City of Refuge Miklat baIr Miklat
Psycho 'psy'quel
16.4. 25
Givatayim, satellite city near Tel Aviv, Israel Day 5. I arrived here on Friday. ostensibly to stay through Shabbat and first day Pesach. At 10 p.m. or so on Sunday night my new son in law took my bags down to my car. I intended to leave for Jerusalem on Monday morning by 9. Then my daughter who lives down the street, insisted I stay a few days at her place. She's a stewardess on El Al and had a flight to NYC. So her rented apartment was available. My newly married daughter and husband were off to a family camping trip, so their place is also now available. So I've been bouncing between two digs, in this desirable, sophisticated city. Holiday rentals I could say.
A relaxing change of pace from my apartment building, which I more or less has to run from. Yes, this is a sequel to my post a couple of weeks ago, entitled 'Psycho'. Things did not abate, but rather escalated.
I was recounting the previous episode to my friends in the Anglo Women's Muffin group. We meet once a week at the Talpiot branch of the Muffin Cafe, founded and owned by former Montrealers whose specialty is Montreal bagels! We regulars are now good, fast friends. We chat, with no fixed format. An innocent enquiry as to my welfare, by one of the women erupted into an ad hoc semi standup comedy act. Hard to believe how I could make the material from harrowing events at all funny, but I and the ladies were practically rolling on the floor. It was great comic relief for me and I enjoyed much needed support, as I'd had no other way to release the accumulated fear and stress.
So, the crazy neigbour was released from temporary arrest. Returned to the apartment opposite mine and within fifteen minutes he roared like a beast, then approached my door and kicked it, then stripped off a magnet with my name on it, which had been a gift. Another neighbour ventured out to see what the commotion was about. She received blows to her face and teeth and was knocked down onto the floor. I witnessed this because she yelled my name to open my door saying “He is attacking me!” I saw this wretched assailant with my own eyes.
In the Torah, Parashat Masei, Bamidbar/ Numbers 35,11- 28 the purpose of a city of refuge was to protect an individual—a manslayer, who had caused an accidental death—from being harmed or killed before receiving a fair trial.
So here I am, not a or the killer, but afraid of one who has the potential to be one, running away from home, my own home while some miserable lunatic is on the loose. Yes, they finally booked him for assault and he's been inside for a week. I could go home but one never knows for sure when he will return, or at what time. It's a matter of time. The evening of the assault the police came, then took him away, gave a slap on the wrist and left. We called again and several of us drove to the police station to deliver statements. They only accepted eyewitness accounts to the battery. Nothing about nearly three months' long disturbance of the peace or damages he incurred to our common property ( tampered with electrical wiring, cut mine off). Later I noticed he had stolen my mezuzah!! Now that really threw me off and broke me. Last Rosh Hashana I bought five new parchments and (batim) covers, after living in my home for over ten years. This self hating Jew tore mine from my doorpost and stole it. He's no better than a Nazi, a rabid dog. I spent three hours last Friday erev Shabbat and chag, supporting my neighbour at magistrate's court where she demanded an urgent restraining order. The judge coughed something up but it was far less than he could /should have slapped the guy with.
He's on Google with a list of a variety of offences a mile long. This coming Sunday morning there's to be a hearing, with him present. Who knows what will happen? The landlady remains AWOL, as does his sister who's supposed to be in charge of him. He is by the way, 60 years old.
I spent my time in Givatayim exploring a star gazing observatory atop a lovely park where I also spotted the first jacaranda of 2025 (see below), spent a little too much money at the pleasant, very manageable, not too big mall. I bought pants, having come with only one corduroy pair, little expecting to be staying for six days. I only had Shabbat skirts. I picked up gifts for my son's family, where I'm headed for last day Pesach/Shabbat and for my machatunim's ( parents of my daughter's husband), new home.
I took a bus one day to an ATM on Weizmann/ Jabotinsky streets, next day to Ramat Gan to visit an Israeli art museum. Best of all though, I hit the spectacular Tel Aviv beach on the first day of Chol Hamoed. It was still cool, the sea choppy. I walked the length and breadth of the beach, from Namal Tel Aviv (port) almost all the way towards Yaffo (Jaffa). At Sir Charles Clore Promenade, I cut down to the Elifelet light rail station, rode to Arlosoroff/ Savidor train station and from there got a 55 bus back to my digs.
I bought groceries at the Supersol Express on HaHistadrut St. opposite my single daughter's place. What a beautiful sparkling, clean, empty shop, managed by two delightful Russian speaking ladies. I took myself daily to the huge park behind my other daughter's apartment. This clearly well designed park never fails to impress me, providing a roller skating/ skateboard area, a street library, playground and exercise equipment, piano, sprawling lawns, a cafe, fountain, a bridge to cross over, dogs of every size, colour and shape,pigeons and a lone duck. Loads of space, fun and relaxation for all.
This morning, Friday, April 18th, I rose early feeling anxious to wind up and get back home. I was worried about my plants which hadn't been watered and if I still had a front door left. At 6:30 a.m., just as I was slipping into my new jeans, I heard the siren wail. I opened the door to find a few bleary eyed neighbours huddling in the stairwell. One young man came down from the top floor and went the distance, down a few flights to the miklat ( bomb shelter). I followed him and we stayed inside the pretty compact space, filled with tenants' junk. We waited things out for the requisite ten minutes. I returned upstairs to get ready to go back to Jerusalem.
This was not my first time in the miklat in the Ir miklat.
Last Sunday on the first day of Pesach, I went out at about 6 p.m. to return a book I'd borrowed from the street library, then sat a spell in the aforementioned park. The siren blared and I ran across the lawn and stuffed inside a migunit ( bomb shelter in public sphere) with about thirty or so others, mainly young parents with babies. They were well disciplined and nobody moved for a good ten minutes.
So Givatayim (Two Hills) provided me with protection twice.
In return, all during my stay I had to pay for parking my car. I usually travel by bus but because I had packed two days worth of clothing plus brought my Seder plate, festive table cloth, Matzah cover and other serving utensils, I drove. It took one hour door to door last Friday and this morning, the same. How glad I was to have had a good time, change of scenery and a safe and easy ride.
These next two weeks will be solemn, as we mark and commemorate the millions of martyrs of the Holocaust and then the fallen soldiers and victims of terror.
Each and every one, saintly souls who died Al Kiddush Hashem, sanctifying G-d's name.
May we honour their blessed memories with respect and solidarity, always, and especially during this ever very challenging period in Am Yisrael's history.
Shabbat Shalom v’ Chag Sameach!!
