Believers

February 27, 2009

As we tried to jump over the streams running along Tchernikovsky St. to get to the Dizengoff Center, we noticed a man walking next to us, because he was carrying a dachshund in his jacket, with the long face, and droopy ears extending from the front, the way babies are often carried in front packs. This fellow, probably in his 40s, was taller than I, slim, with a day’s growth of beard. He was wearing a knitted winter cap. Because both Linda and I were commenting on the cute dog, he said, in English, “where are you folks from?” When he heard North Carolina, he responded that he had lived in South Carolina for a while. He added that he has been in Israel for about 4 months and that his wife was in Jerusalem looking into becoming an olim (i.e., making aliyah, becoming a Jewish citizen of Israel). By this time we were at the entrance to the Dizengoff Center and walked in together, continuing our conversation, as he put the dog down. “I am here working with prostitutes and drug users,” he shared. (Sex trafficking is a serious problem in Israel.) Linda then jumped right in with questions about what organizations he was working with and had he heard of this group and that group. “No,” he answered,” we are doing this on our own. I heard of one guy who was actually buying these women back and giving them their freedom. What I really want to do is get to the basic causes.” And then he asked, “Are you believers?” Since we did not have much to offer at that point, the conversation faded and we wished him well. Was he an Evangelical, a member of Jews for Jesus? We don’t know, but curious about how and why he is pursuing the interests that he expressed in being in Israel.