When Operation Protective Edge Becomes A Reality
My favorite part of my week is exploring Haifa at night with my roommate Liza and her boyfriend Yanay, who is currently serving in the Navy for the IDF. We walk around the back streets of Haifa conversing freely about anything from our favorite type of popsicles to Operation Protective Edge. I am lucky to have me Liza and Yanay because I feel safe and free with both of them. Yanay provides insight on what its like to be both a 21 year old civilian and solider in Israel, and we shock him with what its like to be an American college student. I know that I can rely on the two of them if I need anything, and in this tense time, it’s comforting to have someone who is looking out for me.
Emily and Liza in the German Colony
Liza and Yanay in front of the Bahai Gardens in Haifa
When we went on our walk this week, Yanay was in his Naval uniform and it was right after Operation Protective Edge was launched. We walked along the German Colony, where Arabs own many of the restaurants and corner stores. Haifa is a model city because Muslim Arabs, Christian Arabs, and Jews live peacefully together in the city. I was surprised to see how this strong man in his tidy uniform suddenly tensed when we entered an Arab owned corner store to buy popsicles. Yanay didn’t want to enter the store in his uniform or walk on side streets with us girls for fear of a fight like we have seen on the news in Jerusalem. This experience was a shock to me because it made Operation Protective Edge a reality. The tension is real, and so are the people. Thankfully, Haifa is one of the safest places that I could be and I have two good friends to look out for me.
Yanay teaching Emily how to grocery shop in Israel.