| Meshuggenah Mile |
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| Written by Ari Miller | |||||
| Monday, 09 May 2005 | |||||
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A Walk on Jerusalem’s Wild-Eyed Side Jerusalem has been warm of late. Winter gloom and seasonal rain have given way to sun, blue skies, and the chance to sip coffee at outdoor cafes. But all of this may soon come to an end—and it won’t be the potential return of wintry weather. Nope—the event that threatens to put a stop to these few enjoyable days is, rather, the end of days. Since Jerusalem is so central to the faiths of Jews, Christians and Muslims–and at the heart of the ongoing Arab/Israeli conflict–it provides fertile ground for encounters with the apocalyptic, prophetic, and plain old crazy. Traversing downtown Jerusalem, I kept my eyes and ears open, hoping that one of the few Judgment Day prophets known to frequent the area would make an appearance. Sure enough, one of the personalities I had heard about—a 47-year-old California native claiming to live in a forest outside of Jerusalem—showed up shortly and inquired as to my interest in purchasing one of the trinkets he was selling. With the ice now broken, it was only a matter of broaching the weighty subject at hand. “I was told you’re the guy to speak with about Armageddon,” I ventured. He pushed aside his collection of trivets and bamboo back-scratchers, a broad smile emerging on his worn face. The prophet Ezekiel predicted that the world would end when King Gog of the land of Magog invaded Israel, triggering the final battle between good and evil. David Ben HaMelech David, as he introduced himself, was prepared to tell me where and when the battle was going to go down. Asserting that come September 2005, one month prior to Rosh HaShana, “There’s only one safe place on the planet—in Elohim, in his will,” he warned, using one of the many Hebrew names for God. David Ben HaMelech David, whose name, which he says is his legal moniker, translates to “David son of the King David,” was reluctant to reveal his personal story in too much detail. Refusing to disclose any specifics regarding the location of his cave or even to have his face photographed, he explained that, aside from fearing for his personal safety, his own story was second to his divine message. Even so, I convinced him to offer a brief history. “At thirty, God destroyed my life and brought me here for the first time,” he said, his blue eyes watering from the evening chill. Prior to this personal crisis David had not been aware of his Judaism; in fact, he was brought up a Christian—though, he points out with pride, he had already begun to view his upbringing as false and to move away from it of his own accord. Just a year after arriving in Israel in 1999, David was visited by a divine vision. “HaKodesh Baruch Hoo placed it right here,” he said, using another of the Hebrew names for God and touching his temples with both chapped plump hands. Following a heavenly command to purchase a topographical map of the world, he was awakened late one night by an unseen force. As he grasped a marker firmly, this invisible power conducted itself through his arm, guiding him to inscribe new international borders on the laminated paper. When he was finished, he explained, he held the map of Planet Israel. In David’s geographic layout of the post-apocalyptic world, the Middle East–to be renamed “Zion”–is the global capital, with the rest of the earth divided among the twelve tribes of Israel. Most of David’s time is spent trying to save the nation of Israel by promulgating his prophecy’s imminence on the streets of downtown Jerusalem; he is always ready to sit down with a willing listener. Though most passersby show little interest in being instructed in his school of thought, David does have a handful of regulars. As we sat together, at least a dozen people stopped by to say hello, and a few even bought some of his wares. An older religious woman sat with us for an hour or so; David referred to her as “Ima,” Hebrew for mother, and she called him “son.” Speaking in English, the two riffed on each other’s eschatological repertoires, helping each other to remember biblical passages and relevant pieces of historical information. When David isn’t preaching, he devotes some of his energy to researching the biblical origins and modern geo-political context of his message at Hebrew University’s library on Mount Scopus. No matter where he finds himself, he carries a large hunter-green backpack brimming with possessions, which include the inventory of knick-knacks that he sells to buy food; his research, kept in numerous meticulously-labeled file folders; and an array of maps that accompany the divinely-inspired one. A number of the other maps reflect David’s interest in the environment. To illustrate his belief that the coming judgment of humankind will not be favorable, he pulls out maps of Israel and the world, on which he has outlined existing nature reserves. Pointing out their low percentage of the earth’s total landmass, he notes that this is hardly the work of civilized people. David is one of the few Jerusalemites who spend most of their waking hours warning of the looming apocalypse. Many more, though, are potential participants in the coming battle between good and evil, and they are rather easy to spot. In fact, the prevalence of young men and women walking around in uniform, armed with automatic rifles and handguns, gives the impression that with hellfire will come plenty of firepower. I headed over to the Ben-Yehuda pedestrian mall, looking for just such a grizzled soldier in green. Upon arrival, I heard someone calling my name, and was pleased to see Mike Levin, whom I’ve known since he lived across the street from me as a kid in the quiet Philadelphia suburb of Langhorne. Today, Levin is in advanced infantry training in an IDF paratrooper unit. This 21-year-old will be squeezing off a few rounds in any potential war, apocalyptic or otherwise, should the situation arise. But “Armageddon is a long time from now,” he assured me, backpacks filled with belongings for a week’s leave arrayed on the ground around him. When pressed, though, Levin, who identifies as a religious Jew—a Republican in the States and right-wing in Israel—acknowledges