Israel At War

        My love for literature has been life-long, and though I've written mostly novels and novellas as well as short stories included in anthologies. some of the most meaningful writing I've ever done has been for a small town newspaper my husband and I bought in 2023. In addition to writing about the people in my area, who I've always admired and been literally in awe of  (I love to say that my neighbors are "famous"), I also get to write a column about another part of the world that's especially meaningful to me, a place in the midst of world events, Israel. 

            The most treasured piece of literature I have is a travel journal my maternal grandmother wrote in 1979 about her trip to the Middle East - and most significantly, to Jerusalem.  She wrote, "I can't believe I'm here, seeing all of this."

            My grandma entered Jerusalem through the Jaffa Gate, and she writes of the Plaza in front of the Western Wall: "There were many people there, kissing, touching, and sitting in front of [the Wall] reading their Bibles...In between rocks as high as anyone could possibly reach, messages have been stuck by the people either in hope of some help or in gratitude. A very special feeling was was experienced by all of us standing in front of this Wall.  One of the men on the tour gave me a small stone he had pried loose. It will always be my most special and precious rock now."

         

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                 

                        I met my friend Itamar Ben David, a tour guide by profession, when I "visited" Jerusalem virtually during Covid (my love for Jerusalem has also been life-long). In addition to instantly feeling like he's my family, I'm in awe of his wealth of knowledge, not only of ancient Jerusalem, but also of Jerusalem present, as well as what a truly special and sincere person he is. Not only has he told me the reality of what is happening in Israel, but he's also helped me learn about and embrace Judaism (I had already been studying Kabbalah for 20 years) - since my grandmother more than visited Jerusalem, I've learned that she was Jewish (as were all branches of my historical family tree, including my father's).  

           When my husband and I acquired our small town newspaper in Iowa, I knew I needed to bring the information that my friend Itamar had been giving me about what was happening in Israel after October 7 to my neighbors in Iowa. I knew people needed to know the truth, and not what the big news outlets feed their audience.

          The above picture is of my friend donating blood in the wake of the October 7th massacre. 

          All the postcards pictured on this site are my grandmothers' from her 1979 trip.

- Justine Johnston Hemmestad