Friday, November 23, 2012

Quiet outside, quiet inside

We have had a ceasefire for one and a half days. The only sounds and sights that we have now are lightening and thunder, wind and rain. Hopefully the rain is washing away the filth tht the ugly war left behind. Unfortunately it can't wash away the hurt and pain inside all of us - Israelis and Palestinians - who lived through this latest violence.

It's raining it's pouring
the old man is snoring
bumped his head when he went to bed
and he couldn't get up in the morning
rain, rain
go away
come again some other day



I hope that the only booms we hear from here on out are booms of thunder
and the only 'burning houses' are the small leaves set on fire by fireflies

The Hamas and Israeli governments put us - their civilian populations - at terrible risk for 8 days. They disregarded our lives and rejoiced in the pain inflicted on 'the other side.'

Hanukkah - 8 days that commemorate light and freedom and banishing of darkness - begins in a few weeks.

During Hanukkah, I will be lighting many candles of freedom, light and brother/sisterhood - for those of us in Israel and Palestine (and beyond - why not?). Perhaps if we all light these candles, the light will be bright enough for our 'leaders' to see that their paths of war, hatred and destruction are not our ways.

To days of thunder, lightening and rain
To days of washing away the ugliness that mars the outside
To days of washing away the anger and hatred inside that can never solve anything

1 comment:

  1. Julia,
    I met you in 2010 when our Compassionate Listening group (with Leah Green) came to Nativ HaAsara and talked with you and Roni (sp?). i've been thinking about you these last few days as I heard reports of rockets flying from Gaza. I remember the stories you told us about your work to build bridges with the Palestinians, whom you don't get to see now that the wall has been built and "security" tightened. This morning I taught a class at our church and I told about meeting you and Roni. i told them about your work for peace and I read them some of your recent blogs.

    I just wanted you to know that I am still working (not very successfully, you may note) to stop our government from sending military aid perpetuate the war. I love the poster on your group's web site: "Don't fight-talk!" I signed your petition and last week I marched in Denver to stop the attack on Gaza. Please keep writing - i do think that more Americans are becoming aware that our support for Israel's attacks is not making the region safer. I'll be writing something for my own blog and linking to what you have written - i'll let you know when I do that. Thanks for all your work to make the world a better place.
    ----Jan Miller, Denver

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