Hamas\’ takeover of the Gaza Strip is spurring hope for the safe return of an Israeli soldier kidnapped nearly a year ago by the fundamentalist Islamic group, even as it issued a terse warning to Israel not to harm its leaders \”or forget about Gilad Shalit.\”
I met \”Mr. Nice Guy\” more than three years ago, and I cherish our special connection — he\’s affectionate, understanding, a good listener, open-minded, practical …
\”Am I left?\” I asked the diplomat. I don\’t even know what left or right means anymore. At a moment in history when Israel\’s prime minister, from the center-right, ran on a ticket of unilateral withdrawal from the territories, something even the left opposed a few years back, and when the left in Israel advocates for a separation fence that its leaders once fought against, and when right and left are united in their disgust with the current government, these labels mean bubkes in Israel.
As I reflected later on my Yemenite moment in time, I couldn\’t help but think of all the traditions that so many Jewish communities throughout the world are fighting to maintain. There are countless variations of Ashkenazic and Sephardic traditions that have their own melodies, their own chants, their own ways. We all read the same words, but after that, we\’re allowed to tweak. It\’s as if God gave us the consonants, and then said: \”Have fun with the vowels.\”
The Hamas coup in Gaza last week might seem like a victory for Iran and its followers, who now have a foothold on Israel\’s doorstep. But if Israel plays its cards wisely, it might turn things around.
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