From there we visited a youth hostel for some programming on the constitution, or rather, lack of constitution in Israel. We talked about pros and cons, important issues for a constitution to address, and then we tried to write some constitutional laws for ourselves about the Jewish nature of the state. The discussion was thought provoking and it also made me kind of annoyed with some of my fellow Nativers. Good program though.
We ate lunch at the youth hostel and then visited the Gush Katif museum which commemorates the Disengagement from Gaza in 2005. I learned soooo much and it was very powerful. I am still processing and thinking about all the images and statistics there. Our guide in the museum had lived in the Gaza strip for about 25 years and had 9 kids there. The museum helped me most with one thing: it put into perspective why it was worth it to live in Gush Katif in the first place and why it was so painful to leave in 2005 when Sharon instituted disengagement. The guide said his family was moved into a hotel for what was supposed to be 10 days but ended up being 7 months, and they were only told to pack for 10 days. Some families put furniture in storage only to get it back months later completely destroyed. Beautiful (really, beautiful) homes and neighborhoods were totally demolished, along with synagogues. Cemeteries were dug up and the bodies were relocated. The worst part is that it didn't achieve much afterward. Israeli politics are difficult.
We walked home through the shuk and napped before dinner, and then we went to one of the most unique and inspiring experiences of my young life!!!!! We went to Not On Bread Alone, a play by blind AND deaf people about everyday life as a blind/deaf person (they cannot live on bread alone, they have dreams and need love and company etc). The play was amazing and the actors were so inspiring. They baked bread during the play and we ate it hot out of the oven after the show and got to talk to the actors through interpreters afterward too. Some Nativers got to use a braille code to talk to one actor. They would hold his finger and rub it over one letter in braille at a time on a card and then he could understand the words. Very amazing.
The title of this blog post is a translated line from a song in the play. I loved every minute!!!
Sounds like you had a truly learning-full Groundhog Day! A couple of minor editorial comments - 1) the U.S. Supreme Court has no witnesses either -it's strictly an appellate court, where lawyers argue that the courts below were either correct or incorrect; 2) try not to get annoyed with other people for stating their own opinions. It's easy to get annoyed because of the way people say things sometimes, but if you get past the way they say it, there may be some worthwhile substance; 3)it's kind of crazy you saw that play today, because today I read a photoessay in the D&C about a 3 year old girl who is being taught at the Mary Cariola Center -she was born profoundly deaf and legally blind. It was heartbreaking, but they are doing amazing things. Love, Mama
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