israeli politics

You feel it in the air – something’s wrong.  Okay, there’s always something going on here – but this time Ezi says “Jenin – something’s happening in Jenin.”

And indeed there’s a mess there.  We’re arresting terrorists – 3 dead, 12 injured.  All the arrested suspects have been released. 

And Gaza too is stirring.   

Me I am always expecting battle, terrorism, knives, whatever, etc.  At the same time it is very rare that I feel danger from individuals.  I pretty much love everyone I meet.  A strange combination.  

what’s happeni Read Post »

israeli politics

Only recently have I been beginning to understand how my life changed because of the Yom Kippur War.  I haven’t seen the film of Golda that came out now, even though I love the star Helen Mirren because of the trauma.  I think I’ll be talking about it all week.

 

 

yom Kippur War – sept 17, 2023 Read Post »

israeli politics, ,

As the holiday winds down, after we’ve met with so many of our old friends, from so many different directions, we are ready for a nice quiet evening at home.  But no – our new years must begin with protests –  massive and loud.  We’re in an impossible situation, controlled by thieves and maniacs, and we have to express our helplessness and our power.  White shirts for the new year, for hope, for unity.

white shirts tonight – sept 17, 2023 Read Post »

israeli politics

There are too many people I haven’t wished a happy new year, too many people I wanted to see this year that I haven’t had the strength for.  It’s too early to start over again.  Let’s postpone this new year a week – what do you say?

Anyway this isn’t supposed to be the time for new year – we’re seven months too late.  

So time is relative, right?

More than that, I’m not ready for the attacks on Ben Gurion.  He’s being blamed from the right and left for leading us into this complicated situation.  Maybe after we fall apart we’ll start longing for him.  The wonderful little statue of him standing on his head on the beach was just torched.

Yes, we’ll reconstruct it – but will we reconstruct the respect we had for our leaders.  They’ve all be deconstructed to such a point that we have nothing holding us together but hate.  I’m not ready for it.

 

 

 

 

i’m not ready – sept 16, 2023 Read Post »

israeli politics

Elbow-deep in chopped liver, we’re getting ready for three days of feasting, and priming ourselves for a really tough time ahead.  Inflation is skyrocketing, hatred and misunderstanding is multiplying.   But the new year is a chance to transform the ways we think and open ourselves to other ideas.  Come on, try it.

سنة سعيدة שנה טובה

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR – sept 15, 2023 Read Post »

israeli politics

Michael Kagan and Simon Lichman edited the latest issue of arc, the journal of the Israel Association of Writers in English.  But because we haven’t had live events where we sell copies for the past 4 years, we’re too broke to send out contributors’ copies we decided to have prelaunches at home.  Michael had one at Jerusalem the other day and I had one last night at home.  And what luck! The people who came were those who braved the traffic jams (of the haridim protesting the possibility of the draft) and they were wonderful.  Poems, short fiction, autobiographical reminiscenes.  Wow. We