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My interest in borders and their emotional meaning was prompted by personal experience. I was born in the 'Holy Land', also known as the 'Promised Land', the 'Land of Milk and Honey', the 'Land of Israel', or, to the world at that time, Palestine. It was not until age sixteen that I crossed the frontiers of Israel (as it had come to be known), and set out for my first trip to Europe. In the weeks prior to leaving I felt a growing restlessness mixed with fear. By the time of sailing, I could hardly sleep for excitement and for my multiplying fantasies about Europe's wonders. When in Europe every border crossing stirred up fresh imaginings of the new land to be discovered. Border police, passport control and customs officials assumed special awe and power. Crossing from one country to another was often accompanied by both elation and anxiety.
I have been intrigued by the roots of this Reisefieber (travel fever) ever since. Although I have since lived and traveled in many countries, thus becoming 'seasoned', the problem of the inner meanings of border crossing and of frontiers as such has fascinated me. My patients have frequently reported dreams involving several countries or cities, oceans, rivers, bridges, fences, and borders. Then there were the dramatic cases of Israelis illegally crossing the border into Jordan in search of the Red Rock of Petra, only to be killed by Arab Legion troops. There were the so-called 'mental cases' who climbed embassy fences in search of asylum. There was a potent atmosphere of fascination combined with fear in our everyday references to or encounters with borders. It was time to comb the literature for references to this subject.