We arrived too early and decided to take a walk on Dizengoff Street. Entering one of the shopping malls, there was a Friday afternoon bustle of last-minute shopping before Shabbat
We noticed people congregating in one particular area, so approached and found cages full of beautiful black cats. Curious, we asked and were informed that it was “black cat adoption day.” Grinning, I asked, “Why only black cats?” It was a rhetorical question. Mention black cats in Israel, and you’ll set off discussions of superstitious fears. Given these irrational fears, it wasn’t surprising that there are those who want to paint black cats in a kinder light, and encourage people to take them home. I have to admit, they were cute! And that got me thinking, when we neutralize the superstitions with which we were raised, we often realize how beautiful the world around us is. When we stop being prisoners to such beliefs, we can see the world for what it really is.
And Israel is so full of superstitions.
For instance, when I was a child,...
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