‘She was wearing a colorful navy blue and orange, broad-striped cotton burnoose [long, loose hooded cloak] with a hood. Her shiny, long, black hair was gathered over her left shoulder in a sculptured perfection reminiscent of the hairdos I recall of some models in Titian and Renoir’s paintings.
‘“Good day to you. My name is Yocheved, and no, I don’t mind you saying whatever is on your mind; especially if it is something as nice as the compliments you have just given me.” Her sincerity was quite clear, and I was quite enthralled by her femininity. “I see that you are of a different origin than most of us around here, and I recognized the fact that you are a Native American,” she said in a delighted tone.
‘“How can you tell that? I’m not wearing any feathers in my hair, nor am I wearing anything recognizable as traditional Indian garments that might reflect on my roots,” I replied in a joking, surprised fashion, while searching for the basis of her statements, looking deeply into her almond-shaped, slanted hazel eyes.
‘“Yes, but I have studied Anthropology and can usually guess the origins of most of the people I have met simply by their features,” she replied confidently, with an air of astuteness.
‘“I was just about ready to go for brunch. Would you like to join me? I am overjoyed in meeting you and by the conversation we are having. There is a lovely little restaurant nearby that serves the most delicious fava bean stew that is exceptionally delicious.”
‘“That’s so polite of you to invite me, but I must be going home. I have a lot of my students’ assignments to grade and correct.” She looked at the clock on the back wall of the butcher shop, located just behind them.
“Then you are a teacher, Yocheved,” I said with a tone of obvious redundancy. “Where do you teach?”
“I teach at the ‘Alliance School’.” She replied.
“Why that’s quite a coincidence. I know that school. It is managed by a good friend of mine. How amazing that we have met? Are you sure you cannot join me now?” I could sense that she was uneasy, showing adamancy about going on with her day. Her responsibilities were the focal point and doing what was necessary to completely achieve her goals was at the center of her focal points.
“Well, if not, I’d like to meet you again, possibly tomorrow; that is only if you wish to or can.” We were both smiling, and I knew that my face was marked with wonderment and signatures of enchantment. I tried my best, yet the young woman had persisted on leaving and getting her work done.
“I’ll call on you at the Alliance school. Tell me when your workday ends and we’ll set up a date. I really want to see you once again.”
“I have a short day on Tuesday. Meet me at one o’clock by the main gate. Goodbye for now. Thank you for being so warm and friendly.”
Yocheved and Tree met again and again, and as their relationship blossomed, so did their mutual admiration. Yocheved was quite the rare conformed Jew. The idea of a relationship with a gentile hadn’t phased her one bit, especially since she did not have to explain anything to her folks; she had been orphaned since she was five, living in the care of a young English couple who had worked at the British embassy. Her deceased parents has been amongst the first Yemenites to leave Yemen in the late 19th century due to persecution by the local Yemenite Islamic community. They decided to emigrate north to the Holy Land before it would be too late. The journey crossing to the north by land was not an easy one, so they used all of their savings and hired a boat that took them to the northern tip of the Red Sea. They survived the trip and made it into Palestine; unlike the thousands of Yemenite Jews who later took part in the first phase of migration to Israel. In the second phase in 1948, 50 percent of those who made the journey died during the exodus from Yemen. Some later died of malnutrition and fatigue during the beginning years of their settlement. Many of them had been put to work in the fields and lived in poor and very difficult unsanitary conditions. It was the first apparent case of racial profiling by the elite European Jews, who took advantage of the Yemenite and Sephardic immigrants by providing them with meager salaries and harsh working conditions while guarding their own social and economic advantage over them.
Yocheved was lucky to have been adopted. However, there were hundreds of Yemenite infants who were taken from their parents, to be adopted by unfortunate infertile European females from well-to-do backgrounds. The lies and falsehoods that were at the foundation of these disappearances still haunt many families today. In realizing that Yocheved’s future would be better and brighter, based on her good grades, her step-parents enrolled her at the Alliance School run by Nissim Bachar, one of Ben Yehuda’s close friends. Without any academic skills, she surely would have been placed in a work camp, or factory doing mundane chores.
Yocheved and Tree’s cultural diversity and life experiences gave them so much to talk about and share. She was especially fascinated to realize how he had been exposed to the Hebrew language by his Jewish guests back in his tribal lands while being tutored to read the Torah. Long before their meeting, he had envisioned marrying a woman who was not of Native Indian decent. The painful memories of losing his family still lingered and for that reason, he could only imagine living in a setting that would be different than the tribal lands in which he grew up. Tree recognized Yocheved’s special charm and was so captivated by everything she said and did. They had an exceptional bond between them. In the ensuing years, Yocheved taught Tree Arabic and patiently worked at improving his Hebrew. All through the learning process, she never ceased to be amazed by the level of his diligence.
