Thursday, January 29, 2009
Dissertation prep and ankle sprains
No exciting news or travels to report, but 2 weeks ago Wednesday Dawn fell off a curb on the way to school and badly sprained her ankle. So, she has been taking a taxi to and from campus a couple times a week since then, as well as to our Friday night Bible Study group. She also has crutches. This has meant an increase in the amount of work I've been doing around the house. I've also been reading, reading, reading, in preparation for finalizing a topic for my MA thesis/chapter of my eventual dissertation in Foreign Languages and Literatures (German), and slogging through my Hebrew class after 4 weeks of no class during the war in Gaza. On the urging of my PhD advisor, I'm attending a conference at the Uni Potsdam from April 22nd to 24th, and purchased my airline ticket and rail pass this week. Dawn will stay behind here to focus on her research. I will go to Germany a week early, in order to visit friends and probably do some research while there as well. My dissertation topic will deal with the novels and novellas of Stefan Zweig, an Austrian writer of Jewish heritage during the first 4 decades of the 20th century and avowed pacifist and believer in European integration. He lived from 1881-1942.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Escape to Eilat and tour to Petra, Jordan
When last I wrote, I tried to give a view of things as they are seen by Israelis, as best as I can determine. I realize the current war in Gaza has stirred many emotions, large protests, and the loss of civilian life on both sides is tragic. I won't go into that any more here, except to suggest reading the Jerusalem Post at www.jpost.com for the Israeli perspective, and reading papers from multiple other international sources, and if you can find it, an Arab newspaper.
To get away from the sirens and incoming rockets in Be'er Sheva (pronounced "Bear" Sheva), sometimes written as Be'er Sheba (the Hebrew letter for "b" and "v" is the same), Dawn and I escaped to Eilat, the Israeli resort town on the Red Sea for four nights last week. Eilat is the southernmost city in Israel and Israel's only access to the Red Sea. From Eilat, you can see 4 countries: Israel, Egypt to the south and west, Jordan to the east, and Saudia Arabia to the southeast, some 27 km/15 miles distant. You can view photos from our trip at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/airzoojosh/EilatIsraelAndPetraJordanJanuary2009?authkey=-fp9Pizd1JU#
We arrived on Thursday afternoon and walked along the North Beach, in front of many high rise hotels and vendors selling everything from clothing and toys to ice cream. Eilat enjoys 359 days of sunshine per year, and year-round water temperatures between 70 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit, regardless of the time of year. Eilat is a tourist town extraordinaire. There are 40-50 hotels within the city of 70,000 people. Our hotel was across the street from the Eilat downtown airport, where charter and commercial flights arrive carrying vacationers from Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, a 4-4.5 hour drive north. Larger planes from Europe and Russia must use the larger Eilat airport 25 miles north of town, though I was surprised that a 757 managed to land at the downtown airport. Our hotel room overlooked the runway. Planes must back taxi on the runway to reach the terminal, as there are no taxiways. (Sorry, I'm an avid aviation buff and long-time Air Zoo volunteer!).
On Friday, Dawn and I met up with Jenny and Max (anglicized names), a Chinese couple we know from the university. Jenny is in my Hebrew class and working on her PhD in Russian Jewish Literature, while her husband Max completes a post-doctoral fellowship in the chemistry department. We spent the better part of the day at the Underwater Observatory and Marine Park, where we saw the sharks and sea turtles get fed, enjoyed a movie in the Oceanarium, saw countless fish of all colors and sizes, and (the highlight for me!), the coral reefs and the amazing variety of sea creatures from 6 meters (about 20 ft.) below the surface of the water in the Underwater Observatory.
