Ruchama, sorry I didn't see this earlier.

Long time ago. 72-73. Field and kitchen work in the Kibbutz Kfar Giladi.

Tough work in the fields. Although I had worked in a lumber mill, I was still somewhat spoiled, so I was not used to that kind of labour.

Left months before the Yom Kippur War...an odious feeling, that and a Sabra child pointing Daddy's Uzi at me and pulling the trigger: both hastened my departure.

I was ignorant of the missing mag' and therefore empty pistol grip and so, although happy that I had heard the click, I grabbed the gun out of the kid's hands, which meant rendering him somewhat airborne.

That of course led to an escalation and my exit the next day.

Other than that situation, I was treated very very well.

Haunted to this day when I stopped to watch two older women working on the large kitchen cauldron-kettle pots.

They had rolled their sleeves up. It was then that I saw their tattoos.

They must have been young women when their arms had been tattooed with the European 7, with the line through it.

I was a small town Canadian kid. Not used to seeing that let alone grasping its enormity.

Ergo, it was even worse when I visited Yad Vashem.

Anyway, Israel has a right to exist, how is the question. As is where. West Bank settlements just don't sit well with me.

Became entranced, BTW, with the Kabbalah and binary code and elohim b'reishit,. Will read up on what you have written.

Thanks.