blog, israeli politics, my life in tel aviv

looks like we’re getting ready to wind down in Gaza and wind up in Lebanon.  Up to now we’ve been absorbing the many many rockets fired at us in the north, but it looks like we’re going to have to do more than just defend ourselves if we want to get the hundred thousand or so people back in their homes any time soon.  

And me I’m getting ready to solve another technical problem on this site – Slow and forgetful though I am I will figure this out.  One of these days I will become an expert at solving the problems that a 10 year old could do in his sleep.  

But right now there’s a solidarity demonstration in Tel Aviv – pretty much in the same place we’ve been demonstrating against the government for the past year – and we have to be counted among those who support the movement to keep the hostages in our negotiations.  It’s wet and cold so there probably aren’t many people.. 

I’ll let you know what happens.

moving right along – dec 23, 2023 Read Post »

israeli politics

After a beautiful afternoon, a memorial for my mother-in-law that consisted of sharing stories of her at the grave and then a long leisurely lunch in the yard of the customary foods we used to eat at her house.  And then the weather changed, and now the thunder, lightning and rain replace the sound of rockets. 

My mind keeps going to all the refugees in this mess – here and there.  The sudden change of weather was expected, but not welcome – to the homeless and those missing loved ones.  When will we understand we’re in this mess together and until we can treat each other as family (if only to solve our problems of protection) we’ll never get through this storm..

 

s Read Post »

israeli politics

After they refused a prisoner exchange deal, and we said we’ll continue the war until the end, they sent us a present of 15-20 rockets.  The shards fell all over the area – schools, parks, homes, streets, yards, and shops.  Most people were still bustling about and we had just come home from the supermarket, so we raced as usual down to the shelter.  I just managed to open the door of the building for a few passersby when the booms began.  We hadn’t even had time to get down the stairs before the building shook. 

My neighbor, unfortunately has no sense of humor, especially since we were among those who refused to rebuild the house in a housing renewal project and she wanted to add a balcony.  So when I told her “now we can have a brand new house” she didn’t even look my way, much less smile.

Why shouldn’t she smile?  We’ve been doing this for months, and we should be getting used to seeing each other in the shelter, to saving our lives.  But perhaps because I was born with the death of the doodle-bugs (V1 rockets over London) I have a bit more optimistic nature than she has.  

 

 

our explosive afternoon Read Post »

blog, israeli politics, my life in tel aviv, poetry

Seven artists, actors ,singers, musicians and dancers invite you to a one-time performance of voices from the October 7 war. Through poems, songs, music movement and prose we will share our bewilderment in an evening of compassion which we hope will be ultimately uplifting. Directed by Gabriella Lev, with Tamar Amar, Ran Cohen, Shira Natan, Hila Cohen, Geula Atlas, Batya Daniel Writers: Agi Mishol, Sarai Shavit, Karen Alkalay -Gut, Avital Liman, Salit Lazar, Zelda, Yosef Haim Brenner and others Monday Dec 25, 8pm at Bet Mazie Theatre ,18 Mesilat Yesharim

 

save christmas for me – Dec 21, 2023 Read Post »

blog, israeli politics, my life in tel aviv

Today I got interviewed for some podcast – it was supposed to be about my book, the one about ‘home poems’ but the real subject turned out to be about what advice I can give to the hundreds of thousands of Israelis about rebuilding their homes.  And I found myself saying that it takes an entire society to build a home, that we all have a responsibility to help re build their homes.  And our own.  Until we come together and put everything we have into settling homes for everyone, we have not fulfilled our responsibility as citizens.

 

responsibility – Dec 20, 2023 Read Post »

israeli politics

I understand they are not all the same and the access is often treacherous, but still – if the people of Gaza had access to those tunnels, there would be no victims of bombings.  

i look at the maps – miles and miles of tunnels -some are booby-trapped, some have blackboards and chalk, some have dolls dressed like babies with hebrew voices calling for help and bombs inside, some have cells for prisoners.  Wow, are these people rich.  

Tunnels – Dec 18. 2023 Read Post »