israeli politics

recovering2 -7.8.25

seriously, I never knew a flu like this.  my fever is now down, and I am beginning to be bored with doing nothing.  We’ve been binge watching Clarkson’s Farm (that British reality star) all day and now we’ve got to the part where he’s sold his sheep and his cattle and he’s raising pigs.  This may seem like a harmless series to watch when we’re waiting for 3 captives to be returned to us, but it brought me back to my father, who managed to get out of Danzig on the eve of the war, and on agricultural visas he went to raise pigs in England.  i don’t know how long the stint lasted but he was somehow comforted by them.  the fact that they would come to his window in the morning to ask to be fed must have brought him such comfort after being treated like an animal on the streets of Danzig and before that, Lida.  

And it got me to thinking about how one gets to be dehumanized, how the captives could be treated like animals and murdered without a thought.  It is not because the Gazans aren’t human beings, but because they were taught that we are not human.  

How do you convince someone that you are indeed human when they are convinced you are not?  

recovering2 – 7.8.25 Read Post »

israeli politics

Gaza - 6.2.25

As we listen to the hostages that were released and their stories of the various tortures they endured, while we wait for the next group of hostages to be released, The U.S. president expands on his plan for Gaza.  We take over Gaza, hand it over to the U.S.A. and they will repatriate the NATIVES.  Egypt has suggested that they be repatriated to Israel.  Long ago I had a long conversation with the Egyptian novelist about Egyptian humor.  He told me a joke unique to Egyptians and I replied that I knew the joke in Yiddish.  I told him a Yiddish joke, and guess what – it was on his list of unique Egyptian jokes.  The basis of the jokes was always irony, irony directed at the situation of the people.   

Strangely enough, there was no suggestion that they be given American citizenship…

 

Gaza – 6.2.25 Read Post »

blog, israeli politics, my life in tel aviv

recovering - 6.2.25

I’ve been cancelling stuff all week, gave concert tickets away, gave apologies to ladies tomorrow for late morning meeting, am about to give a tentative “no” to cholent on shabbat and have warned the dentist on sunday that recovery is conditional.  Now I can concentrate on Gaza.

What madness is this?   

We had been exiled from Gaza as well.  We had been exiled from Israel and from many other places.  How can we support exile?  

If what is wanted is to rebuild Gaza for the sake of the people it can be done in pieces.  if what is wanted is beachfront luxury…wow.  

You may say that they deserve it, for the way it has been behaving for over a year and fourth months, and in the years past, the tragedy that has affected all this country.  And indeed a desire for revenge is understandable.  But I don’t think it adds to our sense of morality.

And I don’t believe the the rest of the world will accept it.

and, oh yes, i don’t think this announcement is going to help getting our hostages back.

 

 

 

recovering – 6.1.25 Read Post »

israeli politics

sick sick sick - 2.5.25

Nothing to say about today because I couldn’t go to the conference in Beer Sheva.  But I managed to give my talk on zoom, because my ex-students are now professirs and take care of me.  When I recover I will tell you more.

 

sick sick sick -2.5.25 Read Post »

israeli politics

flu - 4.2.25

of course it has to come when there are a thousand things going on.  the kind of flu that makes you look as bad as you feel.  My plan is to beat it by tomorrow so I can go to the conference in Beersheva.    But I’ve had to cancel so much I’lll have to double down next week.  And we’ve got a shiva to be at.  

now I’ve been watching the build-up of troups on the Egyptian border.  Even though Oren told me last week Egypt must have a deal with Turkey to meet for coffee at the Habima square and decide how they’re going to divide Israel, I’ve been assuring myself that they’re just planning to scare the Gazans so they don’t try to come to Egypt.  But Oren’s little vision seems more and more realistic.  Maybe it’s just the flu but I really don’t fancy fighting Egypt.  On the contrary, I would love to celebrate my 80th birthday in Alexandria.

First, I have to get my fever down.

 

 

flu – 4.2.25 Read Post »

israeli politics

co-existentialism - 3.2.25

At Giora’s fineral yesterday I was so moved that I didn’t notice I was wearing a thin shirt and was chilled to the bone.  So now instead of going to the shiva I’m in bed.  

That gave me time to send something to Benj DeMott. https://www.firstofthemonth.org/co-existentialism/

and

Co-Existentialism II (Addendum on relations between Jews and Arabs in Israel)

 

But now I can’t go to my cardiologist appointment in the morning, even if i feel better, even if I wear a mask, because I may pass this on to another patient in the hospital.

 

 

Co-existentialism – 3.2.25 Read Post »

israeli politics

poetry reading – 1.2.25

It’s been a year since Hebrew poets got together in a living room to read, and there were no few references to the war.  But the one that struck me most was one by a poet I don’t know who wrote the dialogue between the spotters and headquarters. Another poem was about gang rape at the Nova festival.  Most other subjects seemed irrelevant.  Even though there were the usual poems about love, philosophy, religion, and language, they all had the taste of a great tragedy underneath.

 

 

poetry Read Post »