that “a long time from now” could be sooner rather than later. If World War III starts, it will be in Israel, he opines. “I see the territories as a big factor. And, I guess, you could include the Islamic terrorists,” he says, adding that, “The more terror, the more active the army will be. Following the pullout, if our army has to go back in, I could see that escalating to a major war. Combined with Syria and Iran, for sure, there could be a full-scale war.” Levin sees Iran’s drive to develop nuclear weapons as the clearest sign that the region is on a one-way street to Armageddon. This scenario could come to fruition even before David’s prophesized September 2005 apocalypse. In fact, Levin could find himself on the battlefield as soon as this summer, when the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza is set to take place, carrying with it the potential of violence between settlers and soldiers. Faith in his God and religious nationalism are Levin’s driving forces. He considers Israel’s existence and military victories to be miracles of a divine nature, and believes that in any future military escalation, the Holy Land will be extended the same heavenly safeguard. Levin says that his faith gives him, and others like him, the motivation to fight. “I feel it’s the religious people, mostly the modern Orthodox, who make the best soldiers,” he says, “because they are fighting with their hearts and souls for their land.” Every inch of which was given to the Jews by God, he adds, stressing that Israeli Jews have to protect what God has bequeathed them. Somewhat overwhelmed from waxing philosophical with David and Levin, I decided to leave native Jerusalemites behind and head across town to the Old City, in search of someone without a direct connection to this particular patch of real estate. Keeping my ears attuned for English, I happened upon JJ Field as he was coming out of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, a perennially popular tourist destination for pilgrims and atheists alike. Having built up some confidence from my previous conversations, I approached him bluntly: “I’m working on an article about the end of the world. Would you mind spending a little time to share your thoughts?” The native Londoner coolly responded that indeed he did have the time, adding that in his extensive backpacking adventures he had never yet been approached for an interview. Chatting while looking around for a suitable spot to sit and talk, JJ said he’d headed here as a vacation, eager to experience first-hand this situation that he’d heard so much about. So far, his journey had included visits with friends on both sides of the Green Line; recently, he’d spent a few days with Jewish Israeli friends in Tel Aviv, where, he says, he began to understand the emotional connection many Jews have with Zion. Seated at a café tucked into the stone walls, JJ told me that after three days checking out the Jerusalem scene, he sensed religious tension in the air between Jews, Muslims and Christians—something that was intimidating for a secular person like himself. JJ was raised to approach religion from an historical and sociological perspective—his father holds a PhD in Middle East Studies–and for his own part, the 26-year-old actor declines to identify with any religion, considering himself a rationalist. When it comes to potential end-of-days scenarios, he says, “I’m more nervous about America and England and the great Western powers than anyone in the Middle East starting an apocalypse. Western politics are such a lie, using the politics of the Jews and Arabs for their own purpose. You don’t need any more pressure with the situation tense enough as it is.” David may be inclined to agree with JJ’s perception of the West. “Who’re [Israel’s] real enemies? The Arabs, or are they just puppets?” he asked. Immediately chiming in with the answer to his own question, he suggested that it is actually George W. Bush and the Queen of England of whom we must be wary. Providing a tidbit of proof for this warning, David claimed that George W’s college nickname was “Gogy,” a reference to the name Gog. This fact, unfortunately, could not be confirmed by press-time, but the accuracy of his prophecy will become apparent in just a few short months. I exited the Old City by way of the Damascus Gate, deciding to wrap up my tour by heading over to Palestinian East Jerusalem. “I am a journalist from America, would you mind if I asked you a few questions?” I asked several locals hanging around the market outside the stone archway. Each overture was refused. Most did not speak English, though one trio of male youth offered to chat in Hebrew. Judging it best not to reveal my connection to the “other-side” of this small city, I thanked them anyway and began to walk away. “Good night,” one of them called after me, though it was hours till dark. Heading back west, I trekked toward the city center, but made a wrong turn and found myself walking in the direction of the German Colony. There, I encountered another potential source: Inbar Bercovitz, a 30-year-old who works at a small non-profit for battered women. Cutting to the chase, I immediately asked for her thoughts regarding an impending Armageddon. She chuckled. “The world’s obsession with Armageddon is so different from what you’ll find in Israel,” she said. “There is a lot of pressure to be an Israeli in this world.” Noting that the pressures are not just political but also social, she sighed, “On top of all of this we also have to live with all this religious craziness.” Finally, she offered the afterthought that if Armageddon is coming, then “great, because it can’t really be worse than what we have now anyway.” Whether an end-of-days scenario brought about by God’s design, or just an intense regional conflagration, Armageddon-like conflict may indeed lie on the horizon. And, in either case, warriors will be ready, willing, and able to take up arms in the name of God, with an outcome sure to have repercussions for the actors, coffee drinkers, unbelievers, and asthmatics who remain on the sidelines. But at least we can rest assured that “we will not have been driven into the sea,” said Levin, his Colt M4 carbine assault rifle resting idle on his lap.
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