Shabbot

Shabbot is Hebrew for "the Sabboth." Few people here, even if you are speaking to them in English, call it "the Sabboth." We were released from responsibilities yesterday at 1 p.m. I and two other guys hired a taxi to take us into a city about ten or 15 kilometers from here. Just to get off the kibbutz and see a local town. The only stores open were liquor stores and small grocery stores. I saw a can by the cash register of a store where I was buying water. Phillip, an American Jew, explained to me later that this is for those who would contribute to a fund designed to keep Hassidic Jews in college so that they do not have to serve in the military. Hassidic Jews are opposed to the idea of Israel being a state because they believe the Kingdom will not be restored until the messiah comes.Some Hassidic Jews are 50 years old and still in college. We could not get a taxi back, and thus had to walk. No biggy. The weather was nice and the view great.* People in this country know which towns are Jewish and which are other. I was talking to a person here at the kibbutz about which towns nearby to visit. They would say "that's a Jewish city, everything will be closed on Sabbot." Of other places, like Nazareth, "that is a Christian/Muslim city. It will be open." "How can you tell the difference?" I asked. They shrug and say "it is very confusing." - I hope to join a group hiring a small bus to take us to Nazareth today. * Denise is a 60 year old staff person who makes me laugh. She is the quintessential Jewish mom. When going through the buffet in the dining hall I have heard her say to a college boy "get more food. Look at you! You are so skinny I can hardly see you! Eat! Eat!" * The swimming pool is 200 yards from my bedroom. We keep our windows open for a breeze. (No air conditioning, but we don't need it.) No need for screens because no mesquitoes. A party for local kibbutz and towns people began at 10 last night. Loud music. Drinking and dancing. I awoke at 4:30 this morning and it was still going on. I dressed and walked over to investigate. People were leaving, but over 200 of them were still there partying on. There was an ambulance and security guards at the entrance by the parking lot. One security guard glared at me and spoke. I said "English." He looked at me for a few seconds and said something about speaking Arabic. He, an Israeli, had spoken to me in Arabic because evidently he thought I was Arabic. This would explain the glare. There is a good deal of prejudice here. Since he was wearing a 9 millimeter handgun I decided not to grab him into a headlock to try and teach him a lesson. That plus the fact that four of his dangerous looking friends were looking on. And it is Shabbot. And I am a pacifist. - Otherwise I would have taken the guy down.