the f word

while trying to minimalize my stargazing at the plentiful stars of david, i slowly made it through the tel aviv airport. i waltzed through the security (largely due to the detailed script carmel provided me with) and off i went through the crowd of people searching for said friend. after a couple of false sightings, my eyes locked and arms flailed when hysteria led me to her. a couple months previous to this blissfull reunion, tragedy carved a deep impression in our relationship. from the debris of a hate crime bloomed a beautiful friendship. when she invited me to join her here in israel, i took the offer as a synchronistic event and chose to see it through.

we caught up on the road to zichron ya'akov, her parents place about 20min. south of haifa. i couldn't contain my disbelief when i read each road sign exclaiming the little distance between myself and jerusalem, nazareth, tiberias. . . ect. at long last, we arrived at her parents place where i was shown to my very own room -what luxury! immediately, i felt so welcomed as if i was not just a friend but family. what i was to learn was that these two words are interchangeable here.

this was heavily reinforced the next day at the lunch. carmel and i were invited to at their family friend's house in the neighboring arab town of feridis (meaning paridise). the minute we walked in the house, we were happy recipients of the plentiful loving family atmosphere and amazing home cooked arab cuisine. we were stuffed to the gills with wonderful food -i was very impressed that their persistant offering was both more persisant and effective than dad's! we had to invent words to politely deny more food by the end of it!!

until recently, 24+ family members lived under that roof. carmel described it as a central bus station before the big move. we got to see the new house which resembles an upscale hotel. despite the latest fashions and marble decore, the children yearn for the homey bus station where they shared rooms and laughs under the much used roof.