| ACT V: Jesus is Alive and Well Later that evening of the day of the burglary. The Americans are talking with the Slovakian. They talk about his country, the bad economy, the lack of opportunities. The amount of money stolen from him is the worth about one year's salary at minimum wage. A mother and her twin sons come into the hostel with suitcases. She is short , on the heavy side, wearing a black and white dress suit from the 40's replete with a broad-brimmed hat. She has a heavy American accent. Her sons look about 10yrs old, they each have a yarmulke clipped to their short hair. Their side-burns are growing out.
Sarah: Shalom! Get over here. Where are you going? Help me with this.... put it over there... thank you...
Salomon: Can't we get them now?
Sarah: I told you already, there is nothing I can do until tomorrow. You will see your dogs tomorrow, okay? Now settle down, we have to wait here for Rabbi Moshe. He'll be here any minute. (turns to Marcos, behind desk) Is Moses here?
The twins spot Jimmy and begin chasing him around, excitedly. Jimmy has been chasing yet another dog -- Jimmy's mother. She is a dirty grey color. Whenever she stops, Jimmy tries to hump her. Marcos sees this and scolds Jimmy.
Marcos: Jiiimmy! Stop that! Don't you know your mother, Jimmy?
Sarah sits down as she waits for Musa, whom she insists calling the Hebrew equivalent, to return. Another man sitting on a chair near her begins to talk with her. He speaks English, not exactly like an American, but with certain words heavily accented with a nasally tone. He is very friendly.
American man: So you're from America too?
Sarah: Yes, originally North Dakota, but I'm trying to bring the boys back to live here, it's better for them. Where are you from?
American man: Born and raised in Israel, but I left to live in Dallas. Now my boys are in Chicago. I just think America is great. My sons, you know, my sons are just average! They're just average and they can make it in America. America gives people a chance. One is a student of chemistry and in a rock band. The other is going to be a doctor. You don't need A's and B's, you can have C's and still be a doctor!
Sarah: Are you living here now?
American Man: No, I'm just here for business. I work for Minute Man, you heard of them? They're in the printing business. It's great to do business with the Israelis.
Sarah: Yeah, I really love it here. To me, this is home. I want my boys to grow up here. We're actually supposed to be going back to America, we're on the end our trip and just stopping over in Israel. We have lots of friends here....
Salomon: Mooomm! Give me some money, pleeeease! I need to buy some pudding.
Sarah: How many have you eaten today?
Salomon: None! Shalom at them ALL! Please, I need 5 sheikels.
Sarah: (reaches into her purse) Okay, there, 5 sheikels, that's all you get. (turns back to the American-- 'Minute Man-). Anyway, we were on our way to the airport and I was stung by a bee. You know, they can really get you...I got a strong allergic reaction. It made me dizzy, I nearly fainted. It was almost like a religious experience.
Minute Man: Did you see heaven?
Sarah: It was almost like that, really! I had to turn around and come right back, and now we're staying.
Two Canadians enter the room from outside. One has a cotton turban around his head.
Minute Man: (sees them and exclaims joyously) John! Where have you been? Did you convert anyone today? How 'bout you, Peter? You convert anyone?
John (speaking slowly and deliberately): Well, not exactly, but we got some wonderful people to pray with us. These two Dutch girls... they're like rainbow people... they came to worship with us.
Minute Man: That's great! Doing God's work! (turns back to Sarah) There are miracles you know, messages from God that are like miracles. I'll tell you a story. This is a true story. My grandfather was from Czechloslovakia. 12 years, he was on a farm. Poor, you know. He was sent to the farm as punishment because he practiced in his home. He was Pentecostal. So working with cows everyday, you can get diseases. One day he had an eye infection and his eye started to blow up. He asked for help and the others told him to go to the doctor, but he knew he couldn't go to the doctor, the doctor would poison him. So instead he didn't go and he prayed. At night, when he prayed, he said he saw a star. The star was coming at him... and then it was going away... the star was going away to Jerusalem. And he understood the message. Tomorrow, he had to get on his motorcycle and go, go, go, to Jerusalem. (pauses. Sarah listens intently) The others tell him, are you crazy? Don't you know the dogs at the border will eat you for breakfast? No one knew that the Russians had taken over the border. When they saw him, they ran to him and were very happy because he was on a motorcycle. They let him go!
Sarah: Promised Land. God said go, and he went. Otherwise he would have died!
Minute Man: Yes! He was saved! He went to the border, to Jerusalem, and was saved! It was God's will.
Sarah: That's a beautiful story. Wonderful!
Minute Man: You know, I graduated from Christ for the Nation in Dallas and I really believe that people risked their lives for us. How about your husband? Is he Christian?
Sarah: Ohh, no. He's Jewish.
The Americans, still trying to read, are confused about Sarah's religion, she sounds like a Christian, but her sons are wearing yarmulkes.
Minute Man: And your children? You must tell them. They look smart.
Sarah: They're good boys, yes, they're very smart. What about Moses? Is he Jewish?
Minute Man: No, I think he is Muslim, but I'm not sure. He doesn't like people to know. But I think he's Muslim.
Sarah: No, no, I really think he's Jewish. He says he's Jewish, anyway. I met a wonderful gentleman from South Africa today, we had a lovely conversation, he says he's Jewish. You see, they're everywhere. It's just wonderful.
That night on the roof, the Canadian Christians have pitched a tent next to the Americans, sleeping in a mosquito net. An English couple and Helen are also in tents. The roof is crowded. It is quiet, everyone has gone to sleep. Suddenly, there is stirring in one of the tents. A voice begins to sing, "Oh Lord, I'm here with my crops... waiting for your blessing... Oh, Lord, when will harvest time come?" One of the Canadians is singing, getting louder as he repeats each refrain, unconcerned about waking the others. Others begin to stir in their tents, until it falls quiet again... the rooftop camp silent, barely illuminated by the sliver of a new moon. |
ISRAEL
