I’ve been living in Nachlaot for one week, and already there have been spontaneous and synchronous moments where someone recognizes me in the streets, or I meet a new person randomly. My roommate went to meet someone at a cafe nearby and when she left, there were women outside acting in the square. She called me over and I came before they finished. They declared me the World’s Greatest Clown, which I appreciated and gladly did a five-second “turn” for the crowd, but it was weird when they kept saying, “Isn’t it nice to be someone you’re not?” I’m like, ‘What about the World’s Greatest Clown am I not?’ It turns out they’re part of a class on Street Theatre at the Nisan Nativ Acting School nearby. Their teacher, who was watching them, didn’t like that I stole their thunder. (A similar thing happened years ago at an Elon Gold show.) But, anyway.
Today I happened to see a post that Ryan Bellerose will be in a nearby hippy cafe, so after being a subject in a university study, I went over. (He even said he chose the location because it’s central, and “All Jews are hippies.”) Earlier in the day he went to the Temple Mount. He said it’s ridiculous that non-Jews can walk around with impunity, but Jews need to be protected by security guards — on the holiest site to Jews. He captured the attention of the Waqf and was not afraid to be confrontational. He is a huge guy. Nothing seems to scare him.
We could ask him anything we wanted. Some asked about his Métis language and heritage. I wanted to know his perspective on our current Prime Minister, which from an Indigenous point of view, is not good. I forgot what the question was, but something led into this topic:
He hates Donal Trump. But he will give him credit for one thing. Trump said that as long as the Palestinian Authority pays people to kill Jews, America will cut off aid. They would have to stop inciting violence in order to collect US Aid. And then, when Biden was in power, the very second thing he did was put an end to that — called the Taylor Force Act. Biden wanted to give the PA money even when that meant they would spend said money paying people to kill Jews (and visiting internationals.)
I remember how, shortly after Biden took office, a war broke out in a region that had been peaceful before him. I couldn’t pinpoint what had changed. But what I can’t figure out now is what kind of a sick, twisted sadist would want to fund the PA to financially reward terrorism.
As Ryan was talking, I heard the siren of an ambulance, and saw it pass by. We were in a plaza enclave, closed in by a fenced-off construction site that had been a parking lot. Soon a few of the women in our group were on their cell phones, and someone interrupted him to say there was a terror attack nearby.
I checked my phone and in one of my groups, someone shared a screenshot from the terror alert app. In Machane Yehuda off Agripas (right where we were) a car had rammed into pedestrians, 3 were injured. (Now it says 5, one seriously.) We discussed whether Ryan should go over there, and he got up to look and see if any help was needed. If the terrorist hadn’t already been apprehended, I would trust Ryan to take care of him.
Being with that group of people, and Ryan, and enclosed by the construction barrier separating us from the street, I felt very safe. I was learning about what had just happened from phones. And afterwards, my friends checked in on me. The first thing I thought was this: Terror won’t stop me. I will continue to go out, to live and feel alive. Thank G-d I am safe, and I believe I will continue to be safe for as long as I have a mission on this Earth. Terror only makes me want to live more.
Tonight, as the sun sets, it is Yom HaZikaron, a national memorial day in Israel. Stores close. A siren goes off at 8 pm. We acknowledge and pay respects to those lost in wars and terror attacks. You can livestream this event from anywhere in the world: https://israelb.org/2020/04/yom-hazikaron-jicny-jic-israel-and-strength-to-strength/
After the attack, I ran into two separate people I knew, then went shopping at Mahane Yehuda (the shuk/market) with my roommate to prepare for a barbecue on Wednesday for Yom HaAtzmaut, Israel Independence Day. On the street we saw an abandoned watermelon and took it home. Because life goes on. The good comes on the heels of the bad, and always outweighs it. Every day is a precious gift.
I am so grateful to live in the centre of town. Life goes on.
After all, I am the World’s Greatest Clown.
Sorry I missed the clown part of the story during our getting-to-know-you chat. Very cool! So glad you are safe, and that everyone else in the crowd was, too. I love the simple fervency of your prose. That you will not be scared off by crazy people who live to hate. That you plan to continue living and feeling alive in this very holy place. That you shopped in the very place they wanted today to drive us from. That God blessed you with a watermelon. Interestingly (but perhaps only to me), I was reading about the siren just as the siren sounded. Somehow, that made standing and watching the Israeli flag blowing outside my door even more poignant. May we share many beautiful stories, for long, healthy, happy years.