places to see along the ancient Spice Route, we went on a dune buggy adventure in his 4 x 4, a mini roller coaster ride.
Ali2 also shared ancient Bedouin desert cures and survival skills. We had many discussions throughout the day, including topics of Middle East politics, which I elicited on purpose. He slipped once and called my homeland "Palestine," but otherwise remained quite respectful and open to the idea of peace. He doesn't like Hezbollah any more than I do, they are in his words, "animals."
My guide is quite an interesting man: wife(teacher), five children aged 18-3 years old, degree in Chemistry, served in the UN army in war torn Yugoslavia for a year. The man barely sipped water the entire day in the heat of the desert, instead at every brief stop he lit up a cigarette. Ali said he is planning on using the period of Ramada to quit for good. At least he did not smoke at all near me or in the jeep, though he only used the AC at the end of the day trip, arghh. We did some mounting climbing, me in my hiking sneakers and him in flip-flops, he is definitely part mountain goat.
Funny story, we were at a location called the bridge, a huge natural archway carved out of the stone by water during the flood season, and one of Ali's friends came over to say hello. Ali said (in Arabic) that I was a doctor, and this man shows me his ankle, full of burns. Ali explained to me that this man sprained his ankle, and the Bedouin way of treating sprains and fractures is to rub a special concoction of olive oil on the area, and then burn it. I told Ali to explain to his friend that not only am I a doctor who specializes in this area, but that I myself experienced a bad sprain a month ago, and that he should have done rehab and ultra sound instead. I end up giving a medical consult to a random Arab in the middle of the Wadi.
Moral of the Story: You can't escape your destiny, not in a foreign country where you don't speak the language, even on vacation.
Another Moral of the Story: Can I now write off this Petra trip as a Chiropractic business expense?
Photos cannot capture the sandstorms I witnessed on this trip. The phenomenon seem to appear out of nowhere and to be moved and motivated by nothing visible, except perhaps a will and magic of their own. On the drive to Acquba at the end of the day, a sandstorm literally crossed the highway, writhing in various smoky forms, but with purpose. I commented to Ali that it reminds me of the story of the genie, emerging from its bottle. Which started a whole new discussion about the Koran's view of angels, genies, spirits and the like. Each nation has good genies and bad genies, that speak the mother tongue of their chosen country. And a genie will only hurt you if you hurt them, kind of like killer sharks. Good to know, next time you throw a stone into the air, or a piece of garbage on the ground, you could be pissing off a genie.
Never mind Ali2, the point is that all aspects of nature have a soul of their own, and I absolutely learned and experienced proof of that in the past two days.
The return to Acquba and the border crossing were easy and uneventful; I have to compliment the tour company, I had an escort from beginning to end, right back to the door of the hotel in Eilat where I slept overnight. When I arrived at the hotel, a small kitten immediately gravitated toward me, sat on my (sweaty) lap, and purred itself to sleep; yet more reinforcement that I cannot truly escape my identity and destiny.
Final thought question: Why does Ali2 - Arab parents, born and bred in Jordan - speak English with an Irish brogue? And why can neither Ali properly pronounce the word, "investment"?
(End of Part II)
The other prophets immediately told Muhamed to return and negotiate that stipulation, that no normal human would stick with that kind of demand, that they would get nothing done. And so Muhamed returned with the more reasonable number of five times a day.
(Of course, Muhamed could have mentioned in the Koran that the Muezzin should not start at 4:30 in the morning in a five star hotel called the Taybet Zemen, where certain non Muslim guest are trying to sleep...)
Other things I learned from Ali2 about the Koran and Muhamed:
1. A woman experiencing her "Monthly Secret" [whispered the way people talk about cancer] does not do Ramadan, does not pray, cannot even touch a copy of the Koran. Nor do most woman in most situations, they pretty much get a free pass from the fasting. A man can buy Ramadan points by giving charity to poor people, or by organizing a prayer group.
2. Muslims do not use toilet paper, they must wash out their bodies on the inside with water every time, and they must wash their hands a special way afterwards. They also must shower immediately after having sex.
3. They can have up to four wives, but must treat each wife with "fairness." Which means that a husband must juggle his household with "White Lies." (Ali2's words, not mine) and give all his wives the same gifts.
4. The Koran has answers to every problem that has occurred and that will occur. The text covers physics and space and genetics, and solved the baby switching problem in the US during the Reagan presidencies.
