A Special Chanukah 1990

Diary: A special  Chanukah   1990

After a three month stay in the US I returned to Israel on Chanukah 1990. The country was grappling with the "first intifada" at the time. It was also just when the Gulf crisis had erupted. Much of my time  in the States was actually focused on news about Israel during those tense times. I nourished  a healthy skepticism that the US news coverage about events and the mood in Israel  did not get the true picture. It was never as bad as the picture painted by the foreign  media.

With this in mind I boarded a plane full of Israelis. The absence of tourists on the flight reminded me that I was not going to have much work as a guide when I return home.  Sitting amongst only Israelis I realized how isolated Israel was at this time.

Events were moving rapidly.

When I landed at Ben Gurion, I realized just how rapidly things were changing for the country I moved to years earlier. I saw an Aeroflot plane resting on the tarmac as we landed.  A Russian plane in Israel would  be surprising enough; the hundreds of Russian Jews that it brought was truly historic,  even indeed prophetic. Who would have imagined this scene just a year ago!

The newly constructed arrivals complex, built to accommodate the expected tourism boom,  was now greeting the  totally unexpected, massive Russian Aliyah. Who said that God did not have a plan? I tried not thinking about the challenges of housing and absorbing this sudden return of so many of our brothers and sisters. Just processing them upon arrival was a huge challenge.No matter. A great man once said, "in Israel , if you don't believe in miracles, you are not a realist". I was confident.

In the taxi to Jerusalem, my thoughts about Israel's destiny  was interrupted by the driver's cheers  as his favorite basketball team scored. Jerusalem was ahead of Haifa. Yay!  The driver was not thinking of historic processes. He was  focused on what was really important. Perhaps that is a sign of a "normal" country.

First candle of Chanukah:

Shopping for food brought me back from history visions. Once again I wonder just how they (we) do it? Food costs about twice as much as in the US. A gallon of gas is almost three times the price. A Honda Accord costs $50,000 in Israel. It is $15,000 in the US.The sales tax was just raised to 18%.

No protests or outrage. Israelis feed their families and fill their tanks  and go on.

That morning, the looming  threat of Saadam Hussein's missiles were not as threatening as my turn to pay at the checkout counter.

The cabinet ministers are at it again. Public posturing, insults; the ego wars go on. Politics  as usual.

Suddenly all of our private  concerns and gripes vanish as the radio announces another victim of the intifada - a young soldier was murdered. Another funeral. Once again it is them against all of USAs I light the first Chanukah candle with my family and thank God for the miracles of this time and this place, I pray, " please don't stop now".

Second candle: The note my son brought home from school read, "the third grade is going to visit a reconstructed Maccabean village. Parents with personal weapons are requested to accompany us”.

In which other country do Jewish children visit a Maccabee village; and where else are parents asked to ride shotgun?I volunteered, though I did not then own a weapon. As it turned out it was only I and another mom (a travel agent) who volunteered. We, in the tourism field, have plenty of time these days.

So there I was baking pita over an open fire and making clay oil lamps  with these young heirs of the Maccabees in the land of the Maccabees.Our young Yemenite guide enthusiastically made it all come alive  in that village not far from where the events took place.  What a thought!

Little Alek, newly arrived from Russia, hung on to every one of the guides'  words. I asked him , "How was Israel different from Russia"? Squinting into the winter sun he said that he remembers crying from the severe  cold in Leningrad.

On the bus I overheard two children talking. "You know what I am really  afraid of"? I'm afraid of Arabs attacking our bus "For the rest of the ride the boys looked out the window trying to identify Arab villages  along the road.

Third candle: Prime minister Yitzchak Shamir met with President Bush (senior) in Washington. The meeting went well - to everyone's relief. The American president actually allowed himself to be seen in public with an Israeli leader even as he was putting together the grand Arab  coalition against Iraq. Even Russian leader Shevardnadze  had a well publicized meeting  with Shamir. Things were looking promising for a moment.

A knife wielding Arab, wounded a soldier and a passer by as the latter came to the soldier's aid. The Arab was wrestled down by other citizens. The hero was interviewed on tv and was asked if he would do the same in the future? With an incredulous look he said, "of course , what else could I do? I compared this attitude with the typical New Yorker. It  reminded myself why I made Israel home.

