Prologue

  Orlando, Florida, United States
Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Well, it's September and that means it's time for me to head off on another adventure.  This time I have chosen to go to Israel aka "The Holy Land".  To tell you the truth, I wrestled quite a bit with the decision as to where to go.  Of course my choices were in keeping with my current rules surrounding sojourns:  Rule #1: Only go places you really want to see.  (a no-brainer)  Rule #2: Do not go somewhere you have already been-  Life is short and you need to make the best use of your time.  Rule #3:  Don't use vacation to travel in the U.S., as you've pretty much already seen it all and it would violate Rule #1.  Rule #4:  Choices should be made with special consideration to locations that MAY have a limited window for travel, because of either political or climate instabilities.   Rule #5: Favor should be shown to places that might be difficult to fully visit & experience when I'm old and feeble.  (For this reason Europe is low on the list.  It's similar to America in terms of access and adventure.) and lastly Rule #6:  All things being equal in Rules #1-5, go somewhere that the dollar is doing well against its currency (Remember- I am a Dreyfus!).  Originally I had intended to head to Morocco, but after some reading I decided against it because I decided it was not a place I wanted to stay for a prolonged period of time and since Doug is interested in seeing it and Turkey, I'd put it on hold until perhaps a time when "Mr. Commitment" (not) could join me.
 
After reviewing my travel rules, the top places on the list were Antartica, an African Safari and Israel.  I was too late to get it together for a safari. I didn't have enough time to go to Antartica (you need a good 3+ weeks).  So that left Israel.   I wrestled with the decision to go to Israel I think for a number of reasons: With respect to rule #1, I wanted to see Israel, but from a perspective of mere desire, it wasn't at the top of my hit list.  It ended up towards the top primarily due to Rule #4.  Then there is the fact that I still haven't had a desire for Arabic food since leaving Egypt & Jordan- specifically hummus, pita bread and lamb (& we won't even go into the whole tea thing).  Speaking of food, no offense to my Jewish friends, but with the exceptions of anything with cream cheese as an ingredient (cheescake, blintzes, and bagels & lox) I have never been a fan of Jewish cooking.  Can you say "bland"?  I know I'm offending someone, but it's the truth.  I mean it's not like you see Kosher as a big movement in cuisine.  There are no restaurants proclaiming "Oy Vey- We Cook Kosher!".  Yes, they can put together a great deli, but beyond that...  
 
I decided to go to Israel much with the same attitude that we do many things- not because we have a strong desire to do them, but rather we feel we should, because it would be "good" for us.  The truth be known, I think there's a little part of me that is wondering if this might not develop into a pilgrimage of some sort.   There's a little bit of cautious curiousity that I might find a little missing piece in the Holy Land.   No, I'm not looking for Jesus.  As far as I am aware he's not lost or missing-  I haven't seen his likeness on a milk carton or anything.  It's more like I'm wondering if I might find some answers to questions that I didn't even know I had.   Perhaps I'm wondering: Will the Holy Land can make me "Wholly"?   Regardless I'm sure it will be an interesting, educational and possibly even soul-stirring experience and we could all use a little soul-stirring now and then.  In fact, it might be time for the shaken not stirred. 

I read in one guidebook that some people have these really weird religious experiences in Jerusalem.  Evidently some individuals become overwhelmed by the historical significance of the Holy City and come to the conclusion that they are: biblical characters, prophets or that the Apocalypse is near.  In fact there's even been psychiatric research on it and the psychiatrists have dubbed it "The Jerusalem Syndrome".  It happens to  50-200 people annually.  One Canadian Jew claimed to be Samson, and in an effort to prove it, smashed through a wall in his room to escape.  There was also an English Christian woman who was certain that Christ's Second Coming was imminent and regularly climbed a mountain to welcome Him back to earth with a cup of tea.  (Personally, I would've opted for a canteen of water, particularly given the fact that Jesus could turn it into wine.)  These affected people are taken to a state psychiatric ward outside Jerusalem.  After a week they snap out of it and are really embarassed.  Note: Should the Jerusalem Syndrome befall me, it will not be in the blog, so you'll have to just wonder!   

One of the things that I'm interested to see is if having the last name of "Dreyfus" helps or hinders me in my travels.  There's no getting around the fact that it is a well-known Jewish surname.  There's also no getting around the fact that I speak zero Hebrew/Yiddish except: "Oy vey", "Shalom", "Mazel tov", "Mensch", "Putz", and my personal favorite- "Mashugana", and the fact that I know nearly squat about Judaism.  My knowledge of Judaism is limited to the facts that they celebrate Hannakah/Chanukah (yet aren't decisive about how to spell it), which had something to do with oil lamps, the daily lighting of a Mennorah, playing dreidel, and only getting 1 gift for 8 days instead of a whole slew of them on Christmas.  I also know that their kids get one heck of a Birthday party when they turn 13.  Lastly I know that tradition demands that they bury their dead immediately, no more than 2 nights after the death.  I know this fact because my dad and my "Jewish" grandfather got into a huge fight when my grandfather's brother died and my grandfather & grandmother had to up and drive from Ocala to Chicago in 1 day because my grandfather didn't fly.  When I asked what the big hurry was about and why they were having the funeral so quick instead of waiting a few days, is when I learnd that my grandfather was "Jewish".  I put it in quotes because the truth be known, I don't know if he ever even saw the inside of a synagogue or read a line of the Torah (and I did see him enjoy pork on many an occasion).  However, he definitely had a knack for picking some massively inconvenient times to "practice" his faith.  Personally, I was hoping that upon the event of my 13th birthday he would be overcome with religious furvor and put his faith into action, but I guess that would have been far too convenient- at least for me.  I also would have been more than happy to join him in celebrating Hannakah as well as Christmas, but that option never came up either.  I do know one thing, he was a VERY generous man and I'll bet if I had brought up the whole 13th Birthday shindig and joint Hannakah-Christmas celebration idea he would have seen to it that all of those things were done, particularly since he always treated my brother and I as if we were "The Second Coming".  Anyway I digress...  it will be interesting to gain a little more insight into my forefather's religious beliefs and that from which my own sprung.  
 
I am happy to report that the excitement for my trip has been rising as I've read numerous guidebooks, watched several documentaries on Israel/The Holy Land, and swapped emails online with fellow travelers who have been there.  My brother is no doubt rolling his eyes at the previous sentance, but then again he had lived for months in Thailand and nearly everyday of my 2 weeks visiting Thailand with him he was heard to comment "I didn't know that!" to something I shared with him about what we were seeing during our visit.  Doug:  Are you sure you weren't just spending time tiptoeing through the poppy fields all those months?   Anyway, I am confident this is going to be a great trip and I am looking forward to it.  
 
Special note to family members:  I am not making up a fictitional trip this year, so you can feel free to mention where I am to Bob & Pat.  Really, contrary to what you might wonder... I'm not in Burma, Iraq, Iran or Afghanistan, I promise.  And for those of you who may feel I am "Mashugana", as far as Israel goes- they say it's very safe.  (Whoever "they" are.)
 
Shalom