Gun on a train

Next to me, on the train, sits a man with a gun. Ido and I are going to Haifa for Passover – Pesach – the festival of our freedom. It is an Uzi and it is lying over the man's crotch, the barrel between his legs.

We were slaves and now we are free. I have a Haggadah on the table in front of me, which came from Steimatzky with our Passover gifts. The Haggadah lies open at an image of my forefathers - whipped, shirtless, harnessed to boulders that they drag towards a half-built pyramid. They are Egyptian slaves. Slaves, that is, in Egypt.

We were slaves. Now we are free.

This train is full of people going home. Pesach is like Christmas – everyone goes home. Doesn’t have to mean a thing.

On the cover of the newspaper is a story about Arabs. ‘Israeli Arabs,’ Ido translates, ‘have better conditions than minorities in other countries. A study has been done.’ He laughs.

Last Friday, Sami’s daughter got married. There was a party in the square and all the neighbours came. We danced. Najwa and Hadi dragged me by the hand into the dancing group. Across the square, in the new grey building, silent light burned. Later that night, I met Noam walking his big white dog. I know Noam because he and his wife were my neighbours, when I lived in the grey building, before. They never invited me in.

‘Did you see the wedding?’ I asked.

‘We heard it. Had to spend the evening out – couldn’t get the baby to sleep with all that row.’

No Arabs live in the grey building across the square.

The man with the gun on the train is reading a paperback in Hebrew – same Hebrew as the Haggadah lying open on my table. Ido is asleep. A woman sends a text, same Hebrew again. Nearly there, says a recorded voice in American. Next station Binyamina. Nearly there.

Comments

[armin]

whats "olahadasha" means????????

[Leila]

hi armin - it means 'immigrant' (female), literally 'newly ascended'.

[M]

Dearest F,
I have just read your blog: AMAZING. I love the way you tell the story about being questioned and searched etc. upon arrival in Israel. Everything is completely fascinating. I must remember to read it every day. So glad you had a wonderful time. M

[g]

just btw - that's an M-4, not an uzi

[Avram]

"It is an Uzi "

It is not, it's a short M-16.