War and peace - and love

• Published in: Washington Jewish week Vol. 42; no. 35
• Main Author: Fenyvesi, Charles
• Format: Newspaper Article
• Language: English
• Published: Gaithersburg Washington Jewish Week 24.08.2006
• Subjects: Travel; Truces & cease fires; War; Weddings; Israel
• ISSN: 0746-9373

Aug. 9. Flying in from the United States and approaching Tel Aviv, passengers look to the north, in the direction of Lebanon. "What is that haze over the hills?" someone asks. "Is that from explosions?" "No," comes a prompt reply from an Israeli, whose voice carries authority. "It's clouds and mist. The war is up to the north." The groom, TaI, 27 and a university photography student, voiced strong objections to any change. The bride, Tehilla, born and raised in the kibbutz, agreed. So did [David], who drives me south where most of our relatives live. The sun is about to set, and the desert conveys serenity. "This is Israel," David says. "See how peaceful it is?" As if on cue, a large herd of camels, the same color as the sand, appears, lumbering on in an undulating single file a few hundred feet from the shiny black ribbon of the new highway. "Israel is a big country," David adds with a smile. "The coalition will fall, and we'll have a new chief of staff before long," says Cousin Eli as he accompanies me through the various searches prior to my boarding a plane back to the States. "Nobody can be sure whose turn is next." I point out the check-in counter that says "Royal Jordanian Airlines." I ask: "Isn't that a good sign?" Eli shrugs.