West Side

I am spending lots of time in the West, the Jewish section of Jerusalem. I have been defending Israel left and right, attending birthday parties where all the food is kosher and men wear Kippot, and going to the movies. Now that I have my membership and an empty apartment, I keep going to movies. For whatever reason, I keep seeing war movies - guns, explosions, death. It feels strange to watch in a culture that is so dominated by war and violence. I keep waiting for someone to run out crying, due to flashbacks.
Now I am sitting in a kosher Bagel restaurant, in a very American area. I don't know why I came here. I am half in the mood to run into people, half hiding. I am trying to explore different parts of this city, and I don't want to hide from certain neighborhoods anymore. Its not worth it. It is strange to be a place where you can have a "Bagel with a shmear". There's a large group of religious Americans sitting together, enjoying a birthday dinner of salads, pasta, and bagel sandwiches. There is a large boisterous man next to me telling inappropriate jokes, singing to himself, and playing fantasy computer games. There is a young couple with a young child who won't shut up, but for whatever reason they won't leave. At least I have gotten this out of my system, and I don't need to come to this area for a long, long time.
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My birthday was last week. Lots of people came to help me celebrate, at a Tapas bar in West Jerusalem. It was amazing to have so many people from different places together - Jews, Christians, Muslims, and atheists. Israeli, Palestinian, American, Italian, Canadian, British. One friend I've known since I was 5, others from the Arava, some people I have just met in the last couple of weeks, and a friend who I first met randomly at a party in Jordan 3.5 years ago. The a large crew of friends of a friend tromped in, sang Happy Birthday in Hebrew, then left. At first the mingling wasn't so smooth, but by the end some numbers were exchanged. A success.
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Friday was a little nutsy: I went on an alternative archeology tour of the City of David and Silwan. Did some quick food-shopping errands. Met up for cocktails with a friend and got some closure (and my French coffee press!). Then Friday night dinner with old family friends and a combo of random young people. Then out until 3am with a bunch of Israeli Arabs, drinking and smoking, getting stared at for using Arabic in public and feeling funny for still wearing my shabbat clothes at a dance bar.

All in all, an interesting night. More things happened over the weekend, but I have to get out of this neighborhood. I need to learn to live life NOW instead of just reflecting on what was and over thinking what could be. But I still need a job...