A clandestine undertaking on behalf of Israel, the Jets and the Jews.

 
Returning to Israel

Next Tuesday night, I plan to fly to Israel for a 12 day trip. It will be my 12th trip to Israel, my ninth since 1995. Aside from Canada, I have never been to any other foreign country, with the exception of a 3 hour stopover in London.

A black friend of mine responded to my telling him about my travel plans by saying that he respects my identification with Israel, and that he hopes, similarly, to make numerous trips with his family in the coming years to the West Indies, where he is from.

Two people - one Jewish and one non-Jewish - asked me what I plan to do while in Israel. When I informed them that I have no real plans, that I hope to visit a few sites but mostly will just hang around Jerusalem, they appeared a bit bewildered.

Two other people - both observant Jews - asked why I keep going back to Israel. Isn't there some other place in the world that I'd like to visit, they ask.

Invariably, my response is that I'd like to visit many places, but alas, I am boycotting them due to their hatred on me. For example, why would I want to visit London, whose mayor - even after the London terror attacks - still supports suicide bombings in Israel?

In truth, Israel is in many ways not the easiest place to visit, and going there is much more of a trip than a vacation. The flight there is very long, and the flight home is even longer, at nearly 12 hours, and returning to a full docket of cases while completely jet-lagged is brutal.

But at least for me, walking in the Old City of Jerusalem, having breakfast at Cafe Atara on Aza Street in Rehavia, or walking the Tayelet (Tel Aviv promenade along the Mediterranean) never gets boring and never leaves me wishing that I was someplace else.
posted on 7/22/2005