Stories, Travel
Israel

I had some business to attend to in Tel Aviv, and no, it was not related to photography. The good thing, as you will see, is that I never leave without my cameras. The guy I was supposed to meet on tuesday forgot to tell me about the elections so around 11 am on that day I realized I’ve got nothing to do in Tel Aviv for the next 24 hours. I decided to drive to Jerusalem and spend the day walking in the old city. I got there precisely at 1 pm. While having lunch on the terrace of my favorite place in Jerusalem I decided to give it a shot and try to get in at the event organized by Likud Party in Tel Aviv, late that night in expectation of the first exit pols televised results.

To this day I don’t understand how that happened. From that initial thought and 3 phone-calls later, without a GPO card, I was expected in Tel Aviv to attend the event. The exit polls where scheduled for 10 pm and Bibi was expected to make his appearance no sooner than midnight. But I knew I have to be there no later than 8 if I really want to get in. And so I did. After shooting for 2 hours in Jerusalem I drove back to Tel Aviv. Only after my cameras where sniffed by a nice dog I realized that the impossible is about to be possible.

The last 2 days of my stay I wanted to spend in Gaza. Friday morning I woke at 5 am and took a taxi to Israeli-Gaza border. I got there around 7 am so I had to wait another hour for the border to open, but only to be denied entry. I couldn’t get my GPO on friday for all governmental institutions are closed so I knew this might happen.

I needed to go to Jerusalem, my fall back option but there was no taxi in site. While approaching the parking lot a Palestinian driver came to me and offered his services. I didn’t had the chance to say yes when another driver came and asked me to consider him for the ride, provided that he was the first driver in line…In a split second shouting erupted and punches started flying around. For a moment I found this really amusing but I could not think that we will end up gunned down by the not so easily amused Israeli border patrol.

A third palestinian driver came and put an end to the fight. By the rush the two fighters got into their cars and drove away. I can only assume the fight was to be continued someplace else, where there wasn’t such a big risk to be interrupted by a few hours or days inside an Israeli prison.

The third driver drove me to Jerusalem, so if this is not a living proof to the saying ‘where two are fighting, the third wins’, I don’t know what it is…

I checked myself first had some quick lunch and than rushed myself to the old city. It wasn’t long after I got there when a hostel sign got my attention. It claimed to be ‘the hottest spot in town’. I took a picture of the sign with my iPhone to remind me of that cool claim, probably true some 300 years back…

I was in front of a Palestinian pottery shop talking to the owner about politics when I first saw them. It was precisely 10.17 pm. I know that because even though I was caught in the debate I managed to turn in the last second and snap a picture of them as they where entering the shop.

‘Life is not always fair’, my last word before pressing the release shutter echoed on the already empty streets of the old city. This interesting character, who’s wife just entered the shop, stopped outside and added ‘Life is never fair’.

He introduced himself as Robert from New York and to my surprise he was born in Romania some more than 50 years back.

At 3 am they where supposed to go to the airport. Robert had to be back in New York on Monday. What followed was an amazing 3 hours that I will never forget. This is what living life at full is all about.

Robert is fluent in hebrew and he spent many years in Israel as a teenager. Skinny, with long hair and cool accessories you could easily think he is a singer in a rock band. You would never have guessed that he is a layer, heading back to New York to plead in front of the Supreme Court. On top of that he is a scholar, a teacher of law at the University of Columbia in New York.
Cindy, with a worm smile she looked half her age. I couldn’t believe my years when they said she is 58 and they have 5 kids, all grownup, in charge of their own life.

They are now what I would call ‘independent’ parents out to experience the world and live a life full of adventures.

First they took me to the western Wall. Robert wanted to say a last pray before his big case on Monday. We where still trying to get to know each other when Robert had this idea to take me to a hostel run by 6 palestinian brothers.

It took us some time to find it but when I saw it I realized my meeting with Robert and Cindy was not a coincidence but an act of fate. It was the same hostel, whose sign I was photographing a few hours earlier.

