emergency exit

today i found a new understanding of the figure of speech "i was moved"; it was a similar experience to the first time i experienced actual heartache over a boy, & felt a heavy pain in my chest.  this is the second part of this journey that has surprised me by the tangible effect of emotions on my physicality.  this morning we went to the hall of independence in tel aviv.  it is the site of the signing of israel's declaration of independence.  as our tour guide told the story of the creation of the state of israel i felt my internal organs shifting.  there was distinct movement in my heart & my gut.  not unpleasant, & not violent.  warm & wave-like. 

 i 

was 

moved.  

in 1948 when the declaration was signed, the only country that recognized the jewish state was russia!  stalin publicly supported the creation of a jewish state, while american & other allies did not.  the israeli defense force, the haganah, did not want david ben gurion & his compatriots to sign a declaration of independence & create a state because it was not prepared to defend against the arab attacks that such a declaration would surely provoke.  at the time less than 45% of the population of palestine was jewish!  we were (are) completely surrounded by enemies.  

(*a note about my use of the word "we"....i have found in my journaling & note taking throughout this trip i use "we" "us" & "our" when i am in fact referring to jews or israelis throughout history.  this is automatic & natural for me to do.  there is not hesitation, analyzation, or effort to contrive...)

the tour guide at the hall of independence, with his silver scorpian stud & hoop earings, described israel as every jew's life insurance: we hope not to need it, but it is important to have.  the hall of independence was formerly the mayor of tel aviv's home.  before it was used as a government building the mayor donated it to the city as an art museum.  beautiful paintings still hang all around the main room along with flags & a  centrally hung portrait of theodore hertzel, the founder of zionism.  the building is not fancy.  the declaration was signed here because the building has thick walls, small windows, & an emergency exit!