Travel Diaries: 1970s Palestine, Episode 45
February 26th 1977
Gemartee! I’ve finished. Kibbutz life improves when the day isn’t complicated by having to go to work, and for the next week I can live like a tourist until I leave for Eilat. Time to move on.
To Kill A Mockingbird was shown in the Mardonne today. What a powerful story about prejudice, the need for compassion and to think for oneself, not follow the heard. I must read the book. It’s a timely message, reminding me not to travel with the cloak of my culture wrapped so tight that I can’t see out.
My latest adopted saying, thanks to Roger, is “open mouth, extract foot”. A kindly reminder that I’m prone to put my foot where it shouldn’t go. Lesson noted, practice pending.
Later this evening we all gathered for another rehersal of our Purim celebration skit. It’s mandatory for the volunteers to come up with a contribution to the entertainment, and ours is mick-take on the absurdities found in a variety of our kibbutz life. Equity Rules demands that participants must be well lubricated. They were, and the laughter hurt. It can’t possibly be this funny on the night of the show ..jinxed.
March 2nd 1977
‘Children’s Purim’ day of celebration. Everyone in fancy dress moving between the parties held in many kibbutz buildings. Some of us went to the children’s house to role-play Doctors & Nurses. Laurie and Ifrach had the two white coats on and came up with the most hilarious inspections, diagnoses and treatments. The kids didn’t want them to leave, they were having a blast of fun. And so were we, as onlookers. Is there a risk attached to an excess of unrelenting laughter?
Friday March 4th 1977. Purim proper.
*Copied from the internet, by way of explanation: ‘Purim is a Jewish holiday commemorating the saving of the Jewish people from Haman, an Achaemenid Persian Empire official who was planning to kill all the Jews, a plan foiled by Mordechai and Queen Ester ..as recounted in the Book of Esther.’
Last minute costume preparations for what turned out to be a great festival. Knix really give themselves free range to drink and lose their uptight inhibitions, so we did the same. Every household opened up to invite you in for food, drink and games, then at 22.00 the Mardonne filled for a night of entertainment, which was well received and had us all buzzed, unable to sleep. Rick, Michelle, Diane and I stayed up talking until 04.00, but this pen wasn’t laid to rest before 05.30.
Today I enjoyed my last Shabbat cake, and finished reading Zorba The Greek. One reading of this book is not enough for such a touching, lovely story. Goodbye to unecessary items being shipped back to England, including well hidden Byzantine pottery pieces. Not exactly legal, and if everyone did what I’ve done now……
Stock photos.