They were living together in harmony for quite some time as a unit and Tree decided to propose marriage. It was time for them to go through the rituals in vogue if they were to be welcomed into the mainstreams of society. The taboos were countless and neither one of them felt the need to create any waves. Tree converted to Judaism and after many months of studying about the religion he received his Rabbi’s approval. They married in a traditional Jewish ceremony, in the courtyard of King David’s Tower, in the midst of its marvelous architectural elements. The golden stone walls radiated the spirit of the moment. Reciting in impeccable Hebrew, Tree clearly stated all the blessings. The inspiring atmosphere of the holy and sacred city of Jerusalem enhanced and elevated everyone’s faith. Everyone burst forth with congratulatory cheers when Tree stomped on and shattered the ceremonial glass according to Jewish tradition, sanctifying their union and the eternal continuance of the Holy City of Jerusalem.
Originally, when Tree first arrived in Israel, Eliezer Ben-Yehuda had introduced him to some very key people at the top of their creative careers, and now, as a couple, Tree and Yocheved were on practically every invitation list for lectures and special events in the arts. In time, Tree and Yocheved were at the pinnacle of society, and were seen at social gatherings attended by the most well-known Christian, Arab and Jewish intellectuals. Tree continued writing articles for the English version of the newspaper Ha’Chavatzelet, edited by Eliezer Ben Yehuda. Even though Yocheved had gotten pregnant, she kept on teaching at the Alliance School. In his time off, Tree would take some of her students into the Jerusalem hills to teach them basic survival skills, which included learning to recognize edible plants and how to build shelters made with chopped wood and foliage.
Sadly, Yocheved fell ill after the birth of their son. The complications due to internal bleeding made the situation critical. Even though she received medical attention, she intuitively knew that she would not survive. She asked Tree to honor a last request; that he give their son up for adoption, as she could not see him growing up without a mother. Her main concern was for Tree, enabling him to realize his dreams and accomplish his goals. With Tree was at her side, Yocheved passed away just days after their son was born.
Tree was totally devastated and was unreachable after the funeral. The newborn child, a dark-skinned boy with beautiful radiating green eyes and curly black hair, was immediately given up for ado
ption, just as Yocheved had requested. The boy was placed in the adoption ward of the Greek Orthodox Church. The only person besides Tree who knew that the baby boy was of the Jewish faith was Augustine, a robust towering priest with a plump face with a perpetual smile. They had initially met when Tree visited him in Jerusalem. While in New York, Tree had promised Augustine’s brother, Nicholas, that he would visit him when he would be in Jerusalem. Tree, through the years, had written numerous letters to Nicholas. He described their many meetings, many of which included dining and also drinking some of the fine wine that Augustine had made from the grapes that were grown in the vineyards behind his church. Nicholas was very appreciative and delighted to know that Tree had visited his brother on different occasions.
Tree needed an introspective period to calm down. His spirits were low, feeling the torment of losing Yocheved and being distanced from his son. It was clear to him that raising his son while pursuing his campaign of lobbying for the civil rights of his people back home would be unfair to his child, and would dampen his initiatives to successfully bring about righteous changes. He went into the mountainous regions around Jerusalem and stayed there until he was able to come to grips with his loss. To distract himself from his loss, he began planning his return to the Continental US; a journey that he originally hoped would be done with his new family.
Two months later, the baby boy was adopted by an affluent Arab family from Nablus. The foster parents were very well known in their social circles. The father, Ghannam, was a garment trader and his wife Parvina was a poet and teacher. They had spent seven years trying to have a child of their own, but in realizing the futility of the matter, they considered adoption.
Augustine had already read the details of their background in their application for adoption and was immediately sure that the boy would be in good hands. They named the boy Yusuf. He was a beautiful child whose features and dark complexion were quite endemic to the Middle East. His genetic background was of no interest to his new parents. They were simply elated in having the opportunity to be parents and enjoyed every moment of raising him, giving him a wonderful childhood filled with love and warmth. All through the years, Yusuf received gifts from an anonymous sender. As much as Ghannam and Parvina tried, they were never able to find the source of those delightful gifts.
Tree had been following Yusef’s development by means of correspondences with Augustine, who had kept in touch with Yusuf’s parents. When reading Augustine’s letters describing Yusuf’s newfound family setting, Tree could still imagine his happy face. Tree felt extremely fortunate to have met Augustine, a wonderful man who helped him care for the future of his son. Augustine’s faith in God and focus on his religion did not keep him from respecting people of all denomination, perpetually maintaining a sense of goodwill. His truth was based on recognizing the goodness in people; putting their inclinations for hatred, malice, and evil aside, and helping them deal with illness. His jolly demeanor was always evident by his laughter, and he did laugh a lot, especially after drinking some of his exquisite, home-grown wines.
When Tree finally returned to North America, he entered with a new identity, holding a French passport. He rekindled our struggle once again, taking it straight to Washington, D.C. Of course, the government officials always had some kind of excuse about why they could not get legislature to investigate the conditions of the Native Americans. Tree aged well, maintaining his tenacity and strong will to succeed in his venture. He made sure to leave his story embedded in our tribal archives. Tree died in 1967 at the age of 96, leaving an incomparable legacy behind.
