Sharon and my Mother-in-Law/ Not Mother of all Cities

It was a refreshing twist to read war stories that added some humor. I literally laughed out loud when I read about the dog receiving a Jerusalem passport and then when she took the dog to the border and told the Israeli soldier that she was driving the dog to Jerusalem where the dog was allowed. This comical "tail," although amusing and funny, really illustrates how hard life was/is for Palestinians living in these territories. In the story about the gas masks, the Palestinian soldiers where joking around when they were being transported in a fun and seemingly care-free way. However, my laughter was quickly mitigated when I thought about the reality of the two stories- how awful it is that a dog received a Jerusalem passport when families/people have been trying for months/years to gain access to the city. Also, the reality behind the jokes such as "this is the transfer bus to Jordan" is heartbreaking. Palestinians actually had to worry about trusting the soldiers, being transported to another country, or being tricked. Being pro-Israel, I have never read stories about Palestinian families and what actual life is like for them. Based on these stories, however, it seems as if the Jews during WWII and the Palestinians have a lot in common. The Germans had special rules and enacted curfews, just like the Israelis did. 

Everyone refers to Jerusalem as as "she", as a holy beyond holy cities, that people sometimes lose sight of the fact that it is a living city with potholes that need to be fixed and schools that need to educate. I think that Galit did an excellent job in illustrating/arguing that Jerusalem is not just this fantasy, holy city that everyone claims it is- it is a lot more than that. It is a real city like columbus that needs necessary, "cityesq" elements just like every city.  

P.S. I have never heard Jerusalem  referred to as a prostitute.