Yuval Ben-Ami is thinking of leaving Israel for a saner life somewhere in Europe. Though I know the feeling he talks about and sympathize with it deeply – my choice, time and time again, is to stay right here, at home. I can even justify it. Of course, I totally agree with Yuval. It's a very rough country that we live in, a country of occupation and racism, a country of militarism, chauvinism and brutal capitalism, a country of fundamentalism and violence, where intimidating winds of fascism are blowing in the air. It's a country where I spent two years…

Dear +972 readers, Christmas – it all began here – and today, it hides around the holy land in some unexpected places. This December, +972’s resident travel writer Yuval Ben-Ami will find the smells, sounds, customs, and lives that go unnoticed at the heart of a holiday celebrated by billions around the world, and bring them to you. He’ll spend 10 days traveling Israel and the West Bank looking for Christmas: Israeli Christmas, Palestinian Christmas, the Christmas of pilgrims, of monks and nuns, Christmas in the Galilee, Christmas in the desert, Christmas in Bethlehem, Christmas in Tel Aviv. Christmas in…