As Shalom Hamoch, one of our greatest musical performers, says: a person is a person: don’t call me a people. Today in particular I don’t want to be identified with the Jewish people. Of course I remain a Tel Avivian and a Zionist, but there is no way I can identify with the additions to Gilo and the destruction of Arab houses. “it’s a democracy,” says my rightist friend, “we can build where we want.” But if it’s a democracy, why can’t others?
There was another incident today that raised my hackles. A woman at the wailing wall tried to put on her prayer shawl and was stopped and arrested. It is, it appears, against the law. It reminded of a recent visit I made there with some American visitors. As we walked away, I turned to leave and was surprised to see them all backing away from the wall, as if it were an open Torah scroll cabinet. It is holy, I thought, although I didn’t know we go for graven images, but I’d rather show respect for the scrolls than stones.
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