The Heart of the Matter

Abstract

One day I happened upon it. In the middle of a no-man’s-land-a rough diamond shaped valley carved from two would-be “green lines” that split at the source in Jabal al-Mukaber and come together again in Abu Tor-a maze. I knew what it reminded me of, in fact, I thought it was the real thing, albeit too polished. Suspicious, I contacted the planners (or the planters): the Jewish National Fund (JNF). The JNF official in charge of planning identified the area as the “Forest of Peace,” and referred me to the now-retired regional director responsible for creating the park and designing its various attractions.