There are certain moments in life that you never forget.  Every moment with Ali Salem were those.  I’d just published an abbreviated version of part of the story a few months ago, but there was at least one more chapter I needed to add, and Nitza talked about part of it in her article about Sasson Somekh.

the entire article is here

sorry, it’s in Hebrew.

But my story is in English

and then Nitza Ben Dov called me to ask about another part for an article she was doing for Ha’aretz, his visit to Israel.  Actually, Ali wrote about it himself and you can read part of it if you click here on Amazon.

it must be amazing to have a birthday in the middle of Tel Aviv on Gay Pride day when everyone is celebrating, dancing in the streets. If I wasn’t so worried about seeing so many people in a rising corona situation, I’d be out there dancing.

Am I gay? who knows? but the point is that fay rights are human rights – equality is for all.

A few years ago I was walking with my 8 year-old grandson in Tel Aviv- On the way I pointed out the flags that were left over from Gay Pride, and I asked, “What are they?” “Oh,” he said, “They’re left over from Independence Day celebrations. On the way back, I pointed them out and asked, “Aren’t those Gay Pride flags?” “Oh,” he said and looked at me profoundly, “You know about those things?”

As soon as we opened the airport the virus started coming back in. Binyamina is RED. Such a great town – and now because one person came back to Israel and didn’t follow quarantine procedure, the whole country’s in danger. Well, two people – some guy in Modiin did the same thing. And that means we’re back in our masks, and hoping the whole breakout can be contained.

But that’s not what’s worrying me – what’s got to me is some germ I must have picked up in my wanderings this week that’s driving me mad. My head, my stomach, my neck, throat , etc – and I Myself don’t feel so good…

For Orit’s birthday we did a massage at Culo, the spa at comme-il-faut on the port. Then we bought clothes. We were served by the beautiful and talented Nurit, who has been working there at least since 1994 when I had a book launch there. And she remembered me, and almost sold me a dress, but then Orit came out from the reflexology and both of us went out for coffee at Maison Kaiser. Last time I went near Maison Kaiser it was impossible to get in – the lines were so long – but this time there were plenty of tables, and the food was okay. My apple turnover was not amazing but it probably should have been heated, but Orit went wild over her camembert sandwich.

Then we went back to comme-il-faut and Orit picked out a dress. Unfortunately Nurit was otherwise occupied, and someone else served us, but we really enjoyed overpaying for a perfect dress. Her birthday isn’t for 2 days but I really felt she’s ready now to celebrate it.

Ricky Friesem had a book launch in her back yard tonight. There were more than a hundred people in the audience and they listened carefully to the translation of her book in Hebrew about the way shelter is so complex in Israel. The way someone who comes from abroad to Israel for shelter and then has to find shelter from bombs, from terrorists. Only an immigrant would know how that feels.

But we are in such limbo now – not even knowing if the corona is back, not knowing if we will be at war within a week, not knowing if we can keep Iran from nuking us, not even knowing where Sara Netanyahu is…. I didn’t want to read any more about that. So I read poems about more medical issues.

i know it’s not just us, that most of the people I know spend most of their time taking care of silly things. Computer maintenance, complaints about computer maintenance, bill payments, taxes, government non-profit organization form filing. I’ve got the additional questionable task of a poetry reading tonight. Gotta go. More tomorrow.