In Defense of Tremping aka Hitchhiking

Tremping isn't the problem. Arab terrorists are!

Yaakov Nafatali ben Rachel Devorah, the son of Rachelli Sprecher Frenkel, director of the Hilkhata Program at Matan
Gilad Michael ben Bat Galim
Ayal ben Iris Teshura
May they be reunited soon with their families.

It really gets on my nerves when I keep hearing that this kidnapping is "because they tremped." That's not the problem. The three teenagers were kidnapped by Arab terrorists. They are victims of Arab terrorism. The problem is the terrorism, not the tremping.

In many parts of Israel and the world, waiting for rides on the road is an accepted mode of traveling. The Arab custom here is not to have formal bus stops. Arabs of all ages, both sexes, hail rides and buses in all different places, even at busy junctions causes delays to others.

The fact that there are Arabs and Jews riding the same roads is proof that Israel is not an "apartheid state." Another fact often ignored is that there are many, many Arabs who legally reside in "Israel proper" sic having an Israeli Identity Card and license plates, but they live in large, lovely homes in Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley. So a "yellow licence plate" is not a way to guarantee that the car is being driven by a Jew. Those Arabs are generally more careful, because they don't want to get in trouble with the police and security forces. They are Israelis.

The biggest problem is that there's an active car theft business run by Arabs. Many of the cars they target look very Jewish, with stickers from yishuvim, Jewish communities, and they can easily give the impression that there are Jews driving the car.

That's me waiting for a ride at the Jerusalem "city line."
There used to be these big signs to use, but now we
need to provide ourselves with homemade ones or just
identify our destinations to the drivers.

OK, now I promised to tell you why I need to tremp.

First of all, we don't have cars, not even one. I no longer even have a valid drivers license, and if I did, it wouldn't help, because we can't afford a car. The expenses of owning a car in Israel are very high, and our incomes are very low. My husband was never a driver.

My world, my work, study, income and schedule in general don't suit limiting myself to the buses and public transportation. I certainly do take buses all over, but I also tremp. I do what is practical and convenient.

Sometimes there just isn't public transportation. Sometimes the last bus has already left. Are we supposed to sleep in the street or not go any place? I certainly do a lot less than car owners do. I can't just "pop over" some place for a short time, because I need to take into account travel logistics of public transportation and tremping. I don't take anything for granted. There are many events I don't even attempt to get to. There are times I'm invited to something with an invitation that has a PostScript saying:

"Please don't trouble yourself to come. We understand the difficulties involved. We know you're thinking of us."

Sometimes I make that special effort and with the help of others I attend the event. And sometimes I feel too insulted and don't even. That's life for us.

One of the things I always liked about Israel and enjoyed was that as parents we didn't have to chauffeur our kids around. From a young age they learned to be independent and self-sufficient. Walking also made them fitter. When I was young, growing up in Bell Park Gardens, a garden apartment development my friends and I had that freedom and independence to got wherever we needed by ourselves. My kids also walked to their friends for visits, and when they got older, they took the bus or tremped. Nowadays, even on yishuvim which have gotten much larger, more parents have cars and more parents chauffeur their kid everywhere.

There's another reason that many teenagers tremp here in Israel. They study in schools located in places which have very limited public transportation. And the schools do not have budgets for school buses at all hours to take the kids to classes, homes and tests, such as the Bagrut, Israeli Matriculation Exams. There is only a Ministry of Education bus service for elementary school. When I was a high school English Teacher in Beit El I was not provided with transportation during most of those eleven years. I had to allocate an hour and a half minimum to get from Shiloh to Beit El, even though the direct drive is less than a half an hour door to door. And to get home, it would sometimes take me two hours. I never knew when I'd be arriving home. If I had traveled only by bus, it would have taken me even longer. I had no choice. I had to tremp or I couldn't have worked at all.

So stop condemning us, please. Thousands and thousands of people tremp safely everyday.

There is only one way to stop Arab terrorism, and that is to execute all convicted Arab terrorists! It should be the only sentence the courts hand down. And let the hunger-striking convicted terrorists die, if that's what they want. No forced feeding. Consider it a group suicide. Israel does not need to feed and support more Arab terrorists.