I grew up as a member of a vibrant ethnic minority in Australia. My childhood included easter eggs and camping on Christmas. My time at university was marked by explaining to many lecturers that once again I will not be able to attend lectures/tutorials because yes, this week, again, we have another festival, again. Oh and explaining to my employers at the bakery that I won't be able to work for a week because I can't go near bread because G-d said so. I was told over and over again not to drink with non-Jews, not to date non-Jews and that if you marry a non-Jew you die.
However, now I'm in Israel. I'm part of the majority. More then that, I'm white(ish) and come from the upper-middle class. Essentially, I belong to the privileged.
The non-discriminated.
The roles are now reversed. When I asked my Arab classmates if they wanted to hang out after Ulpan they were declining because their families didn't like them mixing with the Jews too much. Now my religious festivals are the national holidays and Ramadan and Easter are exceptions to the rule.
On the one hand this is awesome.
On the other hand.... I'm abit uncomfortable.
It's weird to me that people who make up 20% of the population (Arabs) and who've been Israeli citizens for 3 or 4 generations are still invisible in academia, entertainment and politics.
I cringe when I see that the all Jewish law library is being cleaned exclusively by Arabs.
I prefer not to think that there are separate Jewish and Arab buses, schools and neighborhoods in Jerusalem.
Thank goodness I'm a woman so I don't feel the full brunt of white upper-middle-class male guilt.
Hail Mary.
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