We began our final day at the well-known Haas Promenade - a beautiful park overlooking the entire city of Jerusalem.  I have been there many times before, and even stopped there daily during my very first time living in Jerusalem (two months during the summer of 1999).  It was jarring for me to hear, just before leaving on my trip, that a terrorist incident had taken place there on Sunday January 8th.  Four soldiers were senselessly killed.

The truck driver lived in a nearby Arab village.  His status legally entitled him to Israeli license plates for his truck (which he used as part of his work as a laborer).  And his commute in to Israel required him to pass through an Israeli security checkpoint.

But even if the security guards had thoroughly searched his truck for weapons, it would not have mattered.  There were no weapons.  He chose to use the truck itself as a weapon to hurt others.

This deeply troubling story challenges some of the basic presumptions I have about Israel, and the effectiveness (or lack there of) regarding border security.

The Promenade has historically been a multicultural center of Jerusalem life, where Arab and Israeli children could play together if they were so inclined.  Naturally, after an incident like this, trusting the one who is different becomes that much more difficult. 

But here's the funny thing about Israel: there's such a tremendous sense of "Be Calm and Carry On" to life here.  

As if it were the most normal thing in the world, we went straight from the site of a terror attack from a few days ago to an archaeological site immediately adjacent to the Old City.  We trekked thru a semi-secret ancient underground tunnel that led right to the Wall.

And then we were in Shabbat preparation mode.  We had the chance to spiritually reflect at the Wall (we made it past security this time!).  And then some pre-Shabbat shopping at Jerusalem's main market in Machane Yehudah (see pictures of both below).

And then it was on to Shabbat with a dear friend and colleague who serves an Israeli Reform congregation just outside of Jerusalem, followed by dinner with her family. And then a day of quieter contemplation (and more eating!) today (Saturday) as I prepare to head to the airport early tomorrow morning.

Yes: Israel is a place that continues to live under the threat of security concerns.  But yes: Israel has sparks of co-existence that augur the possibility of a more meaningful reconciliation between Jew and Arab some how, some way, some day.

And yes: Israel is a place that is maddeningly frustrated because of the hegemonic influence that the Orthodox have over questions like Jewish pluralism and gender.  But Israel is also filled with passionate leaders (some in our movement and some outside of it) who are hopeful about a renewed future, and a greater sense of peace within Israel's own society.  I know that because of the remarkable work that my friend Stacey is doing (and so many others like her).  And I know that because of the rhythm of Israel life.  It's Friday.  It doesn't matter how difficult the week that just passed was.  Everyone still has to go to the market to get ready by shopping for the weekend.  Life continues as it always has, as our Tradition gently guides us from one week to the next.

My reflection about Thursday (Day Five): even after sixty eight and a half years, Israel remains vulnerable in so many different ways.

I saw it early on Thursday morning, when we were privileged to be just outside the main entrance of the Western Wall (Judaism's holiest site) to pray with Women of the Wall.  (Background: keep in mind that Israel considers the Wall to be like an Orthodox synagogue, where designated/separate prayer sections have been established for men and women respectively.  Women, historically, have not had the right to lead their own services out loud there, or read from the Torah there (things that men can, of course, do in the Men's section).

Thanks to the tremendous advocacy work of our Movement more than a year ago, the Israeli government had announced a compromise plan that would have allowed for the meaningful creation of an egalitarian prayer space where any Jewish group (including Women of the Wall) could gather and pray as they are inclined to...at the Wall itself.  The Prime Minister's Office sadly walked away from that compromise deal several months ago.  More recently, the Israeli Supreme Court ruled on a related question: it is now unlawful for police at the Wall to conduct security searches of women differently from the way that they search men.  (Background: when men read from Torah at the Wall, there are scrolls available for them to use that are stored in an appropriate space at the wall.  Because women's groups are not allowed to read from the Torah, no scrolls are available for them.  As a result, Women of the Wall have had to hide miniature scrolls underneath their jackets in order to bring them in.)  Happily, the Supreme Court ruled that women shouldn't be asked to unzip their jackets (so that they can be checked for hiding a Torah scroll!)  unless the police are prepared to start searching men in the same way (they aren't).  

So: we were there on Thursday morning to stand together, to pray, and to respectfully test whether the police would honor the recent Supreme Court ruling.

The good news: there wasn't too much physical violence.  No one was hurt or arrested.

The bad news: it was heart-breaking to watch as the police chose to ignore the Court's ruling.  Women of the Wall had decided that if they were going to be forced to open their jackets, they would instead hold a "sit in" in front of the security checkpoint.  The "sit in" became a "pray in."  As we stood together, and prayed, for a State of Israel that might allow a thriving and diversely pluralistic 21st century Judaism to flourish in the same way that 21st century high-tech flourishes throughout the rest of the country.  I was honored to be a part of the proceedings, particularly during this week in which some in our country are also speaking out in favor of women's rights.