On Saturday, we went snorkeling at the Coral Reef Marine Reserve, an Israeli National Park one bus stop before you get to the Underwater Observatory (coming from Eilat in the north). I didn't feel strong enough to go out into the deep water, but was able to see a few fish among the corals closer in to the shore. Dawn made two trips out into the deep area, as the current carried her swiftly along the reef from the northern pier to the southern pier. Saturday is Shabbat, the Sabbath day, but buses still run in touristy Eilat, unlike other Israeli cities. Don't let the taxi drivers tell you otherwise. They are best ignored. If you go though, be advised that buses do stop running for the day sometime between 3 and 4 pm on Friday (the Sabbath Eve) and Saturday (the Sabbath).
We were originally going to return to Be'er Sheva on Sunday, but decided to stay one more night so we could take a day-long tour to Petra, Jordan. This involved packing up and leaving our hotel at 7 am, as we could not extend for an extra night without doubling the cost of the room per night. So I found another hotel on the opposite side of the airport and north of the North Beach for the fourth night. We were picked up at 7 am and taken to the Yitzhak Rabin border crossing, where they had to cancel my long-term tourist visa, as I had not thought to get a re-entry visa before leaving Be'er Sheva. A re-entry visa costs $45, and so does the long term tourist visa, so in reality, I didn't lose any money. It's just a hassle. After about an hour, and payment of the border takes of $45 per person to leave Israel, enter Jordan, leave Jordan, and return to Israel, we got on a mini-bus and headed for the ancient Nabotaen city of Petra.
Our guide's name was Ali. His English was quite good, except that he said "governmental" and "economical" when he should have said "government" and "economic". Half of our group fell asleep while he was talking on the way there, as many of us had gotten up very early, or even, in the case of a law school student from D.C., taken the 1 am bus from Tel Aviv to Eilat. After a quick drive through Aquaba, the Jordanian port city opposite Eilat, which is much less developed, we had a 2 hour ride to Petra. Then we walked about 1.5 km (.9 miles) through the Siq (gorge) until we arrived at the Treasury. The Treasury was actually the burial chamber of a Nabotean king, but legend has it that the Naboteans buried their treasure in the rock, so people have shot at the rock, hoping that treasure would spill out. Along the way, one can see other burial caves carved into the rock, the ancient Nabotean water system, which is being studied by researchers today to improve water usage in the desert. The population of the Naboteans at their height was several times that of the current population. They controlled the trade route from Yemen to the Mediterranean on the ancient Spice Route, and were experts at guiding the caravans across vast stretches of desert. No one else at the time (3rd century BCE-2nd century CE) had this knowledge. The Romans did not conquer the Naboteans until 106 AD, due to the many natural fortifications that the surrounding mountains provided. Carved into the stones are images of camels and men heading in both directions.
After leaving the Treasury, we continued for another 1/2 kilometer to see the Roman Amphitheater and a re-created Nabotean market, along with more caves which used to be used as houses, though most caves we saw were used as burial sites. Then, it was an hour walk back uphill to the entrance. You can ride a donkey, horse, or a cart pulled by a donkey or horse, but the Bedouins expect a tip of $5-$10 for this "included" service. (The entrance to Petra National Park is 21 JD (about $30 USD). Our $159 per person ($140 for students) day trip included transportation to and from our Eilat hotel, assistance at the Israeli/Jordanian border, a buffet lunch, the entrance to the park, all taxes and tips, but NOT the $45 per person border entry and exit fees. We had lunch around 2:30 pm, and returned to the border crossing about 5:45 pm. The border closes each night at 7 pm.
What happened to the Naboteans? They continued to exist after the Roman conquest in 106 CE, but the trade routes gradually moved north of Petra, and two earthquakes in the 4th and 6th centuries destroyed what was left of Petra, which had gradually fallen into decline with the decline of Petra's importance on the ancient Spice Route.