5. Gosh Darnit, why haven't we all converted to Islam? It's such a terrific religion and it respects everyone!
All issues of Ali2's [another guide, also named Ali] proselytising aside, I spent a wonderful day in the Wadi Rum Desert Basin. The color of the sand, the crystal clear blue of the sky, the overwhelming natural beauty of the rock formations, ancient stone carving from the Nabatean and Stone age. We saw it, we walked it, we jeeped it, we built a fire in a cave and had a simple Middle Eastern lunch. When we ran out of specific places to see along the ancient Spice Route, we went on a dune buggy adventure in his 4 x 4, a mini roller coaster ride.
Ali2 also shared ancient Bedouin desert cures and survival skills. We had many discussions throughout the day, including topics of Middle East politics, which I elicited on purpose. He slipped once and called my homeland "Palestine," but otherwise remained quite respectful and open to the idea of peace. He doesn't like Hezbollah any more than I do, they are in his words, "animals."
My guide is quite an interesting man: wife(teacher), five children aged 18-3 years old, degree in Chemistry, served in the UN army in war torn Yugoslavia for a year. The man barely sipped water the entire day in the heat of the desert, instead at every brief stop he lit up a cigarette. Ali said he is planning on using the period of Ramada to quit for good. At least he did not smoke at all near me or in the jeep, though he only used the AC at the end of the day trip, arghh. We did some mounting climbing, me in my hiking sneakers and him in flip-flops, he is definitely part mountain goat.
Funny story, we were at a location called the bridge, a huge natural archway carved out of the stone by water during the flood season, and one of Ali's friends came over to say hello. Ali said (in Arabic) that I was a doctor, and this man shows me his ankle, full of burns. Ali explained to me that this man sprained his ankle, and the Bedouin way of treating sprains and fractures is to rub a special concoction of olive oil on the area, and then burn it. I told Ali to explain to his friend that not only am I a doctor who specializes in this area, but that I myself experienced a bad sprain a month ago, and that he should have done rehab and ultra sound instead. I end up giving a medical consult to a random Arab in the middle of the Wadi.
Moral of the Story: You can't escape your destiny, not in a foreign country where you don't speak the language, even on vacation.
Another Moral of the Story: Can I now write off this Petra trip as a Chiropractic business expense?
Photos cannot capture the sandstorms I witnessed on this trip. The phenomenon seem to appear out of nowhere and to be moved and motivated by nothing visible, except perhaps a will and magic of their own. On the drive to Acquba at the end of the day, a sandstorm literally crossed the highway, writhing in various smoky forms, but with purpose. I commented to Ali that it reminds me of the story of the genie, emerging from its bottle. Which started a whole new discussion about the Koran's view of angels, genies, spirits and the like. Each nation has good genies and bad genies, that speak the mother tongue of their chosen country. And a genie will only hurt you if you hurt them, kind of like killer sharks. Good to know, next time you throw a stone into the air, or a piece of garbage on the ground, you could be pissing off a genie.
Never mind Ali2, the point is that all aspects of nature have a soul of their own, and I absolutely learned and experienced proof of that in the past two days.
The return to Acquba and the border crossing were easy and uneventful; I have to compliment the tour company, I had an escort from beginning to end, right back to the door of the hotel in Eilat where I slept overnight. When I arrived at the hotel, a small kitten immediately gravitated toward me, sat on my (sweaty) lap, and purred itself to sleep; yet more reinforcement that I cannot truly escape my identity and destiny.
Final thought question: Why does Ali2 - Arab parents, born and bred in Jordan - speak English with an Irish brogue? And why can neither Ali properly pronounce the word, "investment"?
(End of Part II)
Petra (Day One)
Fact: There is a small village in Israel called Shittim.
My guide picked me up from my hotel in Eilat around seven am, and we crossed over the border at the Yitzchak Rabin crossing into the Duty Free zone of Acquba, Jordan. Myself and 19 other English speakers began an adventure in the desert. Technically, two of the members of our group live in Italy, two in Singapore, four in England, five in Israel and the rest in the United States. Including a pregnant Jewish woman from LA, who walked all the day in the sun, and whom the guide kept hoping would give birth in Petra at some point during the tour. ("We give your baby Jordanian citizenship.")
Our guide for the first day, Ali, gave us a thorough history of Jordan as a Kingdom and as a political entity, and just in case one would forget the current ruler of the Hashemite Kingdom, approximately every five feet, in both the cities and on the highways, some photo of King Hussein, past and present, appeared. The King in formal wear, the King in military wear, the King with his now dead (1999) father, the King with his wife and children. Ali explained that the nation loves their ruler, and that the photos show how powerful he has become since he ascended the throne. I look at this display and interpret it as insecurity, much in the same way that every house car and dog had an American flag wrapped around themselves after 9/11; if you create a fantasy and hit everyone over the head with a hammer with the message, maybe someone will believe it.
