[Tieki asked me to post this for y’all, as she’s having internet difficulties. - RdL]

I don’t have much time to write this, but I thought I would post a brief update for those of you who know I am in Israel right now.

I arrived in Tel Aviv on Thursday afternoon and went immediately to Jerusalem, where my group remained through Monday afternoon.  We visited the Mount of Olives, the Old City, the City of David, the Western (Wailing Wall), Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Masada, En Gedi, the Dead Sea, the Knesset, Yad Vashem, and so much more in that time.  I fell in love with the City of Jerusalem.

Another place we visited in Jerusalem was Ben Yahuda street and Jaffa Road.  I shopped in a popular market and walked on Zion Square, both of which would have been empty 8 years ago under the threat of constant suicide bombings.  As you all probably know by now, that was the area where another act of terror was committed yesterday.

Words cannot even express my disgust and anger and such a thing.  I was angry before, but now having been to those places and met those people, I cannot even begin to conceive how Israel shows such restraint in the face of blatantly barbaric terrorism.  Hamas and other groups claim this is only natural in light of the way Israel treats Palestinians.  I have seen Palestinians and I have seen the security fence and I can personally vouch for the fact that Hamas is full of crap.  The Arabs are the ones that fill their streets with litter and trash and refuse to pay any taxes to help clean it up.  The Arabs are the ones that drive bulldozers into innocent Israel women, children, and other civilians — NOT the other way around.

That said, I feel safer here than I’ve ever felt in the United States.  We have an armed guard with us at all times (so far, he serves to laugh at our lame Hebrew and wonder at all things Israeli rather than providing any protection - because we are SAFE).  Bank guards, off duty soldiers, you always see someone here with a gun.  Yes, there are unprovoked and undeserved acts of terror.  But they are RARE and they are quickly resolved in this country that is so devoted to protecting its own.

Well, I have to go now.  We’re leaving Tiberias and heading to Tel Aviv for out last three days in Israel.  I wish I never had to leave.