israeli politics

It was time to stop pushing the mess in my office out of camera range whenever I do a zoom, so I spent the morning going through a bunch of papers that turned out to be my numerous failed efforts to find out if any of my mother’s family survived the Holocaust.  So when I heard Ezi talking to some girls at the door, I came running out – thrilled at the possibility of a distraction.  

It turned out to be two Arab students who got locked out when they were cleaning their apartment upstairs.  And they had to get hold of one of their roommates to get a key.  

The roommates were so close – in classes down the block – but they needed ID cards to get into the university to find them.   It was simple for me to drop the paper tragedy and drive through my little mitzvah.  It took less than half an hour.

I came home to my paper-strewn study and shut the door.  It’s almost time to go with Ezi to his Pet CT.

I was so happy to have something else to do that, after their failed attempts to connect with the others, I proposed to take them to the university to get

neighbors – nov 10, 2022 Read Post »

israeli politics

As much as we tried to get the children to pay attention to art, after the beautiful exhibition of wax birds they were all finished with passive looking.  The visit would have been over had they not discovered the minecraft site.  

It was no use pulling them away and saying they could do this at home.  They wanted electronics.  No Picasso could distract them.

The museum was gloomy anyway, and that didn’t help our mood either.

It doesn’t comfort me to know that there are more fascists in France than Israel.  It doesn’t comfort that the Democrats did better than we fears in the US election.  It doesn’t help me that Herzog warned the religious parties of the negative press Ben Dvir generates in the world.  I think back at the gathering of birds we saw yesterday and I wonder how many of them, and how many of us, are heading for extinction.

 

 

 

museum mindcraft – nov 10, 2022 Read Post »

israeli politics

Afternoon on a rainy day – where do you go? the museum.  After lunch at the crowded  cafeteria I went to the bathroom with my granddaughter, and recalled how in Japan they same word is for clean and beautiful, that is the sparkling clean toilets are not only bidets and chairs for babies, but there is also a shelf next to the lock for the telephone and keys.  I wanted to run out and tell my Tamar, and – guess what – I forgot my phone in the toilet.

And two miutes later it wasn’t there.  

Orit ran upstairs to ask at the office if my phone was found, while we retraced my steps.   

In the end the phone was found, but all desire to enjoy art disappeared, and went home.

 

tel aviv museum Read Post »

israeli politics

Remember all those soldiers who voted for the first time and swept the extremists into the government?  I am sure they had good reason to follow the promises of tighter security and no tolerance for crime.  After all, they are the ones whose hands are tied when they experience provocation and violence because they fear condemnation for responses. 

But they are also the guys who play soccer on Saturday and today there was a recommendation that the government outlaw soccer games on the Sabbath.   

This is one of the examples of the double bind we are now in.  And, as R.D. Laing pointed out long ago, it leads to schizophrenia.

soccer – nov 6, 2022 Read Post »

israeli politics

Long ago grandfather had an orchard

Together with his brother, they built a house for the caretaker and a water tower for the needs of the oranges.  One generation later we used to have picnics there and rejoice in the agricultural development of the country.  But the orchard is long gone and tonight we witnessed again how far gone it is.  

The organization that united the orchards in the area tried to dissolve the company ten years ago when the whole system of agriculture fell apart.  They’ve been trying for 10 years to legally dissolve, but had to sell their offices and properties and just couldn’t get through the red tape.

Tonight we went to a meeting of the shareholders – even though our share in this is minimal.  There were over 250 shareholders but only 16 attendees and we met in the basement of a luxurious brand-new synagogue in some remote part of Petach Tikva, where it was clear the Chair was an important member.  Almost all of the people were old and it was clear the oldest ones had been farmers.  

I sat there wondering over how we had come to this state – former farmers going broke in a high-end synagogue.

 

 

orchards Read Post »

israeli politics

It’s been 27 years since the murder of our greatest prime minister and the pain is stronger for me every year.  Today at the ceremony in Rabin’s memory, Lapid spoke about not wasting time hating and arguing but continuing to work towards improving the country. 

Bibi was absent.

Yitzhak Rabin z”L – Nov 6, 2022 Read Post »

israeli politics

Every time Nancy Pelosi uses Ehud Manor’s poem, I am filled with that amazing sense of desperate patriotism – for Israel and for the United States – that I cannot overcome.  The awareness that there is much to be wary of, much work to be done, and yet so much to love.  Even though my land may be terribly flawed, I have a duty to be faithful to it, and do everything in my power to make it better.

 

i have no other country Read Post »