Disappearance Read Online Free PDF Page A

soil, the valley was considerably populated and exploited to grow everything from cotton to apples. “In 1973, during the Yom Kippur War,” Mikki was saying, “Syrian forces managed to push the IDF off the Golan Heights, almost across the Jordan River.” Mikki didn't know it at the time, but Syrian tanks were a mere four kilometers   from   his   kibbutz   when   the   IDF   made   a remarkable effort in keeping the Syrians from invading the valley  and  eventually  pushed  them  back  off  the  Golan Heights.
    They were walking along the kibbutz's security fence.  Built on top of a hill, the location offered a magnificent view of the valley which shimmered at night with lights from the many settlements nestled in and around it.
    Karen talked about herself.
    She grew up in Westlake Village, California, a suburb, thirty miles north of downtown Los Angeles, graduating from Westlake high school a week before arriving in Israel. The trip was her graduation present from her wealthy parents.  Her father, Paul, was head of a fast growing high tech company. Karen knew little of her father's business but what little she did   manage   to   convey   of   research   and   development, computers and lasers seemed very posh and complicated.  Her mother, Martha, kept herself busy with local fund raisers and ladies’ cosmetics sales.    Karen's older sister, Lisa, was graduating from the University of California at Los Angeles with a Bachelor's degree in Economics and had already been accepted to a Master's degree program at Pepperdine University in Malibu.  Karen  had  planned to spend  two months in Israel and a month touring Europe, before going back to attend the University of California at Santa Barbara. She, too, was set on getting a business degree but had not yet decided whether it would be Accounting, Marketing, or Management Information Systems.  She wasn't worried.  It would be a year before she needed to make up her mind.
    Mikki was intrigued and a little envious as he compared the circumstances they each faced.  There he was, getting ready to serve his country for three years, with no idea how he would come out of it and certainly no clue as to what he wanted to do afterward.  She, on the other hand, just barely out of high school and already confident about continuing her education, joining the fast-paced business world, and presumably getting full guidance and support from her wealthy and capable parents.
    Karen leaned with her back to the fence, facing Mikki.  It was a splendid night, the stars brightly forming a magnificent array of shapes across the dark sky.  Her eyes sparkled, blending in with the stars and the lights in the background.  A light breeze caressed her hair and she closed her eyes, taking in the nightly sounds and smells, enjoying the moment.
    They came from two entirely different worlds, he reflected. He had spent all his life in the kibbutz which was essentially a mini-universe that usurped the wealth of its inhabitants and in return ventured to equally take care of all their needs.  His parents never had such concerns as paying bills, being insured, buying clothes, or even cooking food.   Education was something they had to acquire but it was not viewed as a vital tool needed to prosper.   Individual contributions varied, yet everyone was treated equally and took an active part in the decision-making process.   A heaven for growing up, the kibbutz was a comfortable and very protective environment that, among its vital shortcomings, rarely exposed its youth to the outside world.
    "How long have you lived with this fence around you?"  she asked.
    "Ever since the infiltrators figured out how vulnerable these settlements were."
    "I thought your borders were heavily guarded?"
    "They are," Mikki replied, "but there is no way we can guard every inch. They find creative ways of infiltrating."
    "Can this fence prevent them from entering the