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Jerusalem in April by Nancy Farese

Damascus Gate, Jerusalem

Wind whistles through a cracked window frame in my hotel room in Ramallah; an evening call to prayer sounds guttural and belchy to my linguistically challenged ears; the occasional police car screaming past reminds me of the instability we saw today in the West Bank. It sets a mood of exoticism, risk, and amazement that life goes on so calmly. Welcome to Palestine.

Jerusalem, from the West Bank

Church of The Nativity

Jesus hung out here as a child, reports my guidebook, said of Nazareth which is 40k down the road. We visited the Church of the Nativity today and as none of us were biblical scholars we had an embarrassing conversation about where was the nativity, and was the Sheep’s Meadow (“shepherds watching over their flock by night…”), visited by the Star and the Magi, closer to Nazareth or Bethlehem? I’m just fascinated that it is all right here.

Similarly, I walked Old Jerusalem this morning, and learned that it continues to harbor 4 quarters that are owned exclusively by 4 disparate faiths, each claiming their corner of this sacred spot for thousands of years: Jewish, Muslim, Christian and Armenian. It is quite peaceful at the jetlagged prime time of 6am, lovely light for photos and sleepy hellos. The biggest challenge is not getting lost in the maze of streets, though it becomes convenient that there is an armed Israeli soldier on most every corner who speaks good English. Convenient, till it gets scary….

I spent the day today whizzing through checkpoints and visiting schools and happy homes with Right to Play. The sky was ominous, as was my budding understanding of all that I don’t know about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. At a stop sign, the car in front of us sticks his hand out his window and wiggles his finger – the universal signal for gunfire ahead, I’ve learned. Sure enough, on the distant hillside we see a fleeing (Palestinian) figure, Israeli soldiers in full combat gear close behind, tear gas flying, and screeching cars as we join the rush of cars to clear the area, fast.

 The Separation Wall loops and meanders around Bethlehem and is a backdrop for political commentary: Banksy is well represented here.

This was the first of 3 such incidents today; just another day in the PT where things can turn on a dime. Interestingly, Bob and I discussed later which was safer, the PT or New Haven, Connecticut where he is right now, one of the most violent cities in the US. I’m thinking it might be the Palestinian Territories.