Posted on 7/9/2004, 3:16:50 PM by SJackson
They're back. Real tourists... real live English-speaking tourists. Not the serious looking types who showed up in little groups all winter long for four days at a time to meet with as many Israeli politicians and pundits as they could pack into their tight schedules. I'm talking about people here on vacation with their families, to actually tour the country, take in the scenery and the sites and relax at the beach.
Earlier this week, most of them seemed to be out on Jerusalem's Ben Yehuda pedestrian mall, as the first weekend of the Hutzot Ha'ir festivities drew to a close.
Hutzot Ha'ir was initiated three summers ago by former Mayor Ehud Olmert as a way to entice people back downtown after months of terror attacks decimated business for shopkeepers and cafe owners.
Olmert rationalized that by closing off the area and stationing security personnel at every possible entrance, customers would return in defiance of the terrorists. Add a few quality food stands, music stages and arts and crafts booths and Jerusalemites hungry for a night out would show up.
That's exactly what happened as the festivals gathered steam. Every Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday night for eight weeks of the summer, thousands came out to enjoy themselves and spend a little money. Tourists were few and far between, and the infamous handwritten signs on many Ben Yehuda area Judaica and jewelry stores ("Big Discounts to Brave Tourists") looked a little pathetic.
Last Saturday night, dozens of English-speaking tourists wandered in and out of those stores proud to be counted among the brave. Many teenagers and twenty-somethings stopped to take in some of the really good bands playing along the street, as they munched on falafel or shwarma. Unlike most students here during the year on one year programs, these summer travelers have no restrictions on coming into town, and seem to relish being part of the huge mass of Israelis thronging the street.
In Zion Square, a lively Salsa dance session was underway. A Japanese TV crew completed the ethnic mish-mash as a bright full moon illuminated the scene.
A little way further up the street, heavily made-up models strutted their stuff on a stage in a mini fashion show of bridal dresses and evening wear. All the evening dresses are sleeveless, backless and worn by young women with perfect bodies. One yeshiva boy walking down the street managed to turn his head in their direction and slow down just enough to get an eyeful. His hands instinctively fly up to his long, black payot (sidecurls), which he proceeded to frantically twirl as he unsuccessfully willed himself to walk on.
The wine bar in the middle of the street was doing great business as the more sophisticated types perch on high stools sipping a glass of kosher Merlot as the crowds surged by.
Since the concept of personal space is completely unknown in Israeli society, parents with strollers and elderly grandparents with walkers all took part in the extended mosh pit atmosphere. Conspicuously absent, though, are the heavily armed soldiers who patrolled the event in past years.
In the past few weeks, various commentators have heralded the "normal" news hitting Israeli headlines (dog mauls child, etc.) and postulated that perhaps we'd won the latest war. By last Thursday, when Sderot, a Negev community within the Green Line, had buried its Kassam rocket victims -- a four-year-old child and a 50-year-old grandfather -- and explosives packed into a tunnel blew up an IDF convoy claiming the life of one soldier, their theories looked way off. Friday brought more rocket attacks on the small Negev town just down the road from Arik Sharon's farm.
This week, reality returned with full force as Victor Kreiderman, 49, of Mevo Dotan was killed in a terrorist ambush as he drove with his wife to work.
Things haven't really changed that much since last summer's hudna (cease-fire, truce) -- except this year we're sharing the experience with lots of tourists.
OHH That is cool
Rack itttt
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Israel is a wonderful place to visit!
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