Telling Stories - Remembering Anniversaries

With each passing day, this land called holy becomes a more confusing place to be.

Two weeks ago the Israeli authorities placed demolition orders on the caves and tents of a humble Lutheran family.

Days later, Israeli commandos boarded a ship bringing humanitarian aid to Gaza, killing nine people. The media reports have run the gamut - from Israel's assertions that the boat carried terrorists and weapons, to Turkey's assurance that it was simply a humanitarian effort and the Israelis staged a deliberate attack.

Shortly thereafter, Helen Thomas said that the "Jews should get the hell out of Palestine" and "go home to Poland and Germany" - after which she was forced to resign from the White House Press Corp.

Last Friday, I stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Israelis of the organization Women in Black, who gathered in West Jerusalem to mark the 43rd anniversary of the occupation and urge Israel to bring an end to the Gaza siege. I watched as many driving by shouted or gestured obscenities and called these women "traitors"- simply for standing on a street corner and voicing their opinion.

Yesterday, a Palestinian man was killed by border police in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Wadi Joz. Israeli headlines read "Palestinian killed in suspected East Jerusalem terror bid" and describe how the man had attempted to run over the policemen in his car, while a Palestinian news agency reports that "other testimony has the man speeding toward the hospital with an injured man in his truck." My question is, why were the police in Wadi Joz at all? "Security reasons," of course - but it seems like just as much provocation as anything else...

But back to my title...

I fly out of Ben Gurion airport in just over one month - so "transition" has been on my mind a lot recently. What will it be like to go home? How can I ever explain how this place can be beautiful and terrible and miraculous and grotesque - all at the same time? How will I respond when someone asks me "How was Israel??" - knowing full well that they are truly interested in learning about my experiences, but not knowing how to explain that, well, I didn't live in Israel. I lived in Occupied East Jerusalem - in Palestine. I traveled to and through Israel many times, and indeed it is a beautiful country and I met some wonderful Israelis - but please, ask me about Palestine- I know much more about Palestine.

And so I have been thinking about my grandparents - and how they have always loved to listen to my stories (grandparents are exceptional at that, aren't they?). I anticipate that when I return home they will be some of the most eager to listen as I ramble about the complexities - the frustrations - and the miraculous people of both countries who dedicate their lives to working for peace. And that's all I could ask of anyone - because I certainly don't know what to believe or how to feel about everything that has happened recently - but I do think it's important to ask the questions and to live into the complexity of it all. To embrace the uncertainty of not knowing whether a two-state solution or a one-state solution is best or if the Israeli commandos boarded the flotilla with the intention to kill or simply divert the ship. To admit that we can learn from one another even when our perspectives are very different.

I have a fear of returning to a country where many won't want to hear what I have to say about my experiences because what I have to say falls outside of what people are used to hearing.

And so I have been thinking about my grandparents - Bedstemor, Bedstefar, Grandma, Grandpa and even Grama Frieda. And I think about you who have been faithfully reading my blogs and keeping in email contact throughout the year. I give thanks every day that I have a wonderful support system of friends and family who will put up with me even when they don't get why news about a home demolition in East Jerusalem might make me cry - or why sometimes I can't form a single coherent sentence about my experience living in the Holy Land or what I think about the peace process.

60 years ago today Bedstemor and Bedstefar were married in Albert Lea, Minnesota and 8 years (and 6 days) later Grandma and Grandpa were married in Talmage, Nebraska. Happy Anniversary to you both - and thanks for listening!
Happy Anniversary also to Mom and Dad (25!) on Tuesday, and Uncle Kent and Aunt Lori on Wednesday!