A Strange Contrast
We just returned to Nablus after a weekend in Tel Aviv. We took off for Ramallah on Thursday evening after our last classes and met up with the other FFIPP interns for dinner and drinks. Even though we had only spent a week in Nablus, we were anxious to have a brief western escape. After dinner we ended up at an outdoor club called Snobar just outside of Ramallah, a haven of ex-pats and western tourists with the feel of a European club. It was interesting because it exemplified the words of our landlord in Nablus: that Ramallah is an Americanized city that doesn’t represent Palestinian or Muslim culture. We were simply happy to dance to current music. The next morning we left for Tel Aviv. After getting rooms at a hotel we spent the entire day at the beach. The beaches are gorgeous, with great waves and bright umbrellas lining the way. We were ecstatic to eat something besides falafel and hummus.
At the same time, I along with the other interns felt very conflicted to be in Tel Aviv. The city itself is completely removed from the reality of the occupation. After a week of conserving water and worrying about using up our building’s supply, we were able to take long, hot showers (not without guilt). The water we were using was siphoned off from the West Bank’s limited resources. It’s weird to see the enormous contrast between Nablus and Tel Aviv.
Despite the uneasiness I felt, it was also nice to see typical Israeli society. I saw so many parents with their children and got upset thinking that these are the people suicide bombers end up killing - not the people responsible for the policies that oppress them (not that that tactic is acceptable either). We passed a nightclub that has been the target of attacks multiple times, and it’s definitely disturbing. But these people can’t pretend to be oblivious and pretend that an occupation isn’t going on just an hour from where they live. People in other parts of Israel have to deal with reality and have interaction with Palestinians, but Tel Aviv is like a bubble of clubs and beaches.
As soon as I pushed these thoughts to the back of my mind, we had an amazing weekend. We went to a great restaurant which specialized in all sorts of wines, so we had a great time trying their selection and sitting and talking and watching the passers-by. I feel so grateful to have met all the other interns - each person approached the program with a different perspective, but I feel that we all have similar values and a drive to do something constructive. Catching up with everyone from the other cities definitely helped me regain my sanity after a stressful week in Nablus, and now I feel calmer and more prepared for my work. I was really inspired by my friend Marrayam, who is working in an unrecognized Beduin village outside of Beer Sheva in the Negev Desert. When she arrived, she was thrown off by the conditions in which she was assigned to live and work. Instead of requesting a change of placement (which FFIPP is happy to accommodate), she really took the initiative and coordinated with FFIPP and other organizations in Beer Sheva and made adjustments to her situation so she could carry out her work and feel comfortable. She contacted many different people in organizations and is living on her own and making it work. I realized that the program is what you make of it and that to learn a lot you have to go out on your own and really connect with the people around you, so I definitely felt inspired and ready to deal with the challenges of my own job.
The weekend was too short and Saturday afternoon found us searching for a sherut on Shabbat. Thankfully we didn’t have trouble and made our way back to the West Bank. Our service driver to Nablus from Ramallah could take over for Jeff Gordon - who knew passing cars on blind turns would be a smart idea? Surprisingly we arrived in one piece, after consecutive heart attacks on the drive. As the call to prayer drifted through our curtains, I was happy to realize that I’m glad to be back. While Tel Aviv was a fun escape, I’m glad to be out of the bubble and back in reality with the people who have to deal with it.
