Wednesday, May 18, 2016

2016-05-18 Arnon's funeral // ההלוויה של ארנון

2016-05-18 Arnon's funeral //
ההלוויה של ארנון
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Arnon was my padrone from 2010 to 2012. For 2.5 years I stayed in his Jerusalem Hostel, led there, when I was down and out, through coincidence involving a stray cat, detailed in yesterday's post about Arnon.
During the funeral today, it was again obvious that Arnon was a Big Soul. Beyond his many friends, he had a host of proteges, young and old.
On the way back, in the train, I happened to sit with his Jaffa Hostel manager. I told him my story, and expressed my admiration for Arnon - taking me in after a one minute interview. I did not hide the fact that I had just escaped from US federal agencies, that I had no money, etc. Arnon hardly asked me any personal details, before he decided to offer me a shelter. It amazed me even then...
Beyond that, during the 2.5 years I stayed there, there were numerous issues related to the fact that I was not the darling of the Israeli security apparatus:
* A guest (a yoga teacher) had his standard tourist visa revoked, after he mentioned to airport security that he knew me:
http://inproperinla.blogspot.co.il/…/12-08-16-spaceship-in-…
* Another time, police attempted to search the entire hostel as retaliation against another tourist friend of mine.
http://inproperinla.blogspot.co.il/…/12-08-30-dispatch-de-b…
* A snitch (I suspected he was an ex prisoner) was planted in the hoster, attached to me 24/7 for over a year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4G0ZmsR9Vc
The Jaffa Hostel manager told me: Your story was small change for Arnon. When Vanunu was released from prison, he stayed with Arnon for a while, when he had nowhere else to stay.
I asked: How did Arnon manage with the Shin-Bet.
He answered: Obviously, they were hanging around quite a bit, but Arnon knew how to handle them...
QUESTION: How did it happen that a stray cat in Jerusalem led me in May 2010 to one of the only persons of this kind in Israel???
Mordechai Vanunu (Hebrew: מרדכי ואנונו; born 14 October 1954), also known as John Crossman,[2][3] is an Israeli former nuclear technician and peace activist[4] who, citing his opposition to weapons of mass destruction, revealed details of Israel's nuclear weapons program to the British press in 198....
EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG