Hi and thank you for stopping by for a look inside Israel. Today J of Jerusalem shares about the differences she found in Jerusalem Day this year from previous years. God bless you and yours, as you read and pray, for J and for Israel! Now here’s J . . .
Jerusalem Day was different this year.
If you have ever flown to Israel on our national airline, El Al, you were likely exposed to and interesting intrigue. We were puzzled by it when we immigrated, nearly 17 years ago, but now we understand. What happened was this; We asked where the El Al gate was, since it wasn’t posted, and we were told that ‘it would be announced.’ We waited…and waited… and WAITED, getting a bit nervous. Finally there was a whisper and a quick announcement… ‘El Al will be departing from gate 3’. We ran to gate 3 on the other side of the airport where we checked in through Israel’s famous ‘tight security’. We were asked if we ‘needed to go to the bathroom’ because we wouldn’t be allowed to go after this. Hum. We entered a secure, roped off area and waited, curious at all of the cloak and dagger. About 10 minutes before we were supposed to board the plane, we were hurriedly informed, as a group, that we needed to RUN to gate 73 (seemed about 10 miles away). It was the most ‘remote’ gate at the airport. We got there and boarded so quickly that it was startling, and before we were seated, we were in the air!
Jerusalem Day was like that this year!
In years past ‘the March of the Flag Dance’ came through the center of the city, from King George to Jaffa Road, through the Old City gates to the Western Wall. Many thousands of people would fill the streets rejoicing, singing with great joy and dancing the traditional ‘circle dances’ with Israeli flags lifted high and waving about. It is a contagious joy and I have loved it, particularly the songs thanking God for Jerusalem and singing from the many Psalms concerning Jerusalem.
But this year…hum! The FIRST thing that I heard was that the March of the Flag Dance would NOT be going down Jaffa Road because our notorious ‘lite rail’ is busy ‘practicing’ and we can’t possibly ‘interrupt it’. (That sounded fishy to me) Ok. WHERE is the march? I called, I asked, I searched the web. Nothing! Others began asking me ‘Where IS the march route?’ No one seemed to know.
Our older daughter called me; “Ema? Are you going to the Flag Dance March? I’m thinking of bringing the children.” Finally, yesterday I narrowed it down to TWO areas. Our ‘Official municipality web site’ said that the march would go from both Sacher Park and Independence Park through Jaffa Gate to the Wall. The radio news said that the march would begin in an East Jerusalem (Arab) neighborhood that has had disturbances lately, and enter the Old City through the Damascus gate…through the Moslem quarter to the wall. Hum! That would be ‘making the point’ that our Prime Minister announced so clearly “United Jerusalem will NOT be divided”. We had a 50% chance of hitting the march. We opted for the ‘easy way out’ and took a taxi to Independence Park (MUCH closer to us, thus a smaller fare).
I found a taxi and we piled in. “Shalom! Yom Yerushalym Semach! (happy Jerusalem day) Do you know the route of the march?” Stony silence! Wouldn’t you know it…an Arab taxi driver on Jerusalem day! “No idea!” he answered sullenly. “Where do you want to go.” It was a sober, silent ride. Quite different then my morning trip to the shuk where I made a point of wishing my favorite vendors “Yom Yerushalym Semach!” and they responded joyfully, often with song.
We got out at Independence park, although we saw immediately that there was no one there. We joined the throng outside the park walking toward the old city and were encouraged by seeing a flag here and there. We asked people along the way “Where is the march?” and received the same response over and over “I don’t know! I heard here and I also heard East Jerusalem.” It became humorous as people began putting together ‘clues’. “You know…It CAN’T be here because there isn’t enough security! I hardly see any soldiers!” Right! Smart man! Another added “And the street below us isn’t closed…” Someone piped in “well… but the march should come along the Old City path so they don’t need to close the road down there.” Now we were working together “Oh yes they would. They need to rope off the whole area…” Ok! Convinced I said “Come on kids! Let’s head to Damascus Gate” A chorus of voices protested “I’M TIRED SAFTALI! LET’S GO HOME!’
We DID walk toward the Damascus gate and saw parts of the 40,000 people who were dancing with the flags, but it HAD been hours already and the children had HAD ENOUGH, so we joined the masses of people looking for taxis. FINALLY piling the bedraggled children in, I greeted the driver “Shalom Adon (sir)!” I smiled and told him the address. Before we had gone far we were blocked by dancing rejoicing people. I smiled. The driver began to curse them “Look at them! Idiots! No respect for the law! Get out of the way! (honk honk) Look at these people! They don’t even come from here and they block the roads. None of these people come from here! They don’t love the land like those of us who are from here!”…ah me…we had another Arab taxi driver…and this one thought he had tourists, because that is the ‘line’ that they feed tourists. I have been told about it and now I was experiencing it. I began to pray. “Wait a minute!” I said. “I work in a doctor’s office and MANY people have been born here through out the generations. I know that for a fact.” He backed up “Well 50% come from other places.” Feeling self conscious now that we were immigrants I prayed, how do I proceed? I listened to him spout and prayed for wisdom. I agreed with him where I could. Even the children were silent. Suddenly I turned to him and said “Do you have any Grandchildren?” Ah HA! Caught him off guard! He smiled broadly “THREE! I have THREE.” “AH!” I said to him “These are MY 3! Wonderful isn’t it!” He was grinning ear to ear. I asked him about his children and learned that he had 3 children as well, and that they were thriving. All had gone to university HERE and become professionals … doctors… successful business men. He was now glowing with the joy of one who has a very satisfying life. “I am driving a taxi, but I also have a University degree. I worked for a long time as a teacher, but chose to drive taxi instead. I love to be outside and this way I see so many things.” He was happy and relaxed now. “This country has been good to you” I said, and he could only agree…”God has blessed you”. He was smiling when we got out. “It was very nice talking with you, sir” I said. “And I enjoyed meeting you” he answered.
No…this was NOT a Jerusalem Day like any other I’ve experienced. As we sit on the verge of a week full of explosive potential, perhaps it was a prelude. Our armies are prepared for 3 scheduled days of ‘border storming’ by countries around us, and a call for uprising in Jerusalem…AND…Wed is Shavuot…Pentecost! Explosive? What a week to expect miracles…to call for The Hand of God to reveal Himself…to believe in faith that PERHAPS this WILL be the week that The Holy Spirit is poured out AGAIN in this place!
Yes, Shavuot is next…the time of the first fruit offering…Shavuot…Pentecost…and that is another letter. I must go to bed. Thank you so much for your prayers! Lovingly, your sis.
ani b’derek
Deb's Blog 