The city of Acquba boasts the largest free flying flag on the planet. This composite flag which represents the successful revolution against the Ottoman Empire, can be seen across the road so to speak in Eilat, and makes so much noise that it disturbs the sleep of those 100,000 port workers who live nearby.
Approximately two hours later, we arrived at Petra, and began a six hour hike in the most naturally beautiful canyons and Nabatean/Roman ruins. Words cannot do it justice, you will have to wait for me to post the photos. For fans of Indiana Jones, there is indeed a dramatic moment, when you round the corner in the canyon and come upon the Treasury Building seen in the movie, though our group did not find any treasure there that day. Also impressive are the rows of the Royal Tombs, carved into the cliffs, each in the style of the various civilizations that inhabited the site.
The taxis in the area, the camels and donkeys, seemed hot and tired and overworked to me, though I may be anthropomorphising these beasts of burdens. Ali assured me that their masters treat them well and feed them regularly. I was also slightly concerned at the very young children herding the taxis and selling jewelry; Ali assured me again that it is Jordanian law that all children go to school, and that the school year starts next week.
After a Middle Eastern style lunch, we were given two hours to return to our starting point, the Petra visitor's center, marked by two giant portraits of the Kings Hussein. I wandered back with my Singapore friends, Meg and Beng, and we took horses for the last 300 meters uphill, the heat had become overwhelming, but we Tigers (the name of our group) made it, albeit sweaty and exhausted.
Of note, Petra is located in Wadi Musa, named after the Jewish Prophet Moses, whom the Muslims seem to revere almost as much as their own prophet Muhamed. Throughout the day, Ali kept referring to the "Prophet Moses", and pointing out various springs in the desert named after him as well. Ali also taught me something I did not know: the Dome of the Rock is not in fact the place where Muhamed ascended, but the rock brought from the very spot in the desert where Moses had the whole burning bush discussion, he and G-d.
I came to learn much more about Muhamed and the Koran on the second day...
The evening was spent at the Taybet Zeman hotel, an entire Arab village near Wadi Rum which was converted to a five star hotel. This hotel has entire complex of shops bars and restaurants, a Turkish bath, a Heliport and a swimming pool. My room faced a stunning view of the mountains, including the mountain on which Aaron (Moses' brother, another revered figure in Arab culture) is supposedly buried. The suites are outfitted with the finest accessories and the gardens are beautifully manicured. Every time you breathe, some staff member asks if you need anything. If you ever find yourself near Petra, there is only one hotel in which to stay. (Not an official endorsement.)
And it was the best shower I have taken in a long time.
(End of Part I)
My guide picked me up from my hotel in Eilat around seven am, and we crossed over the border at the Yitzchak Rabin crossing into the Duty Free zone of Acquba, Jordan. Myself and 19 other English speakers began an adventure in the desert. Technically, two of the members of our group live in Italy, two in Singapore, four in England, five in Israel and the rest in the United States. Including a pregnant Jewish woman from LA, who walked all the day in the sun, and whom the guide kept hoping would give birth in Petra at some point during the tour. ("We give your baby Jordanian citizenship.")
Our guide for the first day, Ali, gave us a thorough history of Jordan as a Kingdom and as a political entity, and just in case one would forget the current ruler of the Hashemite Kingdom, approximately every five feet, in both the cities and on the highways, some photo of King Hussein, past and present, appeared. The King in formal wear, the King in military wear, the King with his now dead (1999) father, the King with his wife and children. Ali explained that the nation loves their ruler, and that the photos show how powerful he has become since he ascended the throne. I look at this display and interpret it as insecurity, much in the same way that every house car and dog had an American flag wrapped around themselves after 9/11; if you create a fantasy and hit everyone over the head with a hammer with the message, maybe someone will believe it.
The city of Acquba boasts the largest free flying flag on the planet. This composite flag which represents the successful revolution against the Ottoman Empire, can be seen across the road so to speak in Eilat, and makes so much noise that it disturbs the sleep of those 100,000 port workers who live nearby.
Approximately two hours later, we arrived at Petra, and began a six hour hike in the most naturally beautiful canyons and Nabatean/Roman ruins. Words cannot do it justice, you will have to wait for me to post the photos. For fans of Indiana Jones, there is indeed a dramatic moment, when you round the corner in the canyon and come upon the Treasury Building seen in the movie, though our group did not find any treasure there that day. Also impressive are the rows of the Royal Tombs, carved into the cliffs, each in the style of the various civilizations that inhabited the site.
