JIB Thoughts

A MONTHLY MIX OF IDEAS

Discovering A
Momentary Paradise

Neve Daniel, Israel

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JEWISH NEWS

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26 July 26 • 2007

r

WM!,

never knew where I would find
Paradise until now.
On an early summer trip, with
friends from New Jersey, we discovered
Paradise. It was not just a place; it was
a state of mind.
We found it right here in Israel, a
little ways off of scenic
Route 90, in the Jordan
Valley. We heard there
was a natural spring
called Gan Hashlosha
that the kids could cool
off in. Apparently, Time
magazine called it "one
of the 20 most beautiful
places in the world:' I
was skeptical that such
a place could exist, and I
knew nothing about it.
When we arrived at the parking
lot, right away we realized that Gan
Hashlosha is an attraction for Arabs as
well. Our friend Steven, only a few days
away from New Jersey, was concerned
about bringing our families here with
so many Arabs. After all, aren't we
kind of at war with them?
While I couldn't completely deny
this, it simply is not so in a place like
this. Thus, we proceeded to make our
way — into Paradise.
The park was everything I expected
to find in Paradise: tall, graceful palm
trees providing shade on acres of lush,
green grass and in the center, deep,
natural pools with beautiful azure
waters connected to each other by daz-
zling waterfalls.
As we walked through the site, tak-
ing in the majesty all around us, we
began to notice something almost as
fascinating: the people.
Here, lounging in Paradise was a
complete mix of Israelis and Arabs;
Jew, Christian and Muslim, side by
side, enjoying the park together. Well,
maybe not together, but side by side.
In fact, with everyone splashing in
their swimming suits, it was hard to
tell who was who.
There were also religious women in
long sleeves — but of these, too, there
were Jews and Arabs, only told apart
by their head coverings: Jews with
bandanas and Arabs with hijabs.
A cross on a chain was a telltale reli-
gious sign as well. But really, they were
incidental symbols on human beings,

all enjoying the 82-degree water,
the smooth natural rock carved into
benches to relax on and steps leading
into the six-meter-deep, clear, refresh-
ing pools, the natural Jacuzzi, and the
20-foot-high precipices for daring
high jumps next to a sign that clearly
said "No Jumping."
As we staked a claim to our own
piece of shady land, I couldn't
help thinking this is exactly
what's happening in various
parts of the country: Jews and
Arabs in a race, staking claim to
land anywhere they can, trying
to create facts on the ground.
But we were simply creating a
shady picnic spot for two hours,
and no one seemed to mind.

Peaceful Coexistence
As we enjoyed Paradise, we were con-
tinually reminded of the unique blend
of humanity experiencing it together.
When my son Ezra got hurt, an Arab
teen assisted him. When our friend's
teenage daughter got nervous before
jumping off the 20-foot high ridge,
Arabs below cheered her on. In fact,
the whole time Jews and Arabs took
turns cannonballing off of the edge.
It was at once unnatural, and yet
normal. Truly surreal. Too bad this
peaceful coexistence disappears once
we leave this serene oasis in the fanati-
cal desert known as the World.
Years ago, I walked through the Arab
shuk in Jerusalem and saw the hate
in the eyes of Arabs watching me; I
experienced real fear. I'd been in bad
neighborhoods in the States where one
might be afraid of being mugged, but
it wasn't personal; they just wanted
your money.
Here it was different. They didn't
know me, yet they hated me. What
could I do to prove to them that I was
not someone they should hate?
Actually, it was not personal there
either. I was Jewish, I was in Israel:
Therefore I should be hated. At Gan
Hashlosha, on that one day, for a little
while, I could almost — just almost
— imagine Jews and Arabs, maybe
even the world, living in peace. Fl

Laura Ben-David's family has lived in the

Detroit area for 80 years. Her first book is

"Moving Up: An Aliyah Journal." She and

her husband, Lawrence, have five kids. Her

e-mail address is bendavid.laura@gmail.com

