April 18, 2002

Happy Birthday, Dad (check's still in the mail...). Not much to report on today - such is the advantage of leaving behind the tank shells and checkpoints of the West Bank for the relative tranquility of the Galilee. We were able to take care of some errands for folks in the village and at the University who have less mobility than we do these days.

Thinking of our friends in other parts of the West Bank these days.

We also checked in with a friend in Ramallah. Yesterday they were the lucky recipients of the house-to-house search sweepstakes. Fortunately, there was little to report - they and their kids were just a bit traumatized by the whole experience. Even without the violence and theft which has accompanied some searches, having soldiers and automatic weapons in your house doesn't instill calm.

We've also begun arranging our summer schedule - trying to find a balance between doing talks and enjoying some much-needed rest and time with our families.