A Wall of Light - Edeet Ravel [61]
cise as possible. We have to decide three things, as I
see it. First, are we involving the police? Hagar and
her parents strongly oppose it and I feel their wishes
have to be respected. It’s against our policy anyhow, so
unless there’s any opposition to keeping the police out
of it, we can probably get that one over with right away.
Anyone opposed?
Shula:
No. We all agree.
Juliette:
Okay, the next item is that social services can’t take
Eden until Tuesday. We found relatives he can stay with
in Ramat Gan until then. We haven’t told them what’s
going on, for obvious reasons. They can’t pick him up,
so the question is, do we send him on his own?
Shula:
I don’t see why not.
Juliette:
He might run away.
Dagan:
He has ceased to be our problem.
Juliette:
Okay, I guess we can deal with that situation if it arises.
Who’s going to be in charge of getting him to the bus
in the morning? He’s hiding out in the carpentry shop
at the moment, and seems to want to stay there. Also,
who’s going to bring him food?
Lou:
I’ll look after it. I guess his kibbutz [stand-in] parents
aren’t going to say goodbye?
Juliette:
They already have. They both went to talk to him last
night.
Dagan:
The question is, what to do with the entire Group. Eden
is not the only problem, as we’re all aware.
Juliette:
It’s an ongoing discussion. I’ll ask for it to be on the
Meeting agenda again.
Dagan:
Do we need someone to burn the entire kibbutz down
before we face what’s going on in Cactus? Let’s admit
that integration failed, at least for this Group. No other
kibbutz has integration, and now we know why.
Juliette:
The other integrated Groups are doing well … Which
brings me to the last question: do we bring a suggestion
to the Meeting that from hereon we stop taking chil-
dren with a delinquent background, we form a selection
committee, and we pick and choose those who would fit
in and benefit the most?
Dagan:
I’m surprised that wasn’t the policy all along. If we can
only accept a tiny fraction of kids in need anyhow, why
not accept those who most deserve a chance? Youth
Aliyah has plenty of sweet, motivated, well-adjusted
kids who need a place. Why take the hopeless cases they
can’t find anywhere else to dump?
Juliette:
Well, you know Martin’s feelings. Everyone deserves a
chance, especially those who are most troubled. Where
is Martin, by the way?
Dori
We’re going to pick mulberries today! We have to put on raggedy clothes because mulberry stains don’t come off.
We ride to the trees in a cart. Mummy’s Group and my brother David’s Group are there too. Everyone climbs the two trees and picks mulberries and eats them. They’re incredibly delicious. I’m adding them to my list of favourite foods. Figs and pomegranates and soup almonds and mulberries.
There’s an ancient grave near the trees. Yosi Haglili and his son were buried there but it only has bones in it now. Mummy gets very excited every time she talks about that grave. Adults like very old things.
The grave is inside a cave with two gates. Some of the older children dare each other to go inside and the brave ones go past the first gate but no one goes past the second gate. It’s too dark.
Finally Mummy says it’s time to go back. I’m allowed to go in the cart with the older children because Mummy is their teacher. David comes too. The Group starts singing I’m Just a Lone Wayfaring Stranger in Hebrew. I didn’t know it came in Hebrew. We had a record with that song on Davaar Street. I’m going home to see my mother I’m going home no more to roam I’m just a going over Jordan I’m just a going going home. Jordan is an Enemy but in the song it’s more like Yehupitz.
I’m Just a Lone Wayfaring Stranger and Gone Are the Days were my two favourite songs on that record. When we went to visit my aunt in Canada everyone always asked me to sing Gone Are the Days
Gone are the days
When my heart