Jerusalem Dreams

Several weeks ago, I was riding through the rural roads of Pennsylvania, outside of Penn State, when I confronted a sign planted on a front lawn, “If the Zionists stole your land, you too would be fighting them.” And I thought to myself and screamed under my breath, “You have to be kidding. Even here!”

I am presently in Jerusalem studying at the Shalom Hartman Institute. Before attending the conference’s first lecture, I went for a run along a beautiful walking path that follows an old train route. The path begins in the city’s German Colony and snakes downhill through the Arab village of Beit Safafa toward Teddy Stadium and the zoo. This Arab village holds a special place in my heart. When I lived here in 1987, I taught English to a few of its high school students.

Prior to the 1967 Six Day War the village was divided in half. One half stood within Israel’s territory. The other in Jordan’s. It now sits within a unified Jerusalem. I often see its residents walking along this same path and I secretly hope that I might recognize one of my former students with whom I lost touch decades ago. I want to ask them how their views have changed…

This post continues on The Times of Israel.