Hello everyone!
I'm writing to let you know I arrived safely and uneventfully into Tel Aviv yesterday. I met up with a couple Israeli friends from Black Laundry (www.blacklaundry.org) and slept long and well last night (possibly even overcoming jet lag in just one day, but we'll see about that). I don't have much insight to share yet, and have noticed only what I always notice in Tel Aviv, which is that life is bizarrely normal. I went grocery shopping this morning with my friend Inna, and when we passed by graffiti that said in Hebrew "End the occupation!" she commented on how strange it was to see that. Not that it's uncommon - all the graffiti I've managed to read so far, at least in this neighborhood, has been on the left side of the spectrum - but the occupation is just so far removed from the average Israeli (with the exception of soldiers, settlers, and possibly folks in Jerusalem). Anyway, I walk through the streets here and notice that everyone's dressed in a way that would be considered 'left-wing crunchy hippie' in the US, and I wonder how that context translates to this city, this country, this reality. But that's enough about Tel Aviv. I'm heading to Jerusalem shortly, and will most likely make it to Hares by tomorrow. I plan to be in Hares with the International Women's Peace Service (IWPS - www.iwps.info) for about a month now, then in Bethlehem for a month studying Arabic and working with a Palestinian organization. Then I'll help for 2 weeks with a Boston delegation before returning to IWPS in late August/ early September. I'll stay there for the duration (until late October). And that's my plan in a nutshell. I'll keep you all posted on the work I'm doing (largely anti-Wall work in the coming month, I suspect). I just wanted to send this quick e-mail before crossing the Green Line into the land of slow and unreliable internet connection.
Much love to all,
Hannah
