Man
I'm definitely starting to feel connected to here.
You may have recently heard about the 7 people who were killed in Jerusalem by a Palestinian gunman. What you probably didn't hear about is the 11 Palestinians (including at least 3 children) killed the day before in Jenin in a random raid by Israeli soldiers; people going about their lives who happen to be on the same street as the soldiers when they arrive and are shot. Something that's happened many times since I've been here.
This kind of thing doesn't often make the news. It's only after many Palestinian's have been killed that a Palestinian retaliates, killing a fraction of as many Israeli's, that the media gets involved and people hear about the 'terrorist problem' in Palestine.
The thing that brings tears to my eyes is that these people who've been limited, attacked, belittled and oppressed are genuinely the kindest, most giving people I've ever met, in a way that permeates the culture. It is strange to be walking home from work and not be greeted by people I've never met before, and invited into people's houses, or given free food, or asked to come join in some event. I walked past some guy sitting on a ledge eating a whole pizza, and he asked me to join him, as if we knew each other and had purchased the pizza together. Or I went to watch a soccer team practice and was invited to join them, then later invited onto the team bus for their final series game, and a few days later invited to a big dinner with them, followed by invitations to parties and weddings and all sorts of things. Just because I was there.
Honestly, skepticism is often the first response when people are overly generous; the nagging thought of ok. What are you getting out of this. But so. Many. Times I've had shopkeepers give me items for free, insisting I don't pay, costing their business money just so I can feel comfortable here.
Man I think it's only when you've been living here for a little while that you start to really feel just the genuine goodwill that enwraps the deeds of the people I know here. The emphasis on family in this town is the reason why there are zero homeless people, and why extended family live right nearby and always come to visit throughout the week.
Considering the whole situation, I would honestly expect to see bitterness, or anger, or some sort of maladaptive coping, but it truly feels like a unanimous decision has been made to come together through the suffering and celebrate what they can. I know a bunch of highschoolers who everyday are using their free time (because Israel has essentially withheld most recreational activities) to fully renovate an abandoned shed on their own in the hopes of being able to turn it into something useful.
Essentially every Sunday is a holiday with a big family meal, and I'm also unable to walk very far in the rain because it is a guarantee that people will stop and insist I get in their car so they can take me wherever I want to go.
For all the challenges of living here that Israel has made sure to cause, this week I thought to myself "I see why so many people in my organization come back here after their term." There is something very real here. I talked to my friend on the phone in Canada who explained how her car battery had died, and how hard it was to get someone who would help give her car a jump; people either said no or asked her to wait a while in the freezing cold.
There's something really beautiful here.
