Israel Part 2: Arrival

Today I’m in Modi’in. I walked around town on a groggy and uncertain amount of airplane sleep. Flags were everywhere. I didn’t think at the time to photograph them so I’m just including this one pic from my host’s balcony.

My hostess, AA, whom I knew in Vancouver, told me that Modi’in has seen more than it’s fair share of fallen soldiers. Apparently many if the streets are being named after them. One of these ceremonies took place today, but unfortunately I wasn’t able to get there.

AA and I talked in the car from Ben Gurion about crisis tourism. Some times when people visit with the intention of solidarity, they fall into the trap of giddiness of having gotten to see or experience certain things here. My friends don’t want to be tourist attractions. That said, I’m trying to witness and name what I see. Many people in Bergen County have extremely personal connections to this war. Nevertheless, the feeling is still different here… of everyone saying Shabbat shalom (including passport control) and also a heightened sense of simply being.