To get away from the sirens and incoming rockets in Be'er Sheva (pronounced "Bear" Sheva), sometimes written as Be'er Sheba (the Hebrew letter for "b" and "v" is the same), Dawn and I escaped to Eilat, the Israeli resort town on the Red Sea for four nights last week. Eilat is the southernmost city in Israel and Israel's only access to the Red Sea. From Eilat, you can see 4 countries: Israel, Egypt to the south and west, Jordan to the east, and Saudia Arabia to the southeast, some 27 km/15 miles distant. You can view photos from our trip at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/airzoojosh/EilatIsraelAndPetraJordanJanuary2009?authkey=-fp9Pizd1JU#
We arrived on Thursday afternoon and walked along the North Beach, in front of many high rise hotels and vendors selling everything from clothing and toys to ice cream. Eilat enjoys 359 days of sunshine per year, and year-round water temperatures between 70 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit, regardless of the time of year. Eilat is a tourist town extraordinaire. There are 40-50 hotels within the city of 70,000 people. Our hotel was across the street from the Eilat downtown airport, where charter and commercial flights arrive carrying vacationers from Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, a 4-4.5 hour drive north. Larger planes from Europe and Russia must use the larger Eilat airport 25 miles north of town, though I was surprised that a 757 managed to land at the downtown airport. Our hotel room overlooked the runway. Planes must back taxi on the runway to reach the terminal, as there are no taxiways. (Sorry, I'm an avid aviation buff and long-time Air Zoo volunteer!).
On Friday, Dawn and I met up with Jenny and Max (anglicized names), a Chinese couple we know from the university. Jenny is in my Hebrew class and working on her PhD in Russian Jewish Literature, while her husband Max completes a post-doctoral fellowship in the chemistry department. We spent the better part of the day at the Underwater Observatory and Marine Park, where we saw the sharks and sea turtles get fed, enjoyed a movie in the Oceanarium, saw countless fish of all colors and sizes, and (the highlight for me!), the coral reefs and the amazing variety of sea creatures from 6 meters (about 20 ft.) below the surface of the water in the Underwater Observatory.
On Saturday, we went snorkeling at the Coral Reef Marine Reserve, an Israeli National Park one bus stop before you get to the Underwater Observatory (coming from Eilat in the north). I didn't feel strong enough to go out into the deep water, but was able to see a few fish among the corals closer in to the shore. Dawn made two trips out into the deep area, as the current carried her swiftly along the reef from the northern pier to the southern pier. Saturday is Shabbat, the Sabbath day, but buses still run in touristy Eilat, unlike other Israeli cities. Don't let the taxi drivers tell you otherwise. They are best ignored. If you go though, be advised that buses do stop running for the day sometime between 3 and 4 pm on Friday (the Sabbath Eve) and Saturday (the Sabbath).
We were originally going to return to Be'er Sheva on Sunday, but decided to stay one more night so we could take a day-long tour to Petra, Jordan. This involved packing up and leaving our hotel at 7 am, as we could not extend for an extra night without doubling the cost of the room per night. So I found another hotel on the opposite side of the airport and north of the North Beach for the fourth night. We were picked up at 7 am and taken to the Yitzhak Rabin border crossing, where they had to cancel my long-term tourist visa, as I had not thought to get a re-entry visa before leaving Be'er Sheva. A re-entry visa costs $45, and so does the long term tourist visa, so in reality, I didn't lose any money. It's just a hassle. After about an hour, and payment of the border takes of $45 per person to leave Israel, enter Jordan, leave Jordan, and return to Israel, we got on a mini-bus and headed for the ancient Nabotaen city of Petra.
