One of my first dilemmas in returning to Israel has been what appears to be a relatively simple one: what's the best way to get to work? It's not so simple, though. The quickest way is to take the lovely new Road 443 which zips you from Modiin to Jerusalem in under half an hour. Beautiful new road, no traffic, stress-free, brilliant. The alternative is to take good old "kvish mispar echad" (Road Number 1), which is the main Tel Aviv -Jerusalem highway. In the middle of the day, or later on in the evening, when there is no traffic, this is only about 5 minutes longer than the 443. But any other time that has the faintest whiff of rush hour about it turns Road Number 1 into a parking lot. "So what's the problem? Just take 443!" Well, one of the reasons that 443 is so quick is that it cuts through over the Green Line, into territories captured by Israel in the 6 day war. And while the road was originally designed for use by, and indeed was used by, the Palestinian Arab communities who live alongside it (it also zips you to Ramallah in no time at all), the entrance/exit roads to those villages were closed off after several drive-by shootings, some fatal, during the Al-Aksa intifada. So now it's one of those, ahem, "apartheid" roads, that you read about on the news.
Now, I happen to think that the commuting traffic issue is one that has not yet been fully explored by the right-wing media. I mean, it's all very well that the Palestinians want their own state, but what about my commute? Why should I sit in traffic for 20 minutes just so that 5 million people can have self-determination? If Tony Blair is reading this: take note!
For me personally, this dilemma is an enormous tension between two very important things in my life: (i) Middle East Peace and (ii) 10 minutes' extra sleep at night. So here is the solution I have come up with:
Peace offsets.
You know, like carbon offsets? When Al Gore gets all upset about global warming but then runs up a huge bill air conditioning his mansion, he gives money to various organisations that promise to "offset" his carbon footprint by planting trees, investing in renewable energy, etc. I figure, why not do the same with Road 443? Every time I drive on it, I will make a small donation to Peace Now or a similarly worthy group. So just as Al Gore can have his cake and eat it too, so can I! I can be self-righteous and lefty-liberal about the Peace Process, and go to bed to enjoy my extra 10 minutes' sleep with a clear conscience! Hurray! Who said living in Israel was complicated?
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11 comments:
Alex,
That's a brilliant compromise. Why should you be any different from Al Gore? You deserve the extra 10 minutes sleep, but is Route 443 truly safe?
Today at the BJE Irene L. & Ronit R. from Shaare Tikvah were working on a modern Israel curriculum map. We're approaching topics from a comparative point of view. Lemashal: comparing the size of Israel to that of NYS. Comparing the diversity of ethnic groups in Israel to students ethnic ancestry. Maybe we should add a comparison of traffic problems in Israel with those in New York.
I enjoy your blogs. Keep them coming.
Kol Tuv,
Barbara
You must be mad, abandon route 443 immediately and think of your own safety.
Bugger charity, stick to the safer route and sleep in your lunch hour.
Do you really think some crazy arab is going to ask what you give before he points his gun at you?
to susan and barbara:
the truth is, route 443 is safe; perhaps, some would argue, safer than route 1, due to it's "jew only" nature. as far as i can tell, alex is more likely to encounter a "crazy arab" or a "crazy israeli" on route 1 (on the israel side, not the fast hill to the dead sea west bank side). than he is on route 443 that the army spends countless shekels on keeping ethnically cleansed.
besides, with car accidents being what they are, i think the safest option is bus or train. and that, al gore would certainly approve! (isn't there supposed to be a new train from modi'in to jerusalem that is super fast?)
Why are you all quoting Al Gore anyway? Wasn't he the loser?
I have another solution for you, which should help achieve both objectives.
In the morning
Use Route 1. Leave at the same time you would for Route 443. Be 5 minutes late to work.
In the evening
I am guessing you can se where this is heading.... Use Route 1. Leave work 5 minutes earlier. Get home same time as you would have done using Route 443.
Easy.
I agree with Simon. The only problem might be how to account for the 10 minutes per day that you miss at work. Doesn't seem like much but it adds up to something like 40 hours a year.
Just explain to your boss that you weren't going to really be working during those 10 minutes anyway... You'd just be sitting at your desk wasting time writing on your blog! Sort of like I'm doi... (uh, gotta go!).
443 is not a "Jew only" road. It is an Israeli only road. There are plenty of Israeli Arabs who drive on it as well. I drive on 443 every day and any reservations I've had in past on driving on the road has only been for my personal safety and the safety of my family (I had a serious stoning incident once). Israel is also responsible for bypass roads so the Palestinians can safely travel to the neighboring villages. One can currently see these roads being built.
And Alex, I think by taking 443 you are saving yourself far more than 10 minutes. You are also saving yourself the tzurus of driving on the curved roads of Road 1. I haven't been that way since they opened the new highway nine. I wonder if it alleviated any of the traffic.
And Sara the new train to TA is opening at the end of the month, the train to Jerusalem from Modiin is at least two years away.
You guys!
The whole offset thing is a scam, since it doesn't in fact reduce the amount of pollution. I pollute less, you pay me and then use the bad stuff I am no longer using.
But boycotting #443 has too marginal an impact (in this case, "marginal" amount to zero) to be satisfying. So let's work with the rabbi's arithmetic: Your reward for #443 comes to 40 hours. Not in 10 minute increments, but say a couple of hours on each of 20 days, do something noteworthy for peace. Start a Shalom Achshav chapter in your workplace; pass out leaflets at a busy intersection; write letters to the editor; write more engaging (I don't mean qualitatively, you're there already -- I mean quantitatively) blogs. You figure it out. Do something you'd otherwise not have done.
Stay well.
Leonard Fein (Boston)
Wow. Leonard Fein commenting on your blog. Pretty cool.
I understand the guilt pangs you and your other commenters are feeling, but really: "apartheid"? "Ethnically cleansed"? I mean, hey, I agree with Harry, but even if you don't, do you really feel that those terms are apt?
Um, Alex, did Leonard Fein really comment on your blog... and at 3:30 in the morning no less?
Listen, I have the utmost amount of respect for Mr. Fein and consider him to be a very smart guy (I think he founded Moment Magazine), but it's never wise to begin a statement with: "So let's work with the rabbi's arithmetic."
My arithmetic usually doesn't add up to much!
Susan: Al Gore was the winner, not the loser... he just didn't get to be President.
When Al Gore was told he received the most votes for the Nobel Peace Prize, he said "Yeah, who won?" --Bill Maher
"Al Gore won the Nobel Peace Prize for his work with the environment. Then, in a stunning reversal, the Supreme Court awarded it to George Bush." --Amy Poehler (Saturday Night Live)
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