It was a huge hostel but not very populated. The business was slow. We went to the first floor. In a big room it was Ramadan. Overweighed, with a bottle of whisky and few bottles of beer next to him, he was dominating the room.

Before I had the chance to realize what it was happening to me, one of the brothers told us the reason muslims can have more than one wife and he asked us what Jesus had to eat for the last supper.

I replayed ‘it wasn’t cheeseburgers for sure’. Except for Robert and Cindy nobody seamed to ‘taste’ my joke. I continued ‘whatever He had, I wouldn’t recommended to anyone else, knowing what happened immediately after’. By looking at them I realized humor was a stranger in that house so I decided to keep my mouth shut.

Beside us and the 3 brother in the room it was another person. Haya, was a guest in the hotel. She was from Mali and she was of jewish origins. According to her, she came to Israel to learn Hebrew. Yet, she was living in the arab quarter of Jerusalem in a hostel run by 6 borderline fanatic muslims.

When she started to talk I felt like I was in Twin Peaks. “People often ask me if I am a man…I don’t understand why we need to label people – man or woman…I am poor…I’ve got nothing, no money, nothing…I have no worries, I am so relaxed”.

Shyly I tried ‘as long as you have your health, you’ve got everything’. “I don’t have that either, but I am such a relaxed person.” Just for opening my moth she wiped the floor with me. Her ranting left me mesmerized. I believe that if she would have a bomb vest strapped to her chest she would have detonate herself there and then.

We left the place laughing our hearts out. It was strange to hear our laughter echoing on the empty streets of the old city. Jerusalem is the craziest place on earth but I don’t remember hearing people laughing loudly on the streets. It’s like true happiness can not be expressed in that particular place. You can cry as loud as you can but anything above a smile and a giggle is frown upon.

We tried to get something to eat but the kitchen of the old hotel Jerusalem was already closed. We walked for a while on the streets of East Jerusalem, somewhere in the vicinity of the American Consulate and we reached the place where Rober and Cindy where staying. They had a room inside the Anglican Church. It was really cosy and I remembered visiting that place 15 years back. We took their car and went for a quick late dinner near Jaffa Street.

We had a great time sharing and bonding. We discovered many things in common. Little after 1 am we had to conclude our conversation for Robert and Cindy where supposed to catch an airplane in a few hours. We said our goodbyes hopping to meet again sometime.

Few days later I’ve learned something about Robert that would reignite your passion for actions movies, but that story is for some other time…