Our guide's name was Ali. His English was quite good, except that he said "governmental" and "economical" when he should have said "government" and "economic". Half of our group fell asleep while he was talking on the way there, as many of us had gotten up very early, or even, in the case of a law school student from D.C., taken the 1 am bus from Tel Aviv to Eilat. After a quick drive through Aquaba, the Jordanian port city opposite Eilat, which is much less developed, we had a 2 hour ride to Petra. Then we walked about 1.5 km (.9 miles) through the Siq (gorge) until we arrived at the Treasury. The Treasury was actually the burial chamber of a Nabotean king, but legend has it that the Naboteans buried their treasure in the rock, so people have shot at the rock, hoping that treasure would spill out. Along the way, one can see other burial caves carved into the rock, the ancient Nabotean water system, which is being studied by researchers today to improve water usage in the desert. The population of the Naboteans at their height was several times that of the current population. They controlled the trade route from Yemen to the Mediterranean on the ancient Spice Route, and were experts at guiding the caravans across vast stretches of desert. No one else at the time (3rd century BCE-2nd century CE) had this knowledge. The Romans did not conquer the Naboteans until 106 AD, due to the many natural fortifications that the surrounding mountains provided. Carved into the stones are images of camels and men heading in both directions.
After leaving the Treasury, we continued for another 1/2 kilometer to see the Roman Amphitheater and a re-created Nabotean market, along with more caves which used to be used as houses, though most caves we saw were used as burial sites. Then, it was an hour walk back uphill to the entrance. You can ride a donkey, horse, or a cart pulled by a donkey or horse, but the Bedouins expect a tip of $5-$10 for this "included" service. (The entrance to Petra National Park is 21 JD (about $30 USD). Our $159 per person ($140 for students) day trip included transportation to and from our Eilat hotel, assistance at the Israeli/Jordanian border, a buffet lunch, the entrance to the park, all taxes and tips, but NOT the $45 per person border entry and exit fees. We had lunch around 2:30 pm, and returned to the border crossing about 5:45 pm. The border closes each night at 7 pm.
What happened to the Naboteans? They continued to exist after the Roman conquest in 106 CE, but the trade routes gradually moved north of Petra, and two earthquakes in the 4th and 6th centuries destroyed what was left of Petra, which had gradually fallen into decline with the decline of Petra's importance on the ancient Spice Route.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
The View from Israel
Dear family and friends,
Dawn and I are both safe, and staying largely in our apartment, as instructed by the Israeli Homefront Command. No rockets have landed in Be'er Sheva since Thursday. Other cities, however, closer to the Gaza Strip, continued to be hit on Saturday, with a total of 35 rockets striking targets in Ashkelon, Ashdod, and other towns.
It seems that the U.S. is the only country supporting Israel's right to defend itself at the moment. For the latest news in English from an Israeli perspective, visit the Jerusalem Post at:
www.jpost.com
Starting back in Summer 2008, Egypt brokered a 6 month truce between Hamas, labeled as a terrorist organization by the U.S., and Israel. Hamas, elected in democratic, internationally monitored elections in 2006, controls the Gaza Strip, while the internationally recognized Palestinian government (Abbas and the Palestianian Authority) controls the West Bank. The West Bank is actually on the eastern border with Israel, as it gets its name from the West Bank of the Jordan River. The Gaza Strip is a small strip of land bordering the Mediterranean and Egypt, and sharing its eastern border with southern Israel. (A World Atlas may come in handy here right about now).
Hamas, it turns out, used this truce to re-arm with longer range rockets supplied by Iran and Syria, and smuggled into the Gaza Strip through underground tunnels along Gaza's border with Egypt. Hamas' avowed goal is the destruction of the State of Israel. Before last Tuesday night, Be'er Sheva had never been targeted by rockets from the Gaza Strip before. Israelis had not thought it possible, though in an article around Dec. 21st or 22nd in the Jerusalem Post, the Israeli Intelligence Arm warned that Hamas now possessed rockets with the range to strike Be'er Sheva. Hamas also uses Gaza civilians as human shields, and stores rockets and munitions inside of mosques. The people of Gaza are dependent upon humanitarian aid, which Israel has continued to allow in during the crisis. Meanwhile, Hamas spends its money on weapons and training, some of whom go to Iran to train with Iran's elite forces.
Tuesday night, an empty kindergarten in Be'er Sheva was hit, and last Wednesday, an empty high school, on the opposite side of the university from us.
