Stop, You're Killing Me

Route: from Beit HaArava jct to Tiberias

Distance: 132 km / 82 miles

Time waited: 6 minutes

The story: Heading up to hike near the Hermon for the weekend, we anticipated (and received!) many exciting rides. Who is "we" you ask? The next post will tell; be patient. We were picked up by a man (and dog) driving to Metula. No way. But stopping for a dip in the freezing Kinneret took priority.

Our driver's family had been in Israel for over 500 years, and in fact he planned to visit some of the oldest graves in Tiberias on his way back. He was also a descendent of the Rambam. Somehow my living on his ancestor's namesake street didn't impress him. When he heard our final destination, he asked to send his regards to the Hermon. He'd fought there in 1973, and was wounded twice: stabbed with a bayonnet in the ribs and a bomb hit his back. To this day, schrappnel remains in his body. After being injured, he wasn't afraid to die - he felt very peaceful. Today, he appreciates his senses and life much, much more.

Driving through a small community in the Jordan Valley, he casually mentioned his wife the mother of his son. Hebrew offers no distinction between friend and boy/girlfriend, true for either gender. Context and intonation make all the difference. Turns out, his ex didn't just have a friend there - she had a girlfriend: a "dry" Brit. He shared how his 17 1/2 year old son awkwardly tried to break the news to his father, who claims he'd known she was a lesbian even before she did.

Besides his pistol (which he's never had to use in civilian situations), he also has a black belt in karate. He was among the first to bring this martial art to Israel.