Where the Desert Meets the Sea

by Werner Sonne

At first, I thought it had to be that way; it was a part of war, eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth. The toll that must be paid to make Germany great again.

She hesitated, then shook her head. “Are you telling me that, for us to get married, it needs to be a religious ceremony?” she said. “This is supposed to be a new and modern country we’re fighting for, where you can choose to be religious or not. Where there’s no one always telling you how to live, whether with God or without.” “You’re right, of course, but this is a state for Jews of all different origins, so what binds us together is our historic religion. That’s why we need a rabbi, and as soon as possible. Because I’d like to get married to you right now.” He took Judith in his arms and kissed her. But Judith wasn’t satisfied. “So, with this wedding, I’m supposed to put myself in the hands of God? We can’t be man and wife without him being there?” She wrapped her arms around her pulled-up legs and held them tight. “I wonder where God was when I was in Dachau. Our God, not to mention the Christian God the Nazis claimed to believe in. The God that allowed my mother to be gassed. Where was he?” Silence reigned in the small room a long while. They then heard a shell land in the distance. Uri sighed. “Looks like the Arabs are now looking after their God and ours and the Christians’ as well. Over there”—he waved a hand toward the east—“just a mile from here, they’re now in control of the Old City and all the important shrines along with it. Here in the New City? You could say we’re godless.” Judith moved closer to him. Uri placed an arm around her. He said, tentatively, “The...