Whenever I get on a bus or enter a vehicle to travel out of Ma'alé Levoná anywhere, or return home from anywhere, I recite this prayer:
May it be the Will of the Almighty, our G-d and G-d of our forefathers that our steps bring us to peace, that we be led to peace and that we be guided to peace;
That we arrive in the place we intend to reach, alive, with joy and in peace, and that we be returned to our homes in peace;
That we be rescued from the hands of our enemies, all evil animals that come on the road, all evil spirits and all forms of disruptions that can cause us disturbance and which come in the world;
And send us a blessing in all that we do, that we may be seen favorably in Your eyes, and in the eyes of all who see us.
Listen to the voices of our pleading, because You are a G-d who hears prayer and pleading.
Blessed are You, G-d, who hears prayer.
This is known as "The Traveler's Prayer."
There is a reason I do this, a possibility that occurred this evening (Sunday, 19 July) on the way home from Jerusalem on Highway 60, the north-south road that follows the ancient Patriarch's Road traveled by Abraham, Isaac and Jacob over three and a half millennia ago.
The bus broke down.
We had not even reached Tzómet Atí, the intersection that leads to the village of Giv'át Assáf (Assaf's Hill) on the way to Bet-él – Bethel.
We were on the open road.
In a country like Canada or the United States, this would not be too big a deal, though of course it would be distressing to the passengers who would all be wondering when they would arrive home. Those who had gone shopping and had bought refrigerated or frozen goods would be especially worried. In Israel, there is a small added element of stress to the normal stress load of an automotive breakdown: the bloodlust of our Arab neighbors, and the distinct possibility of a drive-by shooting by Arabs.
Article comments
1 - Joanne Huspek
Ruvy, I enjoy articles of this type. Too often in the US we are so used to a certain level of comfort that we take for granted. The whole world isn't like the it is here, for sure. Thanks for sharing your adventure, and I'm glad too that you returned home safely.
2 - roger nowosielski
Good story. Reminiscent of Babel with Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett.
Why can't you get a car? Too expensive?
3 - Ruvy
Joanne, Roger,
I'm glad you enjoyed this tale. This is real life, not the bull put out by the whiny "poor 'Palestinian" crowd.
My police commander, if he reads it, will not approve. But I'm a volunteer. Considering the huge salary the Ministry of Internal Security is paying me, I don't really have to care. No security secrets were lost in this article.
The first thing you learn in this country is how little you can take for granted - with anything. Just walking to a bus stop in Jerusalem can tun into an adventure. Once, some years ago, we were suddenly blocked from going to the bus stop we needed to get to to get home by the Border Guards, who blocked off King George V Street because an Arab had left a suspicious package - one that was indeed a bomb.
My son, who has trouble with anything that suddenly interferes with a routine, was very worried about catching the bus. I told Shim'on not to worry. The #8 bus came and stopped at the roadblock the police had put up; I knocked on the door and the driver opened up and took us in, collecting the fare. We sat down and relaxed, and rode home in style.
Roger, buying a used car is not really the problem. The problem is feeding it. A car eats up about NIS 1,500 a month ($375). An average salary here is about NIS 4,000 ($1,000) to NIS 6,000 ($1,500). A quarter to 37½% of a monthly salary is a pretty big bite for a car.
Then consider. What if I were driving my used jalopy down Highway 60 with my son, and it broke down. We'd be all alone, stuck in open country. The army will come to guard a busload of Jews from attack - two people is an iffier proposition.
Capisce?
4 - roger nowosielski
I think you should consider writing a novella or a series of short stories. You certainly have the material. And it's a kind of life that many of us here are definitely not used to - in that a surprise can come at any time and the unexpected only knocks on your doorstep.
5 - Ruvy
Thanks for the kind words, Roger. I'll certainly consider it. I do have enough material and I may have a backer if I play my cards right.