The Tale of Many Jerusalems

What would a peaceful Middle East look like? A fable about politics, culture, and commerce.

Charles Paul Freund from the November 2002 issue

(Page 3 of 12)

"My expectation," said Ben Ezra, "is that the Zionist underground will stage an attack. Zionists have felt betrayed since our teachers the British handed Palestine over to the Hashemites in advance of the expected partition. The British realized that the promises they'd made to all the region's parties were hopelessly irreconcilable. When the Hashemite Amir of Transjordan offered the Jews an autonomous region, our teachers the British jumped at it. Noting that their Balfour Declaration promised only a "national home" for the Jews, and not a state, they declared their commitment fulfilled. Besides, they argued, a newborn Israel would never survive the inevitable attack from all sides. In this spirit, they helped Jordan's king subdue the armed Zionist groups who had been terrorizing British forces. Immigration ceased, and most Jews gradually moved to their ancestral lands in Jericho, Hebron, and elsewhere on the West Bank. This pacification was so successful that there are Zionist bombings nearly every week, along with continual strikes, civil disobedience, and all manner of disruptions aimed at achieving a sovereign state. The underground will almost surely take advantage of the king's Jerusalem Hajj to make a major strike here in the city."

Abu Simsim applauded sarcastically. "Bravo, my teachers. Because you are men of sagacity, you have explained better than I ever could why my shop will remain shuttered. The city is packed with pilgrims, all of whom may be agents. Between one good tiding and another, this is the most dangerous day in Jerusalem since Richard the Lionheart was born."

"But that is precisely why you must let us into your shop without further delay!"

"Each man must respond to adversity as he deems best. You are learned men, and you believe you should eat dessert. But I am a simple confectioner, and I have been packing my bags. I'm taking my family to safety."

"May you find peace, oh sweets maker without equal. But before you go, for the sake of our beloved city sell us your halawa!"

"There is no more halawa. For weeks, you have bought every slab that I could make, though I worked day and night. I have no idea what you are doing with it, but I now have enough money to take my family to Detroit. I'm finished with halawa."

"Finished? Don't joke like this. What will become of us?"

Abu Simsim smiled. "May God look after you as he looks after all fools and madmen. Peace be with you." He slammed the shutters.

The two old men stood dumbstruck. "This is not auspicious," said the rabbi.

"It is in God's hands," answered Abu Zeid. "Let us return and ask our...our 'colleague' to fulfill his pledge anyway."

"He won't be pleased," said the rabbi.

"He already knows," answered Abu Zeid.

The Djinn of Jerusalem

The learned sheikh was right. As the old men entered the house of Abu Zeid, a hole opened in space, and the head of a lavishly decorated elephant poked out. It wore a gold ring in its flapping left ear and a great red fez atop its head.

"I see," said the elephant, "that you have returned empty- handed."

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