Broken Lands

by Boaz Klachkin

  “This is a very special occasion in my life,” said Little Wing.

  Moments later, Jezabilah appeared at the office doorway, looking elegant and stately. She was wearing a long purple dress handmade by a local seamstress with floral embroidered patterns flowing in an arabesque design. Little Wing got up and faced her.

  “Mother, come in and meet Little Wing.” Jezabilah entered graciously, looking rather pleased. Just like Nairah, she had been contemplating this meeting for days. She came forward and shook Little Wing’s hand. She felt a surge of energy running through her body as their hands connected in a soft grip.

  “Welcome, Little Wing. After hearing so much about you from Moses, it is so nice to meet you in person. Please feel at home, and if there is anything that you need during your visit, don’t hesitate to request it.”

  They all sat down; Jezabilah sat next to Nairah on one of the two, late 19th century, leather-covered armchairs which were some of the many special gifts that Jezabilah received from various delegations as tokens of their friendship.

  “Thank you, Jezabilah.” He bowed and calmly sat down. He shifted in his seat momentarily and continued. “The pleasure is all mine to meet you both,” he said, looking warmly at Jezabilah and Nairah with deep focus. “I feel a very powerful stream of energy in this room. There is obviously a lot of positive action being transmitted from this venue.”

  As he spoke, one of the service staff came into the office holding a silver tray with the mint tea that Little had ordered and placed it on the table.

  “Thank you,” he said to the server. He slowly raised the cup to take a sip.

  Jezabilah continued, “Yes, there have been many great things that we have accomplished whose planning began in this office and some in my office in Gaza City. We have succeeded to bring about some incredible changes for all of Palestine. Nairah and I have been watching the continued coverage about IAM’s effective campaign and are quite pleased to see that you got the well-deserved attention for your people.”

  Little Wing smiled and continued to speak, “We are very proud to have attained so much justification and agreement to our demands, but firstly, before we embellish our story, I want to let you know something about your story. We have been monitoring your activities for quite some time. You cannot imagine how proud we are of your accomplishments.” Jezabilah and Nairah had a look of wonder as they shifted in their chairs. “Apparently our nations are connected not only by similar political manifestations, but also by a direct hereditary link.”

  With a perplexed expression, both women simultaneously looked at one another, their eyes widened.

  “This may come as a shock to you, so I will say this slowly,” he paused as if he needed to catch his breath. “We have been concealing some very pertinent information about your ancestry.” Little Wing sighed and smiled softly. “Jezabilah, your grandfather was adopted as an infant by a family from Nablus. His name was Yusuf,” stated Little Wing in a definitive tone.

  Jezabilah gasped and put her hand over her mouth looking perplexed.

  “Oh, my goodness. How do you know this?” asked Nairah, as she looked at her mother.

  “But what is the connection to your lineage?” asked of Jezabilah in a restless tone.

  “Throughout the years, we have been in constant contact with some representatives of the Greek Orthodox Church, who have all the information relating to the Church officials who had been in charge of your grandfather’s keeping and eventual adoption. Tree, your great-grandfather and our legendary founder, was here in the region during the beginning of the 20th century. During his visit to Jerusalem, he fell in love and married a young Jewish woman by the name of Yocheved. She became pregnant during their first year of marriage but fell very ill while giving birth to their son. The child was born healthy, however Yocheved, painfully realizing that she wouldn’t live long after the delivery, asked that the child be given up for adoption, so as to relieve Tree and the child from a life of single-parenthood – something which was less acceptable at the time. If either Tree or Yocheved had had living parents at the time, the situation would have surely been different.”

  “Are you saying that my grandfather’s mother was Jewish?” inquired Jezabilah with a stunned, surprised expression, not expecting an obvious answer to a redundant question. She covered her face with the palms of her hands. Momentarily, she jiggled her head, so as to bring herself back to reality, concurrently thinking about Nairah’s Jewish father. Suddenly, she laid her hands down, opened her eyes wide, recalling in her mind the unusual dreams that she had always been having. It all seemed clear to her: the language that she had heard, the woods, the animals, the screaming as soldiers on horseback butchered innocent men, women and children as they rode through acres of wheat fields.