Ask yourself, if towns on the U.S. Southern Gulf Coast found themselves the recipient of rockets launched from Cuba, would the U.S. military stand by and do nothing? Then, I ask, how can European and Arab governments expect that, having endured hundreds of rocket launches on it's southern towns, Israel's military is unilaterally supposed to cease-fire, while rockets are still being launched towards Israel from the Gaza Strip?
The situation, in a nutshell, is not as simple as a cease-fire by Israel. Mechanisms need to be put in place to prevent the re-armament and re-supply of Hamas by Iran and Syria, thus (hopefully) bringing a sustainable peace to the region. Israel has called for international observers to be placed in the Gaza Strip following cessation of hostilities to ensure that future truces aren't
merely opportunities for Hamas to re-arm. The U.N. Security Council Resolution condemning the Israeli air and ground assault was blocked by the U.S., as it provided no such assurances. Israel has vowed to continue the offensive until no rockets are being launched at Israel.
Dawn and I are both safe, and staying largely in our apartment, as instructed by the Israeli Homefront Command. No rockets have landed in Be'er Sheva since Thursday. Other cities, however, closer to the Gaza Strip, continued to be hit on Saturday, with a total of 35 rockets striking targets in Ashkelon, Ashdod, and other towns.
It seems that the U.S. is the only country supporting Israel's right to defend itself at the moment. For the latest news in English from an Israeli perspective, visit the Jerusalem Post at:
www.jpost.com
Starting back in Summer 2008, Egypt brokered a 6 month truce between Hamas, labeled as a terrorist organization by the U.S., and Israel. Hamas, elected in democratic, internationally monitored elections in 2006, controls the Gaza Strip, while the internationally recognized Palestinian government (Abbas and the Palestianian Authority) controls the West Bank. The West Bank is actually on the eastern border with Israel, as it gets its name from the West Bank of the Jordan River. The Gaza Strip is a small strip of land bordering the Mediterranean and Egypt, and sharing its eastern border with southern Israel. (A World Atlas may come in handy here right about now).
Hamas, it turns out, used this truce to re-arm with longer range rockets supplied by Iran and Syria, and smuggled into the Gaza Strip through underground tunnels along Gaza's border with Egypt. Hamas' avowed goal is the destruction of the State of Israel. Before last Tuesday night, Be'er Sheva had never been targeted by rockets from the Gaza Strip before. Israelis had not thought it possible, though in an article around Dec. 21st or 22nd in the Jerusalem Post, the Israeli Intelligence Arm warned that Hamas now possessed rockets with the range to strike Be'er Sheva. Hamas also uses Gaza civilians as human shields, and stores rockets and munitions inside of mosques. The people of Gaza are dependent upon humanitarian aid, which Israel has continued to allow in during the crisis. Meanwhile, Hamas spends its money on weapons and training, some of whom go to Iran to train with Iran's elite forces.
Tuesday night, an empty kindergarten in Be'er Sheva was hit, and last Wednesday, an empty high school, on the opposite side of the university from us.
Ask yourself, if towns on the U.S. Southern Gulf Coast found themselves the recipient of rockets launched from Cuba, would the U.S. military stand by and do nothing? Then, I ask, how can European and Arab governments expect that, having endured hundreds of rocket launches on it's southern towns, Israel's military is unilaterally supposed to cease-fire, while rockets are still being launched towards Israel from the Gaza Strip?
The situation, in a nutshell, is not as simple as a cease-fire by Israel. Mechanisms need to be put in place to prevent the re-armament and re-supply of Hamas by Iran and Syria, thus (hopefully) bringing a sustainable peace to the region. Israel has called for international observers to be placed in the Gaza Strip following cessation of hostilities to ensure that future truces aren't
merely opportunities for Hamas to re-arm. The U.N. Security Council Resolution condemning the Israeli air and ground assault was blocked by the U.S., as it provided no such assurances. Israel has vowed to continue the offensive until no rockets are being launched at Israel.
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