Our rise as a nation signifies much more than just land rights; it is the beginning of the awakening of man, realizing his place in the world. Each of us had to learn the prerequisites of social and psychological sciences in order to understand the roots of global balance and order. Tree’s teachings provided us with inspiration for making a better world. He had delivered to us the spiritual power to recognize the goodness and beauty that the creator has provided. There are still many roads ahead that need to be repaved, so long as all around us we can still see so many impoverished populations that are suffering from the evils of persecution, racism and immorality.
“Tom, I think I have covered just about all the general details about our founder.
Thank you so much for the platform you have given us and I truly appreciate your interest and respectful approach. We’ll have to continue this at some other point in time. I look forward to our next meeting.” Said Moses in a cordial manner.
“Moses, I really appreciate the time you have given me. Thank you so much for this opportunity to talk with you,” said Tom. “I have plenty of material to start with and I wish you all the best for a bright future with your newly formed Native American Union.”
“Thank you, Tom. You are always welcome to contact or visit us, and I know that I can count on you for continued positive PR. Farewell, my good friend, and always keep the truth ringing in the minds and hearts of those around you.” Moses got up and approached Tom, opened his arms wide and embraced him warmly. He then stepped over to a dresser and took out a necklace made of assorted carved bones and stones and gave it to Tom as a token of their friendship.
“This necklace is specially designed whereby the stones and bones are situated in a sequence which signifies brotherhood. I want you to have it as a special token of our gratitude, but you must promise to always keep it in your lineage from generation to generation. It will surely bring good luck to you and yours.”
“Thank you so much. I am truly honored. Good-bye for now, my good friend.” Tom was clearly touched, as a tear ran down his cheek.
“Go in peace,” replied Moses. Tom’s crew had organized the audio and video supplies and were waiting for him by the vehicle. They were filled with excitement as was Tom.
Chapter Thirteen
There was a blistering heat wave all over the Middle East. The landscape was distorted by a misty haze, the result of extreme air pollution and high humidity. Due to poor visibility caused by sandstorms, there were many reports of traffic accidents in the southern part of Israel; some of which resulted in grave casualties. I was on my way home from a special meeting with all the defense coordinators and could see firsthand the hazardous conditions that the weather posed. We had gone over some specifics about the latest attempts by the Iranians to infiltrate the Inkasar movement with their own operatives.
My cell phone rang; it was Jezabilah. “Hi, Jez, how are you, darling? I guess you want me to fill you in on the information we have on the Iranian agents.”
“Yes, I guess you’ll always know what I need and want,” she replied.
“We’ll have to get together on this and run down the list of the suspects we have come up with.”
“Yes, this is one project that is marked with urgency. All that aside, I want to tell you that I miss you so much. I wish we had some time to be together somewhere, all alone.” I could sense an unusual quivering tone in Jezabilah’s voice.
“You know, I was thinking about you all day,” I replied. “This is becoming very hard for me also.” I felt my heart skip a beat. “I love you, Jez, and I yearn to be with you too, but unfortunately, this is not a time for passionate encounters.”
“Yes, my love, I know,” she said softly, as her voice was still trembling strangely. I was sensing that she was holding something back.
“There are pertinent matters to be dealt with; although not more important than making sure that our relationship be kept secret. I think about you day and night. It isn’t easy for me either.” I had a clear picture in my mind of her loving eyes.
“Yair, I . . .” she gasped for a moment.
“Are you all right? What is it, Jezabilah?” I interrupted with a concerned tone.
“Yes, I just wanted to tell you how much I love you, and that I . . . I . . . I’m . . . ” again she stopped speaking, almost as if she was
gasping for air.
“Are you okay?” I asked again. “You wanted to say something?!”
“I am just too excited. Darling, I . . . I am pregnant,” she uttered as I could hear her excited sniffling.
“Ah! You mean . . .” I sighed with emotion.
“Yes. I am carrying your child, Yair. That one passionate interlude we shared was evidently a special moment of fate for both of us.”
For a second, I was speechless, but quickly got a grip on reality. My mind was racing with wild thoughts and I felt joy warming my heart.
“Oh! I am so delighted. This is amazing news. I am so happy, Jez. I knew that something was up by the sound of your voice.” As soon as I said these words, I grasped my reality; envisioning my future as a very uncommon father, hardly able to express his love, delights and affection towards my own child in a veil.
“I am totally overwhelmed with joy as well. But this is not going to be easy for either of us.” She was now more subdued and sounded more relaxed in her manner, now that she had revealed her condition to me.
“How are we going to manage explaining this?” I said in a rather confused tone, still filled with happiness and surprise, tears trickling down my cheeks.
“I already have my explanations set. Being that I am a modern, liberated woman by all standards, I will declare that as a personal wish, I decided on having a child by artificial insemination. Not that I wish you out of the picture - you are and shall always be the father of our child. By the way, it’s a girl.”
“That’s so fantastic!” My heart was beating double-time, with melodies flying around in my head.
“I’ll try to set up a meeting between us as soon as possible. I promise. I love you. This is just so exciting for me. Oh! What a day!”
“Oh! You cannot imagine how I feel. I love you,” she said in her usual intimate voice.
Broken Lands Page 17