Israel 6.29 Continued

We had dinner with two teachers from Leo Beck. I particularly enjoyed talking to the biology teacher, whose name I don't remember. She sat across from me, and I asked her a lot of questions about her life. Like Shlomit, she grew up in a kibbutz and did not live with her parents as a child, but instead lived in the children's house. Children only spent about two hours a day with their parents. The rest of the time they were together. I was also very interested in talking with her about our shared teaching experiences. We both believe that students today are not being given enough opportunity to take responsibility for their own actions, or to learn from their mistakes through natural consequences. The teacher is coming to Rashi in January, and we are both looking forward to seeing one another again.

I think I have finally gotten to the bottom of secular Jews. It's like most Christians in the US. You celebrate Christmas and Easter with family, but you don't necessarily believe in them as religious holidays, nor do you go to church or follow other Christian rules.

Lunch at Angus was another highlight of the day. It is an Arab restaurant in an Arab settlement. I was nervous that we would feel uncomfortable and that people would stare or hate us, like one might feel going into a black restaurant in a black neighborhood in the US (if one were white). But it wasn't like that. There was a security guard outside. Inside were Muslims, Droos, and Jews, all eating peacefully at tables. The staff were warm and friendly. Menus were in Hebrew, and Ido translated. We were shown enormous hospitality, in spite of our large and loud group. Keith was even joking with Lorena and one of the waiters, trying to get the waiter to take Lorena as a second wife. We all laughed together, and it was hard to believe that we were all supposed to hate each other. There was even a point where I had left my bag at the table, and the staff were going out of their way to find me and return it to me. The waiter touched my shoulder kindly as he returned my bag, and I felt oddly moved and grateful for that small courtesy.