Jewish Partisans from World War II are now being prosecuted in Lithuania. It seems part of a denial of the Holocaust because the argument is that these “Soviets” (since all Jews were Soviets) killed Lithuanian citizens. I’ve written about this before but
this story was made immediate to me by a ceremony to honor Rachel Margolis at Beit Leyvick today. The children the group at Beit Leyvick sang the Partisan Song and we in the audience melted.
The audience by the way was composed mostly of Partisans, and their praise of Rachel MArgolis stemmed not from her military activities, which were not agressive, but from her archival work in preserving documentation of Lithuanian participation in atrocities. This is something my mother always asserted – that the Lithuanians were far more ardent than the Nazis and took great pleasure in their ‘work.’ I’ll try to post some links to the Leyvick pictures soon.
June 18, 2009
I never really understand surveys. They always seem like they hold more secrets then they reveal. So today’s Pfizer news about sex habits around the world and how often Israelis have sex on Ynet today bothers me. We seem to have sex a lot, but we say it’s not enough. I think that when the surveys are local, like this one we come off better.
So sex is the least of our problems. That’s a small comfort.
Actually we have our finger on the pulse all the time on this subject. Whenever something important happens, there’s a sex survey to see how we react. In the Gulf war almost 2 decades ago, there were strong indications of impotence (totally parallel to the feeling of not being able to do anything about being bombed). After the first Lebanon war there was a baby boomlet. etc. etc. etc. In other words, our intimate lives are determined by Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Gaza, etc.
And I’m sure the Palestinians react similarly.
I just noticed that in only twelve days i have a reading at Tmol Shilshom in Jerusalem. There are so many things going on right now that it is hard to keep track – every one is trying to get their events in before the summer begins.
A senior economist has estimated that there are more than a few billion dollars in this country of – what – 7 million – in the mattresses or under the floor boards or maybe even in home safes. So if all the people who are hoarding money just in case brought it in, we’d be out of debt. It could happen, you know. Remember what we gave to build a golden calf?
And look what a strange attitude we have to money. The other day we went to buy a new toilet seat and Ezi fell in love with a hydraulic model that costs over $120, but i stopped him. Then on the way home i passed a shoe store and spent twice that for sandals for Ezi and me. Pound foolish and penny foolish, that’s me. This country has realled ruined me for normal economics – i don’t even try to balance my check book and don’t know any one who does (except for 2 Americans and 1 Canadian).
I’m usually good about not getting swindled and invest wisely but don’t particularly know about prices, and don’t know anyone who does. How much does milk cost? how much are tomatoes? what price watermelons? I can’t keep track – and go by instinct. My local grocer usually costs about 10% more than the local supermarket which costs about 10% more than the mega-markets, but i have to include convenience in my considerations. Clothes are impossibly expensive unless you really shop around, so i usually stock up when i go abroad, but to be in style here is fun, so i sometimes cheat.
So I don’t have anything hidden in my mattress.
“The Closer You Get” – Clip with Panic Ensemble by Leora Wise. My text.
They (the Palestinians) are just as bad as we are. Everyone’s disappointed in Bibi’s speech, even though we all knew that we’d have to start at square one with the new government. They should have wrapped it up with Olmert.
A minute before Netanyahu began his speech they reporters let the cat out of the bag, that he’s going to agree to a Palestinian state. I was incredibly sick before that moment, cancelled my classes for tomorrow, but suddenly I feel well. More when he finishes.
Nope.
I’m still sick.
I always forget to warn people but tonight i have to plan to get up very early to make it to the garage in Petch Tikva and then to Tel Aviv in time for the 10 a.m. reading of “Tel Aviv Stories” at the library. I think I’ve never read at Beit Ariella before, but it is only a little part of a story and won’t last more than a few minutes. The reading should be fascinating, however – all those different voices about this great city. With all the loyalty exhibited to Tel Aviv, someone must be doing something right. Apparently at the gay pride celebration on Friday, there were signs “If I forget thee oh Tel Aviv, let my right hand forget its cunning…”
They spelled my name right – Ha’aretz. I think that’s it.
After leaving a particularly boring Doctoral Award Ceremony at the university, in which no hope for the future was given to the graduates (some of whom, I can say from personal experience deserve a really great future) we went to Max Brenner, the chocolatier, to get some sweetness. But we were greatly disappointed. The food, which was served to 10 people at 10 different times, was boring at best, shockingly bad at worst. I had something called a sushi sandwich which made me think about throwing up (and came with a little bowl of chocolate sauce which helped to killed the taste), and Ezi had schnitzel with chocolate sauce, while the guest of honor who had been dreaming about her ice cream chocolate dessert during her entire ceremony, returned the first dessert presented to her as inedible. If I didn’t know better, if I hadn’t had thousands of dinners and desserts at thousands of cafes in Tel Aviv, I’d think there was no future either.
