Another Best Day-All Day in Nazareth

After a couple of days of seeing what we wanted to see but not feeling particularly good about things, we caught a winner today. We had a perfect tourist day. First of all, Fauzi Azir Inn is wonderful. The space, the staff, the volunteers, the other guests all have been delightful. We actually ate breakfast with someone who lives on 184th and Fort Washington, just 4 blocks from where I live.

The granddaughter of the former owner of the building for whom the inn was named, Suraida, who manages the inn spoke to us after breakfast. She gave us the story of the family and the house and how it became an inn. Fauzi Azar Inn. Tomorrow we hope to me the owner of the endeavor, Maoz Inon.

A highpoint of many highpoints was a tour given by a volunteer, Sandy, who walked us around the Old City explaining how it is changing and growing as well as some of its problems. We wandered through the souq, market as she chatted with us and the local merchants. After the tour Bonnie and I went over to the restaurant of Abu Ashraf, called Diwan Hasaraya who serves freshly made Ramadan pancakes and coffee daily. We sat around and talked with him and he told us his family story and how hard his father worked and how much the family values education. He just wanted us to know that he was a good man and had raised wonderful children who are successful and also giving him grandchildren. He was generous of spirit and shared much of himself.

We then went to the The Basilica of the Annunciation. The church stands on the site that most of Christianity believes was Mary's home and where the Angel Gabriel appeared to her and announced that she was pregnant with the son of God. But typical of everything here, it is not universally believed to be the site. The Greek Orthodox have identifies another site for the annunciation, not far from this one but nearer to a well. There is a story that associates the finding and giving of water with Mary so they think it appropriate that Gabriel would have come to her near the well. I was struck by the association of Mary and water and that of Miriam finding water for the Children of Israel while they were in the desert. I think it is another goddess story of water/life/women. I am sure that the motif is present in other cultures as well.

Dinner tonight was good, not as excellent as it was last night but good nonetheless and we both hardily recommend Tishreem. Click on the link for reviews. But the wonderful thing about eating there were the staff. We had a young woman as a waitress and she was willing to talk with us. She is Palestinian I guess but that is not how she thinks about herself. She sees herself as Israeli. She was born here and this is her home. " I am not Palestinian. If you think you are Palestinian, then go to Palestine. Here is where I live." She is Arabic speaking but lives in Nazareth Illit, a town close to Nazareth which is 75% Jewish and 25% Christian and Muslin Palestinian. The young woman is a flutist and plans to go to Tel Aviv to study music when she can afford to do that. She is a committed Israeli and her presence strengthens the state. Yet I am sure that she is looked on with suspicion by many in this country.

From my perspective, another category has been destroyed. Not all Arabic speaking Israeli citizens see themselves as Palestinians. Now, how do we talk and think about these things? What generalizations can be made? It just gets more difficult and interesting.

Abu Ashraf, with whom we had the Ramadan pancakes felt Israel is his country. He is born here in the 50s. Yet in 1973 during the Yom Kippur war when he was at the Technion in Haifa, he and other Arab students were kicked out of school. They were considered the enemy. The expression that flashed through his face suggested that the pain of that loss and humiliation remains with him. Because of the war and Israel's reaction to her Arab citizens, he lost his opportunity for a higher education.


These Arabs/Palestinians are Israeli citizens. They are energetic and bright and could be part of Israel's future. They are her natural resource. May they be valued and used well.

L'hitraot.