On Thursday, December 12, 2019, at 13:10, without any warning signs, a mad sandstorm broke out, filling the entire area with sand and dust clouds. Out of this storm Rami opened the Lighthouse circle on Friday, December 13. He spoke about camel caravans moving in the storm, navigating along an inner compass from Midyan (a giant oasis in the Saudi desert) towards Gaza, the city that has been the region’s most important and influential junction for many periods in history.
Rami was not alone, of course… Present were also Shmulik and Oded who came as always (91 weeks), and the camera crew from Sapir College’s film school, Or and Gal, were already waiting. They have been accompanying us for the second week now, and will probably arrive in the next ones as well.
While coffee was being poured, Roni joined us, with Adir. Jaber arrives and surprises us with his daughter Sirin.
Noga comes too, to photograph as well. So now we are surrounded with two video cameras, every word is recorded… This requires a ‘getting acquainted’ circle.
Rami facilitates. The usual members repeat the message of conscience that guides them, like that camel caravan in the sandstorm, to come to Migdalor (lighthouse) and raise their consciousness of Gaza, along with the fresh joiners and with the besieged Gazans.
As we speak about Gaza, we are joined by Nahshi, Limor and Moshe. They are all from Nir Yitzchak, along with furry, barking Yefet and Nina.
Or and Noga go from side to side in order to catch the various speakers in the circle. Naturally the circle’s rules apply to them as well, and their own awareness of Gaza adds itself to our circle.
Andrea and Dan arrive. These are Americans from Chicago, speaking excellent Hebrew. They have been sent by Ye’ela who also arrives after a few minutes, riding tandem with her daughter Shani. Later we will also be visited by Tomer, Ye’ela’s partner and Shani’s father.
Soli from Yevul village arrives as well as Marie from Beit Elazari.
This Friday Lighthouse circle included about 20 participants (not including Nina and Yefet).
Everyone spoke, they all shared their Gaza awareness, each from the place where Gaza meets them personally. Gal and Or of Sapir College had been soldiers in the 2014 military operation, Ye’ela resides a few hundred meters from the Gaza Strip houses, Sirin and Jaber live in an unrecognized village, Roni (at Rami’s request) repeats her story of transferring the piano to Gaza, Adir lives in Sderot but in his parents’ community he meets and speaks with Palestinian students who study there, and all of us – neighbors and residents of the same region – long for time and calm in order to heal the suffering taking place elsewhere on the planet.
Written by Oded