THAT

This year in Jerusalem,
Gerard Sarnat
well not exactly, it depends whether you consider
Ma’ale Adumim—mentioned in the Book of Joshua
as the border town between the tribes of Judea and Benjamin
—a suburb as Israel does, or
an illegal settlement like South Africa’s past cantons
that much of the world boycotts/ divests/ sanctions
including last week Oregon under the state’s Fair Trade Practices Act.
On the other hand, just today India proudly announced “rehabilitating”
Muslim Kashmir with “Israel-style” townships
occupied (for starters) by tens of thousands of Hindus.
In any case here I am traveling from Jerusalem through the West Bank
on a sterilized road to where we spent last autumn’s High Holidays
and will spend next New Years with our youngest and her in-laws.
Ems offers gladiolas to the matriarch who rules the domestic roost
this Scrabble triple word score day recognizing the anniversary
of my daughter making aliyah, plus Shabbos, as well as Pesach.
Rather than be the only man among women at home, again I don
a pocketed yarmulke and accompany Emma’s husband
toward the Kurdish synagogue.
On our way he silently points to a brewing sandstorm
on rolling hills beyond an electrified fence and security road
where sheep graze around Bedouin tents.
In the makeshift synagogue, about 100% of the shorn
(or male pattern baldness from the existential stress)
warrior community bears witness. Rebellious boys might be allowed
not to cut what’s on top though below is traditionally bris-buzzed.
90 THAT