When Ezi first started buying me jewelry, about 45 years ago, we had no money at all, and he took me to a second hand jewelry shop in Yafo, Yacoby.  Sometimes there were gold necklaces, bracelets, and earrings with dirt on them.  Ezi explained that Beduin women sometimes only had their fortunes in their jewels, and they wore everything they owned.  But if there was too much to wear, or a danger to the wearer, they hid the jewels in the earth and dug them up to sell them in their hour of need. 

Jewelry means much more than decoration, much more than beauty and I see it on myself.  I love fun baubles, but since October 7, I haven’t been able to wear any jewelry except for my stark earrings and a protest necklace with a yellow ribbon.  The only exception was my 80th birthday party.  I haven’t buried my jewelry, but my heart.