Rain, rain , rain; where are you already so late in the season? The Kinneret lake is drying up as we all pray for rain. The nation comes together in prayer for rain

I was up at 3:00 in the morning still struggling with jet lag. It was a wonderful feeling - just  me and Jerusalem. It was foggy outside. Did  this mean rain? Finally  a normal winter morning in Jerusalem. Outside the distinct smell of fresh, wet air filled my nostrils.  I smiled to myself on the way to the grocery to buy challah for Shabbat.

All was perfect until I turned on the radio. Five top ranking air force personnel were killed in a plane crash. More funerals. In Israel these are not merely statistics; they are really mourned by all.

The fog lifted. Another sunny day. Where is the rain?

It was announced that one thousand Ethiopian Jews will be arriving   each month even as the Russians keep pouring in. It's a flood of immigrants. It's  a downpour of our people coming home. Thank God. Now we need a wet downpour.

Housing minister Sharon and absorption minister Peretz point fingers at each other as the immigrant log jam grows. Never have so many homes been promised to so many by two men with super egos. Long live the "balagan"(chaos).

In immigrant absorption centers through the land, new Israelis are lighting a menorah for the first time in their lives as they learn of the victories and miracles  of old.The Ethiopians never know what Chanukah was. The Russians were robbed of that memory by the Communist regime. Both were reborn this Chanukah. Shabbat preparations are as lovely as usual. Flowers are sold on corners as a calm descends upon the city streets.

Once again the radio spoils it. It was announced that an Arab factory worker stabbed three of his Jewish  coworkers to death. Enraged Jewish protesters stoned Arab cars. One doesn't  think of Saadam Hussein's threats when danger lurks from fellow workers and neighbors. I think, poor Israeli people. We need leadership that will stop it.

Fifth candle: The talk of the day is still the latest outrage in Jaffa. Four "Hamas" leaders are  slated for deportation for inciting terror. The UN and the US are outraged . Israel is condemned. Israelis feel caught between Arab daggers and world  condemnation. The country is moving to the "Right". It can be felt on the street as well in the polls.

Sixth candle If it weren't so tragic it would be amusing; The so called "pig law" is  dividing Israelis lately. Some feel threatened and coerced by a law that  tells them what to eat in restaurants. Others can not conceive of pig being sold (to Jews!) in the holy land and the holiest  city of Jerusalem. Only rockets aimed at them  unite some Israelis. Never a dull moment .

Seventh candle: I took my family for a Chanukah vacation to  a hotel in Tiberius on the shores of the Kinneret (before it dries up!).I took the Coastal road north instead of the Jordan Valley route because of intifada precautions. That road was the scene of many Arab attacks.

December sunshine ; beautiful - too beautiful. I have never seen Tiberius so empty. No tourists. Hotels - empty, restaurants  - empty, pleasure boats - docked. A  lonely lake. At the pool I noticed a number of one armed and one legged  men. I realized that they were IDF veterans who paid the price for our security. There was certainly  enough room for them at the empty hotel My children and I shared the pool with the maimed vets. What does a child think and learn from this experience?

From the pool one gazes upon the magnificent Golan heights across the lake. I wondered if perhaps some of these men's limbs were lost just there. I admired them as they made their way through the water with great determination. I hope my children  learned to appreciate what they have. 

Eighth candle:

Rain! Does this mean that we don't need to import water from Turkey? Walking downtown in Jerusalem no one minded getting wet by the heaven sent gift. No one rushed for cover or displayed discomfort. Smiles all around. May it just continue.

Shevardnadze's resignation came as a shock. Was it good or bad  for the Jews? The immediate fear was that the flow of Jews to Israel might be interrupted. Just then it was announced that a record breaking number of Russians will be brought this week. Over one hundred per hour! Is this a  last minute scurrying before the door before it shuts again? At the moment  practical concerns about absorption problems give way to concern for immigration itself.

Another day of drama and tension at the airport as Russian Jews stream into the country. They are normally  a quiet bunch. Everything is new and unfamiliar. Uncertainty reigns. I don't envy their challenges.

I remember that these people had their Jewish identity squeezed out of them by a monstrous dehumanizing society. More than that they had much of their self respect and confidence in authority destroyed. Their return is a miracle of   historic proportion. A journalist asked one of them as he left the plane: " How is the situation in Russia”?

"Bad"

What do you expect in Israel?

"Good"

Hotels are being used temporarily to house the wave of newcomers.Where would they go if they were full of tourists as in normal years?

God knows something about timing.

Every cloud has a silver lining. And now the clouds were bringing us rain

Shalom Pollack Tours