Qira, ‘Azzun ‘Atma

10:00  Qira.  Today is Sunday.  A number of women already waited at the center when we arrived and others soon joined them.

Yoga lessons will begin again next week, with Sara.  They asked we start with knitting.

It’s a large group, not everyone brought materials, some sat chatting enjoyably.

A few women sat with Yehudit learning to crochet.  Some are more advanced than the others.  We tried to devote time to each woman.

There was no table in the room, which made it hard to work.

After a while the young girls arrived, aged 8-14, charming.  I was very glad and they were also (a day off).  They also came to visit us during the previous school holiday.

I began taking and we began teaching each other Arabic and Hebrew.  It was wonderful.

It’s a lovely relationship!!  A relationship that’s a pleasure to maintain, and we’ll think about how we can keep working with them when school is in session.

It’s also very pleasant with the group of women, but language is a problem.  We’ll have to review and improve our Arabic, and we’ll ask the women whether they want to continue learning English.

12:15  ‘Azzun ‘Atma agricultural gate

We drove toward Oranit.  Near the wall on the right we saw a number of people waiting for the gate to open.  When we arrived they were seated by the roadside.  Some had bicycles, one had a horse and there were people on foot.

Nadim helped us learn where they’d come from and when the gate is supposed to open.

They had returned from a field of za’atar.

A black pickup truck drove by, the driver emerged and said to Yehudit and me (as I photographed), “You’re only harming them, because we’re doing them a big favor by opening the gate.”

We asked who he is and what’s his position, and he then drove away angrily.

They opened the large gate five minutes late, which for them is a matter of course.

A pickup truck and the people who’d waited went through, but not before they lined up.

Laborers worked energetically nearby consolidating the asphalt.  Trucks drove by, apparently carrying gravel for the continuation of the road.

A boy about 14 arrived.  I saw him look in his satchel, probably for an ID.  After a moment he sat down in a shady corner.  We asked what happened.  The poor guy lost the photo that was on the ID.  He had no choice but to wait for his uncle to return from work at 16:00.  It’s very sad.  I hope they let him cross (we asked whether he had water; he said he did).

That’s what happened today.