September 30, 2002

Tragedy at Tel Aviv

[Bethlehem, West Bank] Today I did something that few Palestinians living in the Palestinian Territories are able to do. I went to Tel Aviv. JZ invited me along for a trip to the beach, and that sounded like a very good idea to me. You really have to want to go to Tel Aviv, because getting there is not incredibly easy. Left the house at 7:30am. Walked to JZ's place. Took a taxi to the Bethlehem checkpoint. Waited in line. Eventually walked through checkpoint past two tanks and a handful of unhelpful soldiers. Walk past van pick up point. No vehicles waiting for riders. Walk to bus stop. Wait. Catch ride to Jerusalem. Walk to Tel Aviv van. 9:00am Totally empty. Wait. Wait. Learn an Arabic word. Wait. Two other guys show up. Wait. Wait. Decide to pay for empty seats so we can leave. Ride to Tel Aviv main bus station. Stay in van and ask for the beach. Extra charge. OK. Dropped off within sight of beach. Walk to beach. Rest. 12:00 noon. Time for lunch.

But we had a nice time swimming in the warm water. The area was full of swimmers. JZ and I took turns swimming, since someone had to watch our passports, pants and little bit of cash. We both swam a few times, then talked about the water. JZ asked if I had encountered "tricky" currents. I had. The water patterns were confusing. The beach was oddly shaped with a breaker to one side, and I couldn't tell which direction the water would pull me. I was surprised several times when I was taken in the opposite direction of where I expected to go.

Shortly after this conversation, we watched as lifeguards rushed a boat to a young woman floating face-down in the water, maybe 100 yards from shore. I guess the water was in the 5 to 6-ft deep range there. The men brought her in and carried her up the beach very close to our beach chairs. Unfortunately she showed no signs of life. They attempted to resuscitate her using CPR for about half an hour, but it never worked. The ambulance had arrived, but it made no difference. So they covered her body with a sheet, and left her there on the beach. Later they placed her body in a bag, and waited until a photographer and policeman arrived. They uncovered her body again, the photographer took a few photos, and then they carried her away. She seemed to be swimming alone. There didn't appear to be anyone else with her. Perhaps she was swimming before she went to work. It was a terribly sad thing to see. My prayers are with her family.

About thirty minutes later, lifeguards used a jetski to race to a young guy who was carried away. He was pulled out, but he was OK. Just coughing water. JZ told me that he had seen another young man drown in almost the exact same spot on this stretch of beach a few years ago. It was right beside the Dolphinarium that was destroyed by a suicide bomber last year.

We made it back to Jerusalem in time to catch the evening service at Notre Dame. The priest reminded us that Jesus said that prostitutes and tax collectors would make it to heaven before holy men. Hey, I don't care about the order of getting in -- as long as I'm there.