  “Yes, your grandfather was Jewish by birth,” Little Wing replied.

  As she listened, Jezabilah looked at Nairah, admiring her beauty, thinking about Yair and the untold truth behind her life as a mother.

  “Yocheved’s lineage has been traced back to nearly 2500 years in this region; way back to the time that Israel, as a sovereign nation, didn’t need anyone’s mandate or acceptance for being. The Diaspora was a title that was alien to the hundreds of generations before Yocheved. They had stayed in the land of their ancestors through all the centuries of conquests and occupations that Israel, as a Jewish land, had been subjected to. Some of the people in her family tree had Iraqi, Egyptian and Yemenite Jewish heritage.”

  “What did Yocheved do when she was alive?” asked Nairah.

  “Yocheved was a schoolteacher at the Alliance School in Jerusalem. It was one of many schools located here and across North Africa, even as far as Iran. These special schools were founded by six French citizens who wanted to provide a place to learn and be exposed to Jewish traditions along with solid vocational skills.

  Tree, who was a man without a nation at the time, was relentlessly determined to continue his quest. His astuteness and enriched experiences served him well in order to realize his dreams. His determination to succeed with his agenda to resolve the Native American issues became his only passion. When he returned to North America in 1915, he started to organize and learning centers for the Indian chiefs and their children. Under his supervision, they were taught how to read, and how to interpret the information they learned. In the advanced stages of their studies, they began to study American and International Law. The final goals for the IAM which he revived were arranged in a timeline whose climax would be fulfilling the dream for self-determination and regaining lands.”

  Nairah and Jezabilah were astonished; their expressions showing signs of delight, mixed with amazement and a feeling of mutual admiration.

  “Little Wing! I am amazed by this sudden exciting news. Give me a second to breathe.” Nairah glanced at her mother, then back at Little Wing; her thoughts were entwined in a maze of wonderment and fascination. Jezabilah momentarily looked up at the ceiling, trying to recapture and confirm the space of her present reality.

  She stood up, walked over to Little Wing with tearing eyes, “This makes us relatives, doesn’t it?” She reached out to beckon him to stand and when he did, she embraced him warmly; Nairah subsequently joined in. He smiled widely, obviously happy, and when they all sat down again, he continued his detailed retrospective about Tree and his legacy.

  “We Native Americans, whose roots go back thousands of years, have been proud to see that across the great oceans, another liberation of an ancient people had come about. What makes it even more thrilling is the fact that Tree, our great forefather, is here in spirit; working from above, enabling you to share and reap the fruits of Israel’s rebirth. Furthermore, through his spiritual support and evolvement, we have witnessed the recreation of the nation of Israel, and now of Palestine, as well as our nation, the Native American Union.

  “There is a wonderful interview that Moses had a shor
t time ago. It is all about Tree’s life experience and travels. It has not been shown to anyone yet. Tom Jacobs, the reporter, was instructed not to release it until Moses gave him the okay to do so. I have it on disc for you to watch on your own time.” Jezabilah and Nairah’s excitement was obvious through their body motions and expressions.

  Little Wing got up and opened his attaché case. It contained some very unusual items. “In appreciation and celebration of our special bond, I have brought some gifts for you,” he stated proudly. Nairah began smiling, feeling wonder and curiosity. “I have some very prized gifts for you.” Both women showed signs of excitement as soon as Little Wing laid out the items on the long piece of suede that he spread as a backdrop for the presentation.

  “They are so beautiful,” said Nairah.

