Eilat, July 2024

“Are you still going?”
Asked by a friend as I pack my bags
For a trip that’s been promised a year and a day
A trip long discussed
And oh so desperately needed
“Are you still going?”
In light of recent current events, and ongoing ones
Because to go is crazy
It’s not safe, it’s not the right time
The weather is off
And so’s the GPS
And we might not get to do anything
We might have to cut it short
And we’ll definitely get sunburned
And we could wait until everything is normal
But how can we wait for normal
We don’t know what normal is
Not in this country
Not as this religion
We’ve never had normal
We’ve always had to do things under threat
Under duress
Under stress
“Are you still going?”
To stay
To do nothing
To wait
Is a choice
But going is a choice too
And I choose to do this anyway
Because we are the chosen people
And we are told to choose life
Choosing life means to LIVE
To go on
To do what we do
In spite of and to spite and despite it all
Choose life
Choose the light in the darkness
Choose the glimmer in the sadness
Choose to do the thing
Choose to Live
“Are you still going?”
Of course we are.
How could we not.