israeli politics

Two weeks ago we passed Mount Meron and pondered the necessity for Lag B’Omer celebrations there, but wondered about the fact that many people would take into consideration the appropriateness of the annual celebration of the end of the plague that killed so many of  Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai’s followers. 

Every year there is a discussion about Mount Meron – too many people crowded together, too many unsafe practices, not enough supervision.  And there is always a comparison to the stampedes in Mecca in which thousands are killed in their religious enthusiasm. 

So I was angry at the news.  We should have known.  We should have stopped it.  We should have made sure the site was safe.  And if we had a government we would have.  45 people killed needlessly.  But then the mourning kicked in – the terrible sadness at the loss, the waste, ripples of tragedy around each father, son, husband and all their families.   And then I began to think of all the people I know who have taken their children to Mt. Meron for their first haircut on this day.  

april 30, 2021 – mount meron Read Post »

israeli politics

We thought we’d be able to travel by September, and kind of dreamt of fun and games in the U.S. then.  But today the hematologist scrapped that dream for us.  This little contretemps has suddenly hit me.  The way we’re all trapped, and the Indian strain has pushed up the number of people here with positive diagnoses – so we’re back to square one.

april 29, 2021 – traveling? nope. Read Post »

israeli politics

we were so busy arguing about who’s going to be justice minister that we forgot to stop people from India for testing at the airport.  So now we’ve got the variant that is immune to the vaccine, and people who were inoculated are now sick.  an interesting turn of events.

so now Ezi and I are back in lockdown.  it was a brief freedom…

 

 

april 29, 2021 – forgot to shut the door Read Post »

israeli politics

Benny Ganz has says that this is the hardest battle he has ever fought, to help save the government from total destruction.  Few people doubt that Bibi has gone off the rails, and most of us don’t want to know how many ministers haven’t been appointed, how many positions have not been filled, how many crucial decisions have not been made in these months.  When someone wants to talk politics, everyone else shuts them up – because we can’t bear it.

So the President declared today we have an illusion of government here, and he’s not exaggerating.  Some newscasters are saying that Bibi has a devious and complicated plan – to get out of the convictions that seem inevitable.  I think it’s also a complicated illusion.  

And I think Benny is the only responsible adult.

april 28, 2021 – an illusion of government Read Post »

israeli politics

Of course, you don’t come here to read the news.  Of course, you understand that anything I say is going to be slanted by my distrust of everything Bibi does as he slips slides away from being an amazing representative of Israel in the UN to becoming – well – a pathetic magician.  Today he tried to pull a coin out of your ear and you heard it tinkling on the floor.   Do you blame him? wouldn’t you do anything you could to avoid jail?

april 27, 2021 – i can’t talk po Read Post »

israeli politics

I have no authority to write about Egypt.  I was there last year and felt like I was at home, and I wrote a little book about it.  That’s all.  But when I read about it in the New York Times  

  and how all the sites that had been crowded with people were now empty – I was so…is there a word like ‘homesick’ for a place you’ve only been to once?  

Most of the attractions for tourists in Israel are also attractions for the locals, so as soon as it is allowed, we crowd in everywhere.  So we didn’t see many empty places – or maybe i don’t remember.  You would know better than I do if you’ve read these pages because I don’t read what I write.

 

april 26, 2021 Read Post »