I really don't know why I wanted to talk with Maoz Inon, the founder of the Fauzi Azar Inn in Nazareth. But I felt compelled. And it felt compatible with other conversations I have had during this trip to Israel. So much luck or serendipity chatting with Avram Burg or Bernard Avishai or the waiter at the American Colony Hotel or the taxi driver from Silwan, East Jerusalem. All the conversations seem to overlap and reinforce the complexity of Israel or maybe the complexity of life in general.
I just wanted to understand what makes him tick. Why did he start the inn? What were his goals? How did he have the guts to start from nothing? How did a "nothing" become self sustaining in about 5 years?
Well, here is what I found out. Or at least my impressions of what he said. First of all he was an engaging individual and I felt totally accepted and listened to during our conversation. And he related to all the staff and volunteers with the same respect.
As an aside, he spent a part of his childhood in Moshav Neve Haasera, the place we visited earlier on this trip--a moshav on the border with Gaza to understand what life was like under the constant threat of rockets and mortars. I thought that was amazing but maybe it is not; after all Israel is a small country.
Maoz is a hiker, hiking or trekking with his wife in South America and the Israel National Trail which is about 600 miles from the Lebanese border to Eilat. Sometime during all this hiking, he and his wife decided to open an inn in Israel. They believed that Israel had a lot to offer the tourist and that the tourist had much to offer Israel. And when he visited Nazareth, close to the National Trail, he knew it was the place. A place for giving and taking, a theme of mutuality.
He then found the place that is owned by the Azar family, long time Arab residents of the area. By dint of will, personality, and authenticity he was able to negotiate with the owner of the home to use it to create his dream of an inn that served the local community and travelers as well. He feels he has been able to do it because he has no political agenda. He does not want to prove anything. He just wants to make things better for all involved. Everyone he works with are his equals--the granddaughter of of Fauzi Azar who manages the inn to the cooks to me.
And this is the feeling I got visiting Fauzi Azur Inn within the confines of Old Nazareth. I wanted to stay and give and help create something--I don't know what. I understand why people volunteer at the Inn, spending 4 weeks working on projects for the inn and for the community. As Maoz said ( I think) , "if your visit does not give to the community, then you can stay at a big hotel." And I say, if I don't get something from my visit, then I can stay in New York.
There is probably more I could say about my experience in Nazareth. I am sure there is something about how very political this inn is by not being political at all that I could talk about if I had enough way with words. But maybe that does not matter in this case.Whether I say it our not, a job is getting done. As Maoz, says, "A miracle is happening."
But I will make one more plug for Maoz and his enterprise. Check out the Jesus Trail that he and David Landis developed. The Jesus Trail™ offers an alternative for travelers and pilgrims to experience the steps of Jesus in a way that is authentic, adventurous and educational by hiking through the rugged and beautiful landscape of the Galilee in Israel.
Bonnie and I however rented a car and drove to Tiberius.
L'hitraot
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