Israel. . Menachem Begin. . back in New York
Israel was great fun. . . ate more than I ought to have. . walked for miles and miles (ok, I'm exaggerating). . .made conversation (in Hebrew!) with random strangers. . .bought my brother a Zionist kippah sruga (he won't wear it, shrug) from an Arab Shuk. . . snapped photos with my digital camera of street signs that made me feel like I was back in Zionist class with Dan Miron (Jabotinsky, Herzl, Emile Zola, etc). . . watched Jerusalem transformed for a week into a kind of masquerade party with the secular and religious all taking advantage of an ordained opportunity to lose their inhibitions and live out their fantasies. . ad d'lo yadah. . .
Some highlights:
Mercaz Moreshet Begin--Menachem Begin Heritage Foundation in Jerusalem. The museum walks visitors through the life of one of Israel's most cherished leaders, a man who is remembered most notably for his love of the nation and the land of Israel. The museum is beautifully done and begins with Begin's childhood as a cheder boy in Brisk, his involvement with HaShomer HaTzair (socialist-Zionist youth movement) and later the revisionist, Jabotinsky-led Betar movement. Eventually Begin fled Warsaw with his wife Alicia Arnold, for Vilna, where he learned of the deaths of both his parents at the hands of the Nazis, and where he was soon imprisoned by Soviet authorities. In April 1942, Begin arrived to Palestine and became leader of the Irgun and with the establishment of the State spent more than two decades as leader of the opposition party in Israel until he was elected prime minister of Israel. The museum is poignant testament to the life and times of a leader who, when asked how intended to lead Israel as prime minister, responded: "as a good Jew."
Enough said on Yad Vashem but will just add again that the new addition is extremely well done.
I was stationed in Rechavya and walked from there to various places, not very far but nice, long walks, mostly very scenic. Hitched one ride, (very safe, not to worry), took lots of cabs and a couple of bus rides. Of course the old city of Jerusalem remains among my favorite spots to walk through. . although I'm always terrified I'll lose my way and wind up someplace unsafe, but hasn't happened yet. . . also spent lots of time on Emek Refaim, just a really nice street with lots of good food. . . walked to Katamon for lunch with friends on Shabbat, visited a really nice cafe named after S.Y. Agnon's novel, T'mol Shilshom (The Day Before Yesterday).
And now I'm back in the lovely city of New York, which I still adore. . .I wonder if I'm just too complacent or if I'm just too much in love with this city, but as much as I enjoyed my trip to Israel being back in New York City is always exciting. . .
Arrived back early in the morning, early enough to watch the sun rise over the Atlantic ocean . . . forgive my lack of poetic flair but it was really beautiful, the colors, the water, the clouds, and the little girl in the seat in front of me telling her mother "mommy, we're going down." Miraculous.
Some highlights:
Mercaz Moreshet Begin--Menachem Begin Heritage Foundation in Jerusalem. The museum walks visitors through the life of one of Israel's most cherished leaders, a man who is remembered most notably for his love of the nation and the land of Israel. The museum is beautifully done and begins with Begin's childhood as a cheder boy in Brisk, his involvement with HaShomer HaTzair (socialist-Zionist youth movement) and later the revisionist, Jabotinsky-led Betar movement. Eventually Begin fled Warsaw with his wife Alicia Arnold, for Vilna, where he learned of the deaths of both his parents at the hands of the Nazis, and where he was soon imprisoned by Soviet authorities. In April 1942, Begin arrived to Palestine and became leader of the Irgun and with the establishment of the State spent more than two decades as leader of the opposition party in Israel until he was elected prime minister of Israel. The museum is poignant testament to the life and times of a leader who, when asked how intended to lead Israel as prime minister, responded: "as a good Jew."
Enough said on Yad Vashem but will just add again that the new addition is extremely well done.
I was stationed in Rechavya and walked from there to various places, not very far but nice, long walks, mostly very scenic. Hitched one ride, (very safe, not to worry), took lots of cabs and a couple of bus rides. Of course the old city of Jerusalem remains among my favorite spots to walk through. . although I'm always terrified I'll lose my way and wind up someplace unsafe, but hasn't happened yet. . . also spent lots of time on Emek Refaim, just a really nice street with lots of good food. . . walked to Katamon for lunch with friends on Shabbat, visited a really nice cafe named after S.Y. Agnon's novel, T'mol Shilshom (The Day Before Yesterday).
And now I'm back in the lovely city of New York, which I still adore. . .I wonder if I'm just too complacent or if I'm just too much in love with this city, but as much as I enjoyed my trip to Israel being back in New York City is always exciting. . .
Arrived back early in the morning, early enough to watch the sun rise over the Atlantic ocean . . . forgive my lack of poetic flair but it was really beautiful, the colors, the water, the clouds, and the little girl in the seat in front of me telling her mother "mommy, we're going down." Miraculous.
posted by shoshana at 11:29 AM
5 Comments:
Welcome back!
"[The Palestinians are] beasts walking on two legs."
-Menachem Begin, speech to the Knesset, quoted in Amnon Kapeliouk, "Begin and the Beasts". New Statesman, June 25, 1982.
loved this post. until the end. i like new york too, but c'mon!
thanks, chum.
meryl--oh well, what to do i really love new york. . .
Pachelbel,
might want to get your facts straight:
Begin was talking, not about "the Palestinians" but about terrorists who target children within Israel.
On June 8, 1982, Begin addressed the Knesset in response to a no-confidence motion over Israel's invasion of Lebanon. He talked about defending the children of Israel, and according to a June 9, 1982 AP report, “his voice quaver[ed] with anger and sadness.” According to the minutes of the session, Begin stated:
The children of Israel will happily go to school and joyfully return home, just like the children in Washington, in Moscow, and in Peking, in Paris and in Rome, in Oslo, in Stockholm and in Copenhagen. The fate of... Jewish children has been different from all the children of the world throughout the generations. No more. We will defend our children. If the hand of any two-footed animal is raised against them, that hand will be cut off, and our children will grow up in joy in the homes of their parents.
Mmmmmmmmmm whenever I go to Israel I eat and eat and eat... yummy how can we turn down the food there?
I must admit though - whenever I come back to NY its always depressing. The sky here just is not as blue.
Welcome back.
Post a Comment
<< Home