Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
Posted on February 27, 2018 by Alex Ronay
Hope Enough
Took a trip down south—
Not so far, but far enough.
Tzion drove the bus—
Not so fast, but fast enough.
Saw a monument to the fighting farmers—
Not so true, but true enough.
Walked through farmland, wildflowers—
Not so wild, but wild enough.
Slept in a Kibbutz, played “Potato Pirates”—
Not so well, I lost.
Joined the caravan to Gaza that arrived full and returned empty—
Not so empty, but empty enough.
Almost cried for Gush Katif—
Not so sad, but sad enough.
Prayed at an obelisk for the Egyptian dead—
Not so holy, but holy enough.
Climbed a sand dune barefoot, gathering broken glass—
Not so safe, but safe enough.
Drove back to Jerusalem, exile over—
Not so much hope, but hope enough
For us.
Alex Ronay, Year Program Student 2017-18
Thank you Pardes Faculty member Jamie Salter for leading the tour, Grace Gleason for the editorial support and the generous sponsors who made this trip possible.
The Pardes Year Program 2017-18 Modern Israel Seminar was generously sponsored by Batya & Ezra Levin and the Irving S. Weinstein Philanthropic Fund.
