the end.. and a new beginning
Spring time in Israel: a strange time to be there. Yes, everything green and blossoming: last lemons still on the trees and early figs are making an appearance (they will be ready in a month or two); occasional heatwaves, especially cruel in April, but most of the time it’s super lovely. The best time of the year. Yet spring is also a series of national festivals, and it’s hard to escape the Jewish/Israeli destiny – in the shape of nationalistic newspaper headlines, flags, and two minutes memorial sirens. Memory, national memory, is played loud during this time, in high-pitch tones. They descend one after the other: Passover; Holocaust Memorial Day, National Memorial Day (for soldiers and war casualties), and last, Independence Day. As someone who is getting more and more allergic to official state-sponsored Israeli history, all these festivals were becoming a bit too much for me.
But it was a good visit for me. Slowly, and sometimes painfully, I was trying to find a new place for myself there. Someone I could be. I can see myself going back, for a longer period, maybe for good.
I am back in London. In a new house. I will soon write all about it. Find me on my London blog.
Below you can find last pics from Jerusalem, a random collection, and a posting about Deir Yasin, which took me a long time to write.
Piccadillly, the legendary music shop (shut down years ago)
azura (a restaurant at the Shuk)
Graffiti: Stencils are for losers
subvertising the wall
This poster is a copy of Israeli army 'most wanted' posters. They were made by the activists supporting the people of Bil'in, which fight against the separation fence. It says: 'dangerous wanted persons acting against the separation fence and settlements built on their land' and shows five very cute kids participating in the demonstations. They were posted around Tel Aviv and Jerusalem for Israeli Independance Day.
Dayla (Jerusalem social centre)
