Religions coexist at the Western Wall.
Two days after President Trump made the announcement acknowledging that Jerusalem is the state capital of Israel, I headed there for a trip that had been in the works for months. My friends, who until that moment had been excited for me, suddenly were hoping I’d cancel. “Be safe,” they said. I suppose they knew that the prospect of protests and violence wasn’t on my bucket list. Yet, I went. The trip organizers assured us we’d be safe.
As it turns out, they were right. I soon learned how misguided my perceptions of Israel had been, perceptions based on the news, where words like Gaza Strip and Hamas can instill dread in many.
Yet, despite Trump’s declaration, in eight days of sightseeing I didn’t personally witness any riots at the Western Wall or at the Mount of Olives. I saw nothing that seemed threatening. What I did see were reporters with cameras, waiting for some action to cover. And feral cats.
It seems to me, Israel has a serious feral cat problem. Everywhere I traveled there were cats ambling about, looking for a handout. Frankly, that’s something you never hear about in the American media, and why that is, I don’t know. The sight of cats in the wild can be disconcerting, to say the least.
Despite the cats, I found Israel to be safe and scenic. It’s the birthplace of Judaism, Christianity and the Muslim religions. No matter how religious you are—or aren’t—Israel is definitely worth visiting. For it is a country lush with flowers, olive trees and pomegranates, and people of diverse faiths going about their lives., This is particularly true in the Old Jerusalem section, which is surrounded by a wall, and where Jews, Christians and Muslims respectfully co-exist.
I visited Israel at the invitation of the Council for Latino-Jewish Relations (CLJR), an organization headed by Rabbi Peter Tarlow and Jacob Monty, Managing Partner at Monty & Ramirez, LLP. The two hail from Texas and are keen on helping Americans, primarily Latinos, understand just how much we have in common with the people of Israel and why it’s important to support the only democracy in the Middle East. Full disclosure: Though CLJR covered the expenses of my travels, my observations here are all my own.
It’s worth noting that I converted to Judaism over 30 years ago, when I married a Jewish guy I met at Brandeis University. But I don’t honor the Sabbath every Friday evening or regularly attend services. Yet, in Israel I found myself at the Western Wall, reciting the Shema prayer and feeling the spiritual side of me stir with emotion. I visited the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, where Jesus is said to be buried, and also the birthplace of Mary Magdalene. I got to sail on the Sea of Galilee and trek atop a hill to a 1,700-year-old synagogue, now in ruins.
Feral Cats in the Old City of Jerusalem.
My stay was enlightening. For example, I was completely unaware that Israel has hospitals near the Syrian border taking in Syrian freedom-fighters and others injured because of the country’s civil war. Israeli physicians treat them for everything from missing limbs to head injuries and even births. Syrians show up at the border every day needing treatment and the Israelis take them in, tending to all their needs.
At the Yad Vashem World Holocaust Remembrance Center, and also at the Mount Hertsel memorial, I saw a large group of soldiers but I soon learned that they were there not to work, but to explore the museum like the rest of us. Rabbi Tarlow explained that every Sunday Israeli soldiers are required to engage in educational activities in order to remind them of what they are protecting and why.
As a democracy, Israel accepts all religions. No matter what you celebrate—Christmas, Ramadan or Passover—there are no reprisals for practicing your religion. I met Shadi Khalloul, an Aramaic Maronite Christian from Kfar Birem who has dedicated himself to creating positive Jewish-Christian relations in Israel and worldwide,. Until he moved to Israel, he had never been allowed to openly practice his religion. Incidentally, Aramaic was the language of Jesus. Khalloul recited for our group the Lord’s Prayer in his native tongue, the way Jesus might have recited it. Seriously, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.
Monty, who has been leading these tours since 2011, believes the work he’s doing is important.
“Our goal is to educate the Latino and Jewish communities about their shared history, though we plan to expand to include African Americans” he says. “In this way, we can foster a better understanding of the past, build bridges in the present, and improve the future for all who are part of this legacy.”
I felt safe in Israel. Safe to take an early morning walk, wander through the open market snapping photographs of the incredible produce that grow there. There are amazing things going on in Israel—technology know-how and investment opportunities, state of the art security and the cultural arts, which are thriving. I learned about the country and came to see how you can’t always rely on the news to tell the whole story. Sometimes you need to see for yourself.
Rabbi Tarlow puts it another way: “Just this week I was taking an early morning stroll through Jerusalem and came across a spa for dogs. If a society can take time to start a business that caters to dogs, you know it’s a society not too worried about its survival. Israel is a place with plenty of good food and music, where everyone can practice their religion in peace. And where dogs can have a spa day.”
Now, all we need do is figure out how to resolve the feral cat problem.