I volunteered as a guard at a protest last night. It was held in the midst of an outdoor mall, whose stores and shops I frequent with pleasure. We were told to bring our yellow reflector vests, the ones that come with our vehicle registration, and are kept in our cars should we ever be stranded on the road. We were police assistants, stationed on the inside of the barricade near the stage, to prevent eager participants from jumping over.
The event was organized to protest our recent municipal elections, which had been tainted by ballot tampering and identity theft. The crimes had been orchestrated by a zealous few, but since our guy lost by under a thousand votes, and the tampering may well have affected that number or greater, a revote may be in order. It was a civilized event with pumped up Israeli tunes, politicians' speeches and signs galore. And although I held the power to keep others out, including swarms of journalists, I was relieved that my 5' 3" frame was not tested against the brawn of the thousands in attendance.
I must admit, I am a bit of a political groupie these days, having traded in my preference for movie stars and rock stars that I held during my youthful years. Eli Cohen, our mayoral candidate, is a favorite of mine, his warm, radiant smile and a personality to match are irresistible. I had a chance to thank Danny Danon, one of my favorite Knesset members, for supporting us during our time of need. To be quite honest, my job was quite boring, but milling amongst the movers and shakers of our country was a definite perk.
Most heartwarming was the theme of unity, one that has escaped many these past few weeks, as accusations mounted and tensions rose on Facebook pages everywhere, mine included. Keeping perspective is a tough thing to do when backbreaking efforts have been squelched by dirty tricks. Loving thy neighbor is harder than it sounds, especially when you really care about your neighbors, strange as it sounds. When you care about someone, the potential for betrayal is greater, and vulnerability is scary. While war ensues between brothers and sisters, the hurt mounts, akin to a gargantuan family fight.
The ongoing battle rages on for some, while others deliberately remain far from the front lines, avoiding confrontation with their friends and neighbors. And while we argue different sides of the coin, we hurt for ourselves and for our enemies, simply because the enemy is none other than an extension of ourselves. We are so connected in this town, that both our personal and our collective hearts remain in pieces, longing for healing, which will take longer than it takes to listen to a unity speech.
I truly feel pain these days for my extended family here, whom I know would lay down their swords in a heartbeat were I to need them. Thankfully, we go about our days, extending invitations to sabbath meals and breakfasts at the bagel shop. I so love my "family".
The event was organized to protest our recent municipal elections, which had been tainted by ballot tampering and identity theft. The crimes had been orchestrated by a zealous few, but since our guy lost by under a thousand votes, and the tampering may well have affected that number or greater, a revote may be in order. It was a civilized event with pumped up Israeli tunes, politicians' speeches and signs galore. And although I held the power to keep others out, including swarms of journalists, I was relieved that my 5' 3" frame was not tested against the brawn of the thousands in attendance.
I must admit, I am a bit of a political groupie these days, having traded in my preference for movie stars and rock stars that I held during my youthful years. Eli Cohen, our mayoral candidate, is a favorite of mine, his warm, radiant smile and a personality to match are irresistible. I had a chance to thank Danny Danon, one of my favorite Knesset members, for supporting us during our time of need. To be quite honest, my job was quite boring, but milling amongst the movers and shakers of our country was a definite perk.
Most heartwarming was the theme of unity, one that has escaped many these past few weeks, as accusations mounted and tensions rose on Facebook pages everywhere, mine included. Keeping perspective is a tough thing to do when backbreaking efforts have been squelched by dirty tricks. Loving thy neighbor is harder than it sounds, especially when you really care about your neighbors, strange as it sounds. When you care about someone, the potential for betrayal is greater, and vulnerability is scary. While war ensues between brothers and sisters, the hurt mounts, akin to a gargantuan family fight.
The ongoing battle rages on for some, while others deliberately remain far from the front lines, avoiding confrontation with their friends and neighbors. And while we argue different sides of the coin, we hurt for ourselves and for our enemies, simply because the enemy is none other than an extension of ourselves. We are so connected in this town, that both our personal and our collective hearts remain in pieces, longing for healing, which will take longer than it takes to listen to a unity speech.
I truly feel pain these days for my extended family here, whom I know would lay down their swords in a heartbeat were I to need them. Thankfully, we go about our days, extending invitations to sabbath meals and breakfasts at the bagel shop. I so love my "family".
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