  “These items symbolize the underlying roots for creating a significant bond between mutual entities. There were many defining categories for such traditional artifacts, some of which have been used as ancient ceremonial tools throughout our history, and these are representative of our vast collection. We have managed to safe-guard many of these artifacts from the greedy colonialists who took advantage of our civilization, every chance they had.” Little Wing took a sip of the mint tea.

  “What do you think of them?” asked Little Wing with a smile; enjoying the delight they expressed.

  “These gifts are stunning,” replied Jezabilah.

  “Please accept these items as tokens of kinship, brotherhood and unification. They are belated gifts, yet the thrill I feel in giving you this precious collection is unmatched by any ceremonial presentation that I have ever made. These types of gifts are normally given to blood relatives, and being that you are family, you well deserve to have these items. The necklaces with the colored stones are constructed in a special sequential pattern using color schemes that in our ancient, coded language, spell out the words ‘PEACE’ and ‘LOVE’. In addition, and most importantly, I have been requested to bequeath both of you with honorary citizenships to our Native American Union.”

  Nairah was by now filled with intense emotion, enthused by Little Wing’s special magnetism. “We truly appreciate this. This is all so exciting. Thank you so much.” Nairah came to him with arms stretched out wide and engulfed him with a heartfelt hug.

  “Oh, Little Wing, Nairah and I are so deeply honored,” Jezabilah breathed. “These gorgeous items are so incredibly beautiful and so meaningful. We shall relish and guard them forever. This is truly a heart-warming time for us. Thank you so much. This is such an amazing day.”

  Just then, Nairah received an incoming video call that had been cleared by her communications coordinators. Before the media staff transmitted the message to the office screen, they identified the caller as Moses. Nairah sat down at her desk and switched on the media select button, which activated the office screen and speakers.

  “Good day, Nairah and Jezabilah. I see that Little Wing is currently in your company. Good day to you, Little Wing.”

  “Good day to you, Moses,” responded Little Wing cordially.

  “Yes, Moses, and Little Wing has been delightful,” Nairah’s voice shook with excitement, almost gasping as she spoke. He noticed her joy in knowing all the details about their connection with his own people. “Thank you for the lovely gifts.”

  “We are so very proud of your accomplishments. We have been with you in spirit throughout this whole process: constantly monitoring all the events. I can feel the spirit of Tree hovering over us as we speak.” Moses’s voice resonated a sparkling joy.“Please accept our invitation to come and visit our lands, whenever you get the chance,” Moses said in an affectionate tone.

  “It would be a great honor. I am looking forward to that occasion, especially now that we are honorary citizens, it will be overwhelming to be with you on your home turf,” Nairah stated, as a tear running down her cheek, totally charmed by the moment.

  “This is truly heartwarming. I will keep in touch with you. I am glad that we are connected. I bid you farewell for now. Take great care of yourself and your people. We are all one,” Moses responded, as his heart singing in an excited beat.

  “Best regards!” Jezabilah stated. “You are welcome to visit us whenever you wish as well. We are now family. Good-bye, Moses. We wish you all the best,” Jezabilah inserted with an emotional nuance.

  Moses signed off and the monitor screen returned to its default setting: a panoramic view of Jerusalem. Jezabilah and Nairah were obviously enthralled by the video call.

  “Little Wing, please join us for dinner. We still have so much to talk about.”

  “I shall gladly join you. It will give us more time to exchange thoughts and ideas. For now, I shall bid you a wonderful day. May the life-giving sun brighten all your days, and may the spirits of nature protect you eternally.” Little Wing got up and approached them with a smile and spread his arms open like an eagle’s wingspan, they converged in a warm hug.

  “Thank you both for this lovely occasion. My heart is pounding with exhilaration.” He smiled as he departed, holding up his palm; signing a farewell. Jezabilah and Nairah reciprocated with a wave, still amazed and entranced in thought about all that had been communicated during their short meeting. That evening Little Wing flew back to the US.