Israel
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Jewish men pray at the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 26, 2013.
Palestinians seen near Damascus Gate in the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 26, 2013.
Ultra Orthodox jewish men walks by in the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 26, 2013.
Men walks by in the Old City of Jerusalem, near Damascus Gate, on January 26, 2013.
Ultra Orthodox family ready to enter the Old City of Jerusalem through Jaffa Gate, on January 26, 2013.
Christian woman kneels in front of the Stone of the Anointing, as seen inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 27, 2013.
Israelis enjoying shopping during a sunny pre-elections day as seen in Tel Aviv, Israel, 21 January 2013. Israelis are voting in elections that are likely to deliver a handy victory for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud-Beteinu alliance amid high turnout. Approximately 5.6 million Israelis are eligible to vote and have to choose from more than 30 lists of parties in the proportional elections.
Palestinian teenager performs tricks with his bike outside the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 26, 2013.
Palestinian girl awaits for her mother to conclude shopping in the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 26, 2013.
Palestinian kid gets his hair cut in a barber shop in the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 25, 2013.
Jewish men pray at the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 26, 2013.
Palestinian shop owner seen in front of his store in the Old City of Jerusalem, near the Western Wall, on January 25, 2013.
Palestinian woman walks by the Third Station on Via Dolorosa in the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 25, 2013.
Palestinian girl holds her brother as seen inside the Islamic Holy Place Salah AD-Deen Ayyobi Waqf, in the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 27, 2013.
Jewish men and a kid, pray at the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 26, 2013.
Palestinian street vendor ready to close shop as seen late night near Damascus Gate, outside the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 26, 2013.
Mannequin set outside of a palestinian shop on Via Dolorosa, as seen in the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 26, 2013.
Jewish men pray at the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 26, 2013.
Israeli kids, members of the Water Scouts team learn how to throw a sailing rope the night before the elections day as seen in the old port of Yaffo, Israel, 21 January 2013. Israelis are voting in elections that are likely to deliver a handy victory for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud-Beteinu alliance amid high turnout. Approximately 5.6 million Israelis are eligible to vote and have to choose from more than 30 lists of parties in the proportional elections.
Palestinian teenager rollerskating in the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 25, 2013.
Jewish men pray at the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 26, 2013.
Jewish men walk towards the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 25, 2013.
Jewish men pray at the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 26, 2013.
Christians light candles as seen inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 25, 2013.
Palestinian kid runs an errand as seen at the Damascus Gate in the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 26, 2013.
Jewish men walk towards the Jaffa Gate in the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 26, 2013.
Palestinian man walks the narrow streets of the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 27, 2013.
Members of the clergy praying, as seen inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 25, 2013.
Christians seen through a small window entering Jesus tomb in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 27, 2013.
Palestinian family walk towards Damascus Gate as seen late night in the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 26, 2013.
Palestinians seen in the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 25, 2013.
Palestinian teenager seen near Damascus Gate outside the wall surrounding the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 26, 2013.
Israeli couple getting married have their picture taken on a sunny pre-elections day as seen in the old port of Yaffo, Israel, 21 January 2013. Israelis are voting in elections that are likely to deliver a handy victory for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud-Beteinu alliance amid high turnout. Approximately 5.6 million Israelis are eligible to vote and have to choose from more than 30 lists of parties in the proportional elections.
Worker polishing a table the night before the elections day as seen on the beach in Tel Aviv, Israel, 21 January 2013. Israelis are voting in elections that are likely to deliver a handy victory for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud-Beteinu alliance amid high turnout. Approximately 5.6 million Israelis are eligible to vote and have to choose from more than 30 lists of parties in the proportional elections.
Jewish men pray at the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 26, 2013.
Palestinian teenagers push a street vendor cart near the Jaffa Gate in the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 25, 2013.
Jewish men and kids pray at the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 26, 2013.
Palestinian teenagers run errands in the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 25, 2013.
Members of the clergy walk on the Christian Quarter Road in the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 27, 2013.
Jewish men and kids, pray at the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 26, 2013.
Jewish kids play near the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 25, 2013.
Jewish man entering the Old City of Jerusalem through Jaffa Gate, as seen on January 26, 2013.
Jewish men pray at the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 26, 2013.
Cat walks by on the narrow streets of Yaffo, as seen the night after the elections, Israel, 23 January 2013. Israelis voted in elections delivering a victory for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud-Beteinu alliance.
Israelis try to fish using a fishing net the night after the elections, Israel, 23 January 2013. Israelis voted in elections delivering a shy victory for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud-Beteinu alliance.
Jewish men pray at the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 26, 2013.
Palestinians walk near the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 25, 2013.
Jewish men pray at the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 26, 2013.
Jewish men entering the Old City of Jerusalem through Jaffa Gate, as seen on January 25, 2013.
Ultra Orthodox jewish men check their favourite american basketball team T-shirts near the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 26, 2013.
Palestinian women walk by near Via Dolorosa in the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 27, 2013.
Christians light candles as seen inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 25, 2013.
Palestinian boy pushes a street vendors cart as shops are getting closed, as seen late night in the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 26, 2013.
Ultra Orthodox Jews seen near Jaffa Gate in the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 25, 2013.
Jewish men pray at the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 26, 2013.
Israeli couples getting married have their picture taken on a sunny pre-elections day as seen in the old port of Yaffo, Israel, 21 January 2013. Israelis are voting in elections that are likely to deliver a handy victory for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud-Beteinu alliance amid high turnout. Approximately 5.6 million Israelis are eligible to vote and have to choose from more than 30 lists of parties in the proportional elections.
Palestinian woman walk by on Via Dolorosa in the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 26, 2013.
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