Saga Riding the Ariel Arab-Filled Buses, Yesterday

Yesterday, again, I needed to catch a bus to Ariel from the "shfeilah," west of Shiloh, after a festive luncheon with friends in Pardes Chana. This time I was dropped off at the Oranit/Elkana bus stop, which I hoped would give me a better chance to get on a bus than at the Yarkon Junction. 

In the afternoon, buses to Ariel are full of Arab workers who get off before Ariel. The buses are so full that most don't even stop unless someone needs to get off. At the Oranit/Elkana bus stop, generally a few people get off, so there's a better chance to get on the bus, and in addition there are a few more lines going to Ariel. 

After close to ten minutes of waiting a bus came that did let passengers off from the back, but the driver didn't open the door. BTW, I was waiting with a bunch of Arab men for a bus to Ariel, no other women or Jews. A few Arabs went/snuck in by the back door, something I wrote about a few weeks ago. I got closer to the front door and tried to get the attention of the driver and succeeded. 

The bus driver opened the door and signaled to the men waiting that only I was to board the bus. Happily I did, even though all I could see on the bus were Arab men. The driver also asked the man sitting in the first seat to get up so I could sit. Yes, not for the first time, I sat next to an Arab on a bus. 

My view from the front seat of the bus to Ariel. Our road was clear, while most vehicles were traveling towards Yarkon Junction and beyond.

The bus was packed, with people standing in the aisle until we got to the Revava Junction. That's the last stop on the Trans-Samaria Highway before turning into Ariel. And that's where all of the remaining Arabs got off. Look to the right of the picture below, and you will see dozens of cars, Arab cars. Sometimes I've seen a market setup there, too. There was lots of noise coming from it, which we could hear on the bus. That's where the Arab workers leave their cars or get rides home to their villages. Also some Jewish passengers get off there at the Revava Junction and cross the street to go to communities in the northern Shomron, Samaria.

When we pulled out of that bus stop, the bus was almost totally empty. A few minutes later we entered Ariel, and I got off at the Ariel University. I walked to the trempiada, hitchhiking post there and miraculously got a ride to Shiloh within a couple of minutes. My neighbor took me straight to my door. Gd is great!

Shabbat Shalom U'Mevorach

Have a Blessed and Peaceful Shabbat