The Israeli Heat

I guess this is my first TOI blog post written in Israel.
Yes, I am here again, for the fourth time in the past eleven months.
I am loving every second, although I admit that the August heat IS a little much.
However, I keep reminding myself about the fact that when I get back to Sweden I will have more or less six coldish, gray and ugly months ahead of me. Sure, winter is beautiful – if there is snow. And even if we do get a lot of snow in Stockholm, it’s fun for only a week or two.

So I am not complaining about my eyes itching because of the salty sweat that reaches them…

Israel has treated me well also this time. I’ve met old and new friends and overall the Israelis are such a warm and welcoming people.
Like the Jewish couple I accidentally met in Jerusalem, who invited me to their (amazing) home in the Old City.
They wished me well on my journey to Judaism and lent me a book. Just like that.
Wonderful people.

I have such intelligent friends in Israel, and whenever I share a shakshuka or a bottle of red wine with them, I wish that all my brainwashed countrymen would have the opportunity to do the same.

I haven’t read any Swedish papers properly in the past few days, but I saw some headlines and they were all about the ‘poor Palestinian prisoners’ who ‘finally’ got released from those evil Israelis’ prisons (where they apparently were held just for the fun of it).

Also I noticed the never ending headlines about the ‘settlements’ being the biggest obstacle to peace. Meanwhile rockets were being shot into Israel.

A friend of mine yesterday said something like this:

There can not be peace as long as the Palestinians welcome these murderers as heroes. Had a Jew been murdering Arabs and gotten released from prison prematurely, we would not rejoice. To us he would be a murderer who deserves to be kept in prison.

IMHO that pretty much says it all.

I still have a few days left in Israel, but I am already starting to worry about the PID. Thankfully yesterday I received an invitation for a wedding, so I must come back pretty soon.

Obviously in the Israeli capital. Photo credit: Eduardo M. Costa.

As always I feel recharged. Why I am doing this thing for Israel, that many people feel a bit absurd, comes clear to me every time I visit the Holy Land.
It has nothing to do with religion or belief.
It’s simply about doing the right thing.
Following my heart.

Swedish Jews are escaping antisemitism. Some of them settle in Israel.
But they will still be targeted by the state they escaped.
It makes me want to vomit.

By the way, before coming to Israel I made another clip in “Hebrew”. Click here.