shabbas is coming

well folks, i made a lovely salad. shabbas is just around the corner, but i felt a need to post and let you all know what the situation is like for me right now in Jerusalem.

All of the areas that are in a state of alert right now because of the war, or chatzi milchama as i heard it called it today (a half war). i have been advised not to go north and not to ride buses and not to go to crowded places that aren't guarded. check check check. I am planning on going to tel aviv next week but i am not going to go north until things are settled. which, i pray happens soon.

it is bizarre, really. i walk around in jerusalem, which is not near the battle zones, and i can't really detect the change. it was suggested to me that maybe it is because it is summer vacation, who knows really. most likely i am just too ignorant to notice. mostly i am feeling frustration - i supported the pullout from gaza in some respects. unilateralism was not so great, but i don't think there is a combination in a palestinian leader right now of both someone who holds sway with the people and is also not a terrorist, theif, corrupt or worse if it exists. i am frustrated because the pullout was something so divisive for israel - so traumatic to the entirety of society here - and if it was for nothing i hurt inside.

i feel sustained in my hope knowing one thing - while there are many people who want to destroy those on the other side, there are those who don't - and one day the palestinians are going to get sick of having no health system, education system, legitimate electoral schedule and representatives, stealing their children, of sustained poverty...it isn't only in the US where we need a new government, god knows

in the mean time, i hope that israel contains the conflict, i hope they kill as few civilians as possible, that no one else is kidnapped and that syria and iran stay the !@#$@ out of it.

when we study Torah, one of the rabbis at pardes explained, we bring peace into the world. well, i studied for most of yesterday. as we study we gain greater wisdom, temperance, greater compassion and love for the world. hell, it can't hurt. ill keep studying - i already have two chevruta parters for the coming weeks - one to study t'fillah and maybe weekday nusach and another to study the mitzvot (commandments) regarding shabbas. i will also smile at every person i can possibly smile at, say please and thank you and realize that my presence in this world changes it - and act accordingly.