  Nairah and Jezabilah looked adoringly at one another. They stood face-to-face, holding hands, understanding that this was a particular moment that neither of them would ever forget. It was a thought-provoking finale to a wonderful fairy tale, set in the dense web of humanity’s many tragedies and glorious triumphs. However, Jezabilah’s mind was still untangling thoughts about all the events that had touched and influenced her life. But her primary thoughts revolved around her revelation of these events, and especially the secret that Yair was Nairah’s father.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  ال

  The Palestinians were now gifted with new opportunities, which would undeniably bring further prosperity and serenity to their region. The world community was now on the course of unification and sustaining absolute cooperation between nations, having no tolerance for religious delineations or negativity of any type. The counterproductive period in which racism, hate and violence was fostered by the Islamic Jihadists, Neo-Nazis and White Supremacists was now behind them.

  The landslide approval Nairah received in the elections set her on a new course; holding the most important position of leadership and being the inspirational guide of an entire nation. She received greetings from her Israeli partners, and many blessings from major leaders around the world. All the nations who had made special commitments to specifically aid and support the social and economic developments in Palestine, came forward with detailed plans and programs for expanding the manufacturing, technology and agriculture sectors in Palestine. All over the world, people tuned in to watch the celebrations for this monumental event: the official declarations between Israel and Palestine.

  Jezabilah stood at the reception hall at the Gaza Royale Hotel & Casino. Bright, golden rays of sunlight refracting off the waves of the Mediterranean glistened on her face. She shifted her stance, enjoying the warm breeze that caressed her skin. While watching the guests mingling and conversing, her head was spinning at what a special time this was. Everyone was in a friendly, jovial mood and had a good reason to be. Accompanied by her guards, Nairah was mixing in with her guests, greeting the crowd, occasionally stopping with certain delegates for short conversations.

  “I am honored to meet you, Ms. President,” said the delegate from Kuwait.

  “Thank you. It is so wonderful that all of you are here, representing your countries,” she responded cordially.

  “You have done a wonderful job. Everyone is quite impressed by your accomplishments. I am certain that you have not been sleeping too many hours as of late,” commented Kostas, the Greek diplomat.

  “I have been getting some sleep, but it’s f
unny that you should mention sleep. Just last night, I had a strange dream,” she responded.

  “Please tell us about it,” replied another delegate, quite delighted in capturing Nairah’s focus. They were all enthralled by her presence and quite touched by her charismatic manner.

  “In my dream, I was in a dense forest with tall evergreens,” inserted Nairah.

  “There were all kinds of animals around: deer, rabbits and squirrels, birds the likes of owls, ravens, eagles and hawks. I could hear drumbeats echoing at a distance in an irregular repetitious pattern: seven beats, followed by four beats and then three, getting gradually louder.” While she spoke, she had a glazed look as though her mind was locked on the imagery she was describing.

  “It sounds like you had a dream in which you were acting in some Hollywood movie, playing the role of Pocahontas,” said Adman the delegate from Sweden.

  They laughed gleefully and were joined by all those who listened in from lateral positions. While Nairah laughed, she looked at Adman, feeling a sudden connection to his joke about Pocahontas in a realistic way, her thoughts focusing on her Native American lineage. She was realizing that its seeds would never yield blooming flowers in the light of day. This heart-warming secret will have to be kept tucked away in her memory forever.

  “With all the travelling I have done, it is amazing how I don’t have dreams that I am flying on some magic carpet, with Ali Baba as my guide,” she inserted, trying to be comical.

  Adman, after having drunk more than his share of red wine, chuckled, as others joined in, enjoying their time together in such a friendly setting.

  “Adman, it’s funny that you should mention Pocahontas, because coincidentally, I was recently invited to visit the Native American Union. Their President, Chief Moses, has been one of our supporters for quite a while. I am really looking forward to that special visit. I personally feel the affirmation of the Native American Union is one of the most exemplary, righteous acceptances and respect for a nation in the political arena of the world.”