Today Roni is back to us! In her real body! And not only in her spirit that is always lined up on the “lighthouse”, but she herself in full exclusion. Undoubtedly a real refresh and also a little “shaking” of the lighthouse idea … we will reach the “shaking” at the end of our summary.
Erez arrived on a “Harley” motorcycle … came for a preliminary tour before Saturday, where he will be accompanied by other motorcyclists for a trip in the area. Shmulik in the role of Nahshi serves him (and us) coffee. Rami greets him with an explanation of us and adds hope that “someday we will not have to sit here anymore …”
For Ramy, Gaza in recent years has been an internal alarm clock. Something that reminds him that he’s not alone on the planet. That he should and can look at the weak and the suffering. Perhaps this is Gaza’s ‘gospel’ to the world, he muses, it demands a direct look at overt suffering and mental reckoning.
Malki felt a strong desire to come even for a short time (she has guests at home), the company of the people and the place “charged” her with a good feeling.
Roni feels very connected to Gaza. The fence hides reality. We need to score the walls. She has friends in Gaza, those who call her the “mother of Gaza”. She tells the story of the piano transfer and adds that beyond the unique act, the event was used as an image gimmick … a gimmick that covers real daily hardships. Here, in the “Lighthouse” she found a group that sees things as it is. “The day after” will come. There is no other option.
Jaber talks about al-Zarnouk and the structural problems in a village not recognized by the authorities. In Gaza it is much more difficult, he adds. Recently he is stressed at work, but coming to the “lighthouse”, gives him air. A man mind can’t bear that here live in well and there they will suffer, he says. Jaber occasionally has anecdotes from work as a bus driver, Small stories about encounters with passengers that illustrate the mixing of the identities of the area. Thank you Jaber for sharing …
Oded says that for him there is also another purpose in meeting casual (or invited) guests, his desire to crack the absoluteness of Jewish-Israeli justice that makes us not examine ourselves and just say what “they” should do …
Shmulik says that we have been hosting people in the circle for 3.5 years. People like us and different from us. Shmulik is happy to meet travelers who comes mainly in the spring and winter. In the summer they go to the sea …
Now it’s the turn of Erez … he has a long “affair” with Gaza, he says. He is a native and a resident of the area and this “creature”, Gaza, is no stranger to him. As a child he visited there and they visited them. It was obvious to him. Did not see any difference. He played as a child in security trenches of he’s kibbutz and did not think about the context or that he would need shelter again at all … Today he thinks differently, he became disillusioned. Gaza is a “friend” who has become an “enemy.” Still, the basis of his observation is that a dialogue needs to be built. In the created reality, his opinions shifted. We are in war. In war you have to shoot and talk. If it is possible in speech to prevent war it is good. No need to move from where they sit (they and we). Katif setlements evacuation from the Gaza strip was our tribute. Expected to see a different response. They have an elected government that wants to kill. If we were to lose we would all be dead. We are in a long process towards where they will understand that the place can be developed into heaven. They (still) do not understand it because of a different mentality. Erez thinks and even suggests that we divert the light in the “lighthouse” to the Bedouin problem in Israel and not toward Gaza.
Rami replies that there are many problems in the country and we chose to focus on Gaza. Adds some facts about life and the situation in Gaza.
Hayuta, last in the round, responds to Erez and says that the Bedouin are part of us and Gaza are neighbors. Reads a poem by Hamutal Ben Yosef. Erez says goodbye as he notes the important work we are doing and rides to the sunset. From there shines Maharan and joins us.
Now we’re up for “shaking” … It seems to Roni that we have warmed ourselves up in “Lighthouse”, with a bit strict rules and as a result we are recently missing opportunities to reach wider audiences.
Ramy says that we actually tried and sometimes we were able to organize or host wider audiences. There are limitations due to the conditions at the place.
An interesting conversation developed that sharpened insights in the context of the original ideas that shaped the “lighthouse” in its infancy versus the present.
It was definitely interesting and fertile.
We were this time: Roni, Malki, Hayuta, Erez, Jaber, Shmulik, Rami, Maharan, Oded.
Wrote: Oded.