We then continued our journey Southwest to Netiv HaAsarah, an Israeli community less than one mile from the Gaza border.  For more than a decade, they have lived under the constant threat of Hamas missiles.  Thanks to Israel's ultra-sophisticated Red Alert system, they get a whopping 5-7 seconds of notice if a missile is incoming.  As a result, everyone needs to have constant and easy access to a safe room.  (Their preschool and kindergarten facilities were completely rebuilt so that those entire buildings became safe rooms - so that the kids would never have to be evacuated.)  For everyone else: they adapted.  See the picture below of their tennis court.  The safe room is the taller off white building on the tennis court in the background.

Our group was really divided in terms of our response to the visit.  Some were really put off by the decision on the part of Netiv HaAsarah's residents to willingly/voluntarily raise their families in such a dangerous place.

And others in the group were deeply inspired.  These Israelis chose to live in Netiv HaAsarah - not in one of the Gaza settlements (which existed before Israel's disengagement from Gaza 10 years ago).  Netiv HaAsarah is on land that is essentially undisputed territory vis a vis the international community.  It has exactly the same status as Tel Aviv or West Jerusalem.  (And these Israelis would respectfully remind us that Tel Aviv and West Jerusalem are also vulnerable to these missiles - though it's true that they get 1 minute 45 seconds notice.)  Their decision to live in Netiv HaAsarah is an expression of genuine Zionist pioneering spirit, they say.  They want to live there because they want to be a part of modern Israel...to strengthen it and make it bloom.

The beauty of this sort of Israel debate is that there is no right answer.  I'm looking forward to hearing what you think about it as we reflect together upon my return.

Our itinerary today was devoted entirely to the question of Israel and her security.  But before I reflect on that, let me note - with concern - that the security of Jewish institutional buildings in the States was very much on our radar screen today too. Those of us that are here are sending thoughts and prayers to all of you, as we hope and pray for safety and peace.

We started the day on the top of Mt. Bental on Israel's Golan Heights (conveniently labeled 'B' on the map above).  From there, we enjoyed a beautiful view of snow-capped Mt. Hermon (the tallest mountain in Israel), and a strategic perch to consider the military threat that Israel continues to have to manage from Lebanon and Syria.

The very first thing that you notice when you reach the top of Mt. Bental is the Observer outpost of the United Nations.

Officially, these UN soldiers (the ones on duty this morning were from Switzerland and Chile) are there as part of the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) to monitor the stability of the Israel-Syria border according to the terms of the cease-fire agreement from the end of the 1973 Yom Kippur War.  Unofficially, they are using the Mt. Bental outpost to monitor the Syrian civil war.  (UN observers in Syria in 2014 were forced to run to Israel for safety after being attacked by Syrian rebels.)  After my visit this morning, I can't decide what is more distressing: the fact that the Israel-Syrian situation is still volatile enough that it requires active UN monitoring; or, the unbelievable reality that the Syrian civil war was playing out right in front of my eyes this morning at the base of this mountain on the Syrian side.  (Okay: not in front of my eyes, because I couldn't really see anything.  But bursts of gunfire/artillery occurred several times during our visit and we could certainly hear it.)

As Americans, we take for granted that we are on good terms with Mexico and Canada.  There is peace on our borders, and so we automatically make the presumption that that is somehow the norm for every other country in the world.

It takes a visit like the one I had this morning for me to be reminded that Israel's situation couldn't be more different.  She is still not recognized by Syria.  Or Lebanon. Or any other country in the Arab world except Egypt and Jordan.  And countries like Lebanon and Syria still have high hopes of hurting Israel (maybe even destroying her). Hezbollah still enjoys a comfortable perch in Lebanon.  And Hezbollah has begun to use Syria as a base as well.  (So has Isis.)

Later in the day, we studied with Professor Reuven Hazan, Chair of the Hebrew University Political Science Department.  To boil a very long discussion down to one sentence: Hazan reminded us that Israelis overwhelmingly vote either as hawks or doves (when it comes to security and peace-making questions), regardless of the significant economic challenges (to name just one example) that the country is facing domestically.  And it explains why Israelis continue to support Prime Minister Netanyahu even as he is investigated on ethics and corruption charges right now.  Israelis continue to believe that Netanyahu and his coalition are better equipped right now to keep them safe.

Netanyahu's coalition of ultra-Orthodox religious parties certainly don't share my worldview...when it comes to inclusion questions (like the rights of non-Orthodox Jews and the rights of women - more on both of those issues tomorrow).  But after spending the day reflecting on Israel's safety and security, I can understand why those issues aren't the first priorities of most voters here.  If Canada and Mexico were actively seeking to commit acts of aggression and terror against the United States, I imagine that we'd be a little less concerned about domestic social issues too.