Dubai

 When my husband and I travel we are drawn less and less to the sorts of places where a selfie with a particular view seems to be mandatory. We get cranky at places that seem to be manufactured for Instagram.We are far more likely to be drawn to places like the Ashkelon Central bus station with the crumbling stucco and the ticket agent offering b'rachot for the holiday and blessings for a good life filled with Mazal Tov to the old bent Ethiopian man ahead of us in line. 

Dubai seems to be invented for selfies. The Ferris Wheel is lit up but doesn't move. 

The job of the Ferris Wheel is to appear in photos.

There is another structure also designed for the same purpose.

We are near the beach. There are shops on the street level where there are restaurants like The Cheesecake Factory and Chili's along with Indian and Georgian restaurants.. There are kiosks that sell ice cream and beach  chazzerei next to kiosks that sell apartments in newly built apartment buildings. 

There is an elevated walkway with shops and a massive number of day care centers, indoor mini golf, beauty salons, pharmacies and bodegas. This level everything is designed to look

vaguely like an old Arab city. A hair salon is in a domed building. Bathrooms and prayer rooms seem to be present in equal numbers .

In half an hour we are going on a boat ride to see the sites. 

Last night before we went to sleep my husband and I expressed regret that we hadn't bought shawarma at the stand in the Ashkelon bus station. We both assumed that it would have been delicious. Perhaps next time. 

We are in Dubai but are hearts are in Ashkelon.

Tomorrow morning we fly back to New York. We should be home lateish tomorrow night. I really want to thank all of you who gave us so much love, strength and support during this time. All of love helped us get through the hardest of it. 

It's time to help the people who remain in Israel and to protect all that we love.