The taxis in the area, the camels and donkeys, seemed hot and tired and overworked to me, though I may be anthropomorphising these beasts of burdens. Ali assured me that their masters treat them well and feed them regularly. I was also slightly concerned at the very young children herding the taxis and selling jewelry; Ali assured me again that it is Jordanian law that all children go to school, and that the school year starts next week.
After a Middle Eastern style lunch, we were given two hours to return to our starting point, the Petra visitor's center, marked by two giant portraits of the Kings Hussein. I wandered back with my Singapore friends, Meg and Beng, and we took horses for the last 300 meters uphill, the heat had become overwhelming, but we Tigers (the name of our group) made it, albeit sweaty and exhausted.
Of note, Petra is located in Wadi Musa, named after the Jewish Prophet Moses, whom the Muslims seem to revere almost as much as their own prophet Muhamed. Throughout the day, Ali kept referring to the "Prophet Moses", and pointing out various springs in the desert named after him as well. Ali also taught me something I did not know: the Dome of the Rock is not in fact the place where Muhamed ascended, but the rock brought from the very spot in the desert where Moses had the whole burning bush discussion, he and G-d.
I came to learn much more about Muhamed and the Koran on the second day...
The evening was spent at the Taybet Zeman hotel, an entire Arab village near Wadi Rum which was converted to a five star hotel. This hotel has entire complex of shops bars and restaurants, a Turkish bath, a Heliport and a swimming pool. My room faced a stunning view of the mountains, including the mountain on which Aaron (Moses' brother, another revered figure in Arab culture) is supposedly buried. The suites are outfitted with the finest accessories and the gardens are beautifully manicured. Every time you breathe, some staff member asks if you need anything. If you ever find yourself near Petra, there is only one hotel in which to stay. (Not an official endorsement.)
And it was the best shower I have taken in a long time.
(End of Part I)
Saturday, August 18, 2007
One Politician's Priorities
Let's all sign a collective sigh for our sad Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert. He wanted to take a vacation with his family in a private villa in Northern Italy, and his security team decided that it would be too dangerous for him, and that the extra security would cost Israeli taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars. To quote the newspaper Haaretz, "that's the last thing he needs right now." Here he was, doing us Israeli taxpayers a favor, by choosing not to travel and relax within his own country, because he did not want to inconvenience the standard Israeli family on vacation.
Sigh. (Tear drops fall from my eyes in sympathy for his plight.)
Last week, one of the cars in this same Prime Minister's security motorcade, ran over a ten year old girl at a cross walk. It was not the car in which the PM himself was sitting, his security entourage scurried the girl off to Hadassah Hospital, and only told the Big Man that they almost killed one of his constituents when he was safe in his home. After all, Olmert need not be bothered with the little people and the small details. The girl is currently listed as being in "Moderate Condition," which means that she may only lose a limb or two.
I am overwhelmed by the accountability our PM feels for us lowly citizens.
When Olmert started his serious political career as Mayor of Jerusalem, he spent more time outside the country than taking care of the filth issues, the poverty problems and the crime statistics in the Holy City. He has great friends in high places all over the world, because while he was being wined and dined in the international setting, he handed over the running of Jerusalem to the Ultra-Religious politicos, who then ran the city into the ground.
As Prime Minister, he continually blurts out gaffes which show the gap between his understanding of and commitment to the Israeli citizens he is meant to represent. Like the time he announced to the world that we in fact have nuclear capability, a secret every other PM in history has officially kept from our Arab neighbors. Like the time he announced, during the war last summer, that this is the best time to give away more land and evict more Jews from their homes, because the Gaza pullout worked out so well. Like the time he told a bunch of teenagers at a high school that the government was not working all that hard to return the three MIAs, because "they were probably dead already anyway."
And way to show sensitivity by telling Holocaust survivors that they would receive an extra "life changing" $20 per month, when most of them are living in poverty and ill health, with no support from their family. Imagine a group of people almost exterminated by the Nazis, being told by their Jewish Prime Minister that he 'worked really hard' and 'gave it a lot of thought' and 'pushed for their benefit,' for an extra $20 a month. Disgraceful, that same amount of money would not buy Olmert one of his illegal Cuban cigars.
The two major parties, Likud and Labour, have hand picked new party leaders with the express purpose of ousting Olmert once and for all, trouncing his Kadima party in the next election. As far as I am concerned, Olmert needs to resign now, before the full release of the Winograd Report on his inadequacies during the war, and before he can do any more damage.
