I should be in Jerusalem tonight. I say that not because I’m a particularly religious man, but because I literally was scheduled to sleep in the City of David tonight.
Our two-week visit was to highlight the contrast between ancient and modern Israel, from historic sites and synagogues to modern cuisine and technology. We were to spend a week in Jerusalem, three days in Northern Israel, and the final four days in Tel Aviv and beach towns like Caesarea.
The visit was supposed to kick off with an El Al flight from LAX to Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) on Monday, October 9, departing at 11AM PST. We were set to fly in one of El Al’s flagship Boeing 787 Dreamliners.
Our bags were packed, prescriptions to sleep through the 14-hour flight prescribed, overseas cell phone plan set up, WhatsApp installed.
If only my greatest worry had continued to be whether I’d have enough legroom in Economy, or if I should have upgraded.
We had dinner with friends celebrating my wife’s birthday on Friday, October 6. But when the birthday cake came out, our Israeli friend’s phone started buzzing. She told us later she didn’t want to tell us how bad it was and spoil the party.
The murderous Hamas attack on the Israeli kibbutzim, trance concert and military bases near the Gaza border had begun. We prayed for our friends and acquaintances, and hoped the death and destruction would be limited.
On Saturday it became clear that we could not go, not because of fear, but of fear of getting in the way, of being another mouth to feed, a pair of clueless tourists to be led around and protected. Our tickets were cancelled within 24 hours of the murderous attack. No doubt Israel Defense Force reservists sat in our seats, coming home to Israel for the fight against Hamas.
When our Jerusalem hosts told us the trip was off, it was the only possible decision. But it felt like a great loss not getting to see the people of Israel, Christians, Jews, Arabs and others.
How many of the people I would have met are now dead, injured or kidnapped? Israel is a small country, and everyone knows someone who was killed. Even in America, when a rabbi at my synagogue asked how many of the congregation had a freed or relative affected, more than half of the 500 people stood up.
As anyone who’s watched the news this week knows, the situation has only gotten worse. The death toll in Israel is over 1300, with the status of over 150 kidnapped individuals unknown. More than 40 Americans are among the dead or missing, as are nationals of more than 30 countries.
An attack on Gaza to rescue the hostages and destroy Hamas leaders seems inevitable, with more Gazans and Israelis to die. The last time so many Jews were killed in one day was during the Holocaust.
This time of year would normally be a peak time to visit, but instead many Americans in Israel are searching for a way home. It’s a challenge, as US airlines have stopped flying to Israel through October 31. The State Department has begun flying evacuation flights (you will need to sign a promissory note for the costs) and the organization Amudim has a list of options.
One way I keep my mind off the unimaginable horror is to think of the trip that was, and one day, will be. I can imagine myself climbing stone steps in Jerusalem, seeing the city from the Mount of Olives, or just strolling the beachfront in Tel Aviv.
We were looking forward to an in depth tour of the Old City. We had visited before, but it has been many years. It’s awe-inspiring to walk around the walls and imagine all the events from the last 2500 years, from King David to the Romans and Jesus. Visitors of all religions or none are stirred by seeing the Stations of the Cross, the Dome of the Rock and of course the Western Wall, all that remains of the 2nd Temple destroyed by the Romans.
On a lighter note, we hoped to sharpen our negotiating skills shopping at the famed Mahane Yehuda Market.
We also planned to spend time at Yad Vashem the World Holocaust Remembrance Center. Yad Vashem also pays tribute to the Righteous Among Nations with a Garden of the Righteous, recognizing 27,000 non-Jews who risked their lives to save others.
One was Princess Alice of Battenberg, mother of the late Prince Philip and grandmother of King Charles. Alice, who hid a Jewish family at her palace in Athens, is buried at the Church of Mary Magdalene on the Mount of Olives. King Charles was anointed in coronation oil from an olive grove at the church.
We also planned to visit the City of David, the National Park and archaeological site showing the city King David built before he built Jerusalem. At night, the Halleluiah Light Show lights up the City of David with projections and pyrotechnics. But for now, “In accordance with the directives of the Homefront Command, all City of David sites are now closed for activity.”
In the North, we booked two nights stay at a popular kibbutz, Kfar Blum, which would be our base of operations as we toured Lake Kinneret (the Sea of Galilee.)
Also on the agenda was the mystical, spiritual city of Safed, home to generations of scholars and mystics. The city has in recent years become home to many artists and craftsfolk, whose work often has a spiritual theme. I loved Safed when I visited years ago and hope to wander its streets and visit its classic synagogue again.
Our trip was to take place around the 50th anniversary of the 1973 Yom Kippur war, also a surprise attack on a major Jewish holiday. We planned to visit the area near the Syrian border where Israel fought one of the largest tank battles in post-World War II history. Some 1200 Syrian tanks crossed the border trying to destroy Israeli defenses and sweep towards defenseless population centers. They were met by just 177 Israeli tanks.
In days of bitter battles, the Israelis held off the Syrian onslaught, destroying hundreds of tanks. The area became known as the Valley of Tears and inspired a recent HBO series.
We could not visit the battlefield because another war broke out, this time against Hamas.
But our journey to Israel is postponed, not canceled. We hope to visit soon, when peace returns and tourists can again enjoy the spirit of the Holy Land.