Reserved revelry of the times

January 7, 2009 - 7:28 AM by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: coexistence, Crime, General, History and Culture, Israeliness, Life, Travel, War 

highway 443With a population of around 67,100 and proximity to both Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, Modiin is one of the larger suburbs of Israel. The city is located very close to the Green Line, though, making for some awkward situations for Israeli-Arab relations in the neighborhood – especially along the 443 highway, a major commuter thoroughfare. This isn’t a band of fringe settlers butting heads with nationalist Arab elements. Like the Kfar Saba-Qalqilya juxtaposition, it’s mainstream Israel in close quarters with villages.

Terror-resembling hate crimes have taken place in the area many times over the years (including these four incidents from 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003, during the Second Intifada). This past March, long before the wave of violence that kicked off last month, the high court defended arrangements which basically ban Palestinians from using the 443 in order to minimize its exposure to terror. And since the war in the south has escalated, there have been stoning incidents, Molotov cocktails and even a stabbing.

Anyone reading this blog knows that in times like these, life goes on. In general, incidents like the aforementioned don’t keep Israelis from going about their business, much like the way that regular shootings and muggings in American inner cities don’t keep Americans from going about theirs. But that doesn’t mean that we don’t take precautions. We do.

A friend of mine who lives close to me in Modiin attended a party last night in Jerusalem, and while he didn’t drink, so as to maximize safety on the journey home, his sister did. Quite inebriated, her head was spinning from the drive, which, as we all know, has the potential to cause vomiting. Cruising along the 443, my friend found himself in a bind. He did not want his car to get all vomited out, and he wanted to comply with his sister’s wishes for a break in the motion, but on the other hand, it was the middle of the night and he was within rock-throwing range of more than one Arab village.

So yes, in times like these, we keep working, living and even sometimes partying as if there were no conflict. But that doesn’t mean the conflict doesn’t color our judgment and impact our actions. And in case you were wondering, the way he tells it, my friend’s solution was to pull over for his sister to vomit out the car door for two minutes at a time, and only when she really really needed him to. She used a plastic bag the rest of the time.

Photo of the 443 highway courtesy Michaeli via Wiki Commons.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Foto Friday – From the Antiquities Authority

November 21, 2008 - 11:59 PM by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Foto Friday, General, History and Culture 

A 2,000 year old gold earring inlaid with pearls and precious stones was discovered in the excavations at the car park adjacent to Jerusalem’s City of David. This makes me sad both for the lady who lost it 2000 years ago and for the truly lovely silver earring I lost last year at the Reading parking lot in Tel Aviv. (If anyone has found it, please contact me at c/o ISRAEL21c). On the bright side, there are treasures aplenty to view at the Israel Antiquities Authority’s website. A few choice items:

Glass and Gold Earrings
Left: Assemblage of cosmetic products, Late Roman period; Right:
The Akeldama tombs, gold earrings from Cave 1, the Late Roman period (1st-4th centuries CE)

Ossuary and Glass Bowl
Above: Decorated and red-painted stone ossuary from Tomb 3, the Second Temple period; Below: Large glass bowl, the Late Roman period

2000 year old gold earring
and, of course, 2,000 Year Old Gold Earring, Inlaid with Precious Stones, Discovered in Excavations in Jerusalem

More collections and sites and finds are on view at the Antiquities Authority site.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

 

© 2012 ISRAELITY | Site by illuminea | Sitemap