PM Olmert, while you are confined to your home during your vacation, instead of mingling with celebrities and heads of state in Italy, here are some projects you can attempt to resolve, while you still have the power and position to do so. (There will be a test at the end of the week.):
1. Three missing MIAs, no visible activity to get them home, dead or alive. Whatever happened to the Israeli ethic of leaving no soldier behind?
2. Over a million and a half children below the poverty line, not to mention the spade of children dying in cars this summer, because of lack of social services and proper education. Pay attention to the next generation.
3. Jerusalem, the capital of Israel and holy to all religions, is one of the dirtiest and poorest cities in the entire country. Shame on us.
4. Almost all of your top officials and advisers have already been convicted of crimes and corruption, or are on their way to prison. How about some staff changes?
5. The probable war between Israel and Syria, are we at all ready for another attack from outside and within our borders?
Israel has also exhibited a lack of initiative in highlighting and helping to prevent anti-Semitism around the world. We are meant to be a beacon for Jews, who must be able to feel that they have a homeland, a safe haven. Only 2% of the population [with a margin of error of plus/minus 3%!] respects this current administration, hardly the confidence needed to bring Jews to Israel, and to help its citizens feel secure from the threats surrounding us.
Sigh. (Tear drops fall from my eyes in sympathy for his plight.)
Last week, one of the cars in this same Prime Minister's security motorcade, ran over a ten year old girl at a cross walk. It was not the car in which the PM himself was sitting, his security entourage scurried the girl off to Hadassah Hospital, and only told the Big Man that they almost killed one of his constituents when he was safe in his home. After all, Olmert need not be bothered with the little people and the small details. The girl is currently listed as being in "Moderate Condition," which means that she may only lose a limb or two.
I am overwhelmed by the accountability our PM feels for us lowly citizens.
When Olmert started his serious political career as Mayor of Jerusalem, he spent more time outside the country than taking care of the filth issues, the poverty problems and the crime statistics in the Holy City. He has great friends in high places all over the world, because while he was being wined and dined in the international setting, he handed over the running of Jerusalem to the Ultra-Religious politicos, who then ran the city into the ground.
As Prime Minister, he continually blurts out gaffes which show the gap between his understanding of and commitment to the Israeli citizens he is meant to represent. Like the time he announced to the world that we in fact have nuclear capability, a secret every other PM in history has officially kept from our Arab neighbors. Like the time he announced, during the war last summer, that this is the best time to give away more land and evict more Jews from their homes, because the Gaza pullout worked out so well. Like the time he told a bunch of teenagers at a high school that the government was not working all that hard to return the three MIAs, because "they were probably dead already anyway."
And way to show sensitivity by telling Holocaust survivors that they would receive an extra "life changing" $20 per month, when most of them are living in poverty and ill health, with no support from their family. Imagine a group of people almost exterminated by the Nazis, being told by their Jewish Prime Minister that he 'worked really hard' and 'gave it a lot of thought' and 'pushed for their benefit,' for an extra $20 a month. Disgraceful, that same amount of money would not buy Olmert one of his illegal Cuban cigars.
The two major parties, Likud and Labour, have hand picked new party leaders with the express purpose of ousting Olmert once and for all, trouncing his Kadima party in the next election. As far as I am concerned, Olmert needs to resign now, before the full release of the Winograd Report on his inadequacies during the war, and before he can do any more damage.
PM Olmert, while you are confined to your home during your vacation, instead of mingling with celebrities and heads of state in Italy, here are some projects you can attempt to resolve, while you still have the power and position to do so. (There will be a test at the end of the week.):
1. Three missing MIAs, no visible activity to get them home, dead or alive. Whatever happened to the Israeli ethic of leaving no soldier behind?
2. Over a million and a half children below the poverty line, not to mention the spade of children dying in cars this summer, because of lack of social services and proper education. Pay attention to the next generation.
3. Jerusalem, the capital of Israel and holy to all religions, is one of the dirtiest and poorest cities in the entire country. Shame on us.
4. Almost all of your top officials and advisers have already been convicted of crimes and corruption, or are on their way to prison. How about some staff changes?
5. The probable war between Israel and Syria, are we at all ready for another attack from outside and within our borders?
Israel has also exhibited a lack of initiative in highlighting and helping to prevent anti-Semitism around the world. We are meant to be a beacon for Jews, who must be able to feel that they have a homeland, a safe haven. Only 2% of the population [with a margin of error of plus/minus 3%!] respects this current administration, hardly the confidence needed to bring Jews to Israel, and to help its citizens feel secure from the threats surrounding us.
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