What he said....

“I speak to them about what a settler is”… that’s what the guy said. So, I’m looking at this guy… US born, short beard, knitted Kippah on his head, lives in Gush Etzion, sort of what can be expected.  I continued to eavesdrop and the conversation continued… he went on to say that by coming out to his place in the Gush, they get to see a real “settlement” and “settlers”. He was very sincere about how he is a good example of a “settler”… Now I know a lot of you are getting all upset about the word “settler”, but chill for a bit.  A “real settler”… what the hell kind of statement is that? Its like saying a “real Jew”, or someone saying that they are a real New Yorker, Angelino, or whatever kind of narrow minded statement one may choose to make.

Honestly, having the nice guy hinting that he will show people what a “settler” is about kept me quite un-settled… and might I add, a bit pissed. 

Besides that, the diversity of the Jewish residents here in the ole’ country equals that of almost anywhere in the world.  I know that the New York Times, Al Jazeera and HaAretz like to portray the “settlers” in a pretty much stereo-typed visual of us all having large knitted kippahs, long “Payis” and wielding axes while chopping down trees or spray painting some stupid “tag” somewhere, but… nah, not the way it is.  Yes, we have those types too, actually not as many as you may think, but we, out here on the perimeter, come in all shapes, colors, sizes, religious affiliations, political opinions and genders. Long hair, short hair, Tattoos, piercing, all sorts of stuff.  No one mold can fit any of us.

I know that the many of us living out in yonder “Heartland” like to call ourselves “settlers” as does the pro/anti world, but that is not exclusive to the residents of Judea, Samaria, and many parts of Jerusalem!!! 

The former Security Chief of Kibbutz Nirrim (Gaza border), was killed in the last mortar barrage, his name is Zevick z”l, and he was/is my friend.  I just attended his “30” memorial service, unveiling, I believe it is called in english.  The Regional Council head in his “speech”, said how many like to think that the term “settler” and the “settler movement” only applies to those living over the “Green Line”, he went on to say that it is high time that all of Israel realize that the folk along the Gaza border are as much “settlers” as anybody else… including the Jewish residents of the Negev and the Galil, and yes Tel Aviv.  So there you have it, all of Israel are “settlers”.  

The Arabs have been saying this for years, most Jews just haven’t been paying attention.

So now that we have that settled, we can move on to the term “settler”… or not.