| My job offers me such a wonderful variety of experiences. Well, not always wonderful, but usually interesting.
Two weeks ago, I was asked to guide a group of US International law students from Valparaiso University. They were on a study tour to learn about the "conflict" in classrooms and on the ground.
I assumed, correctly, that their staff, both their hosts here and their accompanying teachers, were pretty much what one finds on Liberal campuses these days.
They probably did not know what they were getting when I was asked to provide some balance to their very PC experience in Israel.
I knew what I was getting into and frankly relished the opportunity.
I was allotted one and a half hours of their ten-day program to present the "Jewish nationalist side".
They were doing a field trip in the controversial" Shimon Hatzadik" neighborhood, or as most of the world calls it , "Sheik Jarrah" neighborhood.
It is one of those old Jewish Jerusalem neighborhoods that was meant to last forever.The Jordanian changed all that when it's army chased the residents from their homes in the Arab assault on Jerusalem of 1948.
This famous Jewish area ( famous due the presence of the 2,300 year old tomb of the great Shimon Hatzadik) was one of four contiguous neighborhoods that were instantly made "Judenrein" by the Arab onslaught in the Independence war of 1948.
This particular neighborhood has grabbed headlines in the past and still does from time to time because Jews are slowly but determinedly returning to the confiscated Jewish properties.
There have been a number of well publicized demonstrations launched by Arabs and Israel Leftists, protesting the "Jewish settler take over" of "Palestinian areas". Lately full scale pogroms were launched against Jewish residents who dared return to the old neighborhood.
Similar to all such cases, the Arab - Left alliance present their claims to the courts.
Arab trespassers are challenged in the courts by Jewish individual deed holders. Properties are bought by non profit organizations whose mandate is to redeem Jewish land.
When I met my group, it was this background information that I presented.
I am used to guiding groups that are not always fully informed and though these were international law students, I expected that their teachers did not offer this background to the political struggle between the "religious settlers" and the "Palestinians".
I also suspected that though they had to provide some balance, even less than two hours, to their ten day program, they were not going to be thrilled to have their students exposed to this new material and food for thought.
Indeed, as I spoke I could see, on one hand, the surprise and curiosity on the part of the students as the new info reached their ears, and at the same time, the uncomfortable, impatient body language of their teachers.
When I finished my introductory remarks there was a stunned silence. It was broken by one student who asked quite incredulously," If these settlers move to the "Palestinian" areas then how can there be a two state solution"?
I answered , "These Jews do not believe in that "solution".
When she absorbed this iconoclastic idea she asked me," then what is the solution? What is your solution"?
I said" I do believe in a two state solution". Now she and the rest were really confused.
"Yes, I said, One Jewish state here and one ("Palestinian" if you will) across the river in Jordan which has a 75% "Palestinian" population. They share the same language, religion, culture and lots of blood relations.
It is the king's family who are foreigners, brought to the throne from Arabia by the British after the First world war..
This flow of totally new info caused a real buzz among the students and lots of squirming by their staff.
The same student did not relent. She asked, "why do Jews want to live in this Palestinian area?"
After a silence, I answered, "Why not?''
I don't think they expected that response.
I explained that Jews live anywhere they choose all over the world . Why should they be restricted in Jerusalem? Arabs live in Jewish areas all over Israel and no one challenges their right to do so."
I finally explained that legally, the issue is one of real estate law. It's a question that the courts decide, not politicians or demonstrators. In Israel the rule of law is sacrocant.
When one student suggested that it might not be, a teacher had no choice but to agree that the courts are "OK" in Israel.
The non legal issue is what gets all the attention. I explained, the larger issue really is a political/religious one, not a legal/real estate one after all. Either you identify with, and love the idea of Jews living in a Jewish state of their own and expanding their presence there or you do not.
If you are a Jewish nationalist, you think it's great, even divine.
If you are an Arab or identify with the Arab narrative and their antagonism to the Jewish narrative and dreams, then you probably hate it.
There are few neutral views on the subject.
I was satisfied that I was able to perhaps reach this next generation even a little, that may have some influence on my people in the future.
I knew that by not being PC, but rather actually teaching the facts, I might pay a professional price.
It will not be the first time.
And so it was. The Israeli tour company that brought the students over and hired me for the short tour, wants above all to please their paying clients and hopes for repeat business. The staff was not enamored of me. I dared to rip the blinders from their students' eyes.
And so I was told that I will not be hired again. It wasn't the first time and probably will not be the last.
Despite the price in job opportunities I have paid by presenting the facts in defense of my people and land , I have no regrets. Indeed, I have great stories for my grandchildren. Shalom Pollack Is a tour guide, filmmaker and writer in Jerusalem He is writing a book,"Despite ourselves, I was there" shalompollack613@gmail.com | 
