Lost And Found In Israel (אבידות ומציאות בארץ)

26 of the Sixth Month 5770
Anniversary of the Second of Creation

About a month ago, I lost my tefillin. I was in the Beit HaD'fus area of Giv'ath Sha'ul doing errands, with several bags in my hands. While on the bus, I realized that I did not have my tefillin. I got off the bus, and got on a bus going back to where I could begin tracing my steps. I asked people with whom I had spoken if they had seen me with my little black "pouch." Some of you may remember this to be my [special, Tel-Avivi] tefillin bag from my post "What's This?"

Some saw me with it; some did not. But that did not help me pin down where I might have forgotten it.

I came back another day, and posted signs with my phone number, and pasted them where I knew I sat down, or stood waiting. No calls.

A few days I was passing by my post office, and decided that it might be a good idea to check my P. O. box. I do not check it very often. Why bother? All I mostly ever get are bills.

Well, sure enough, there was a letter from the police. Great! What could THEY want now?! Chasing after me for my unpaid J-walking tickets? (I'll get to those one of these days, I am sure.) Interrogation for yet another boo-boo incurred by a leftist not receiving enough attention?

Nope. The poh-lice found my tefillin, or at least someone turned them into them. The only thing I was worried about was that I had only 10 days to claim them after the date for the letter, which was dated August 1. The threat was that after 10 days ownership is not considered to be established, and the police does not have to keep it. Uh-oh.

What do you know? It wasn't even a trap. They really did find them. But how did they know they were mine? I did not recall leaving any identifying information in them. And if I had, why didn't someone just call me? I have lost several items before this, and someone was nice enough to call and arrange to get them to me.

I walked into the Lost & Found Office (אבידות ומציאות בארץ) at Yaffo Street 107, and received my tefillin quickly. The whole 10 day thing was just an "encouraging" way to get people there to pick of their lost stuff. i can't tell you how many key chains and bags I say, not to mention whatever was in the back room, from where my tefillin was procured.

So, now, I can give back the pair of tefillin which was loaned to me.

So, it seems the police is good for a lot more than harassing settlers, above and beyond their top notch detectives who catch rapists and murderers, and deal with organized crime.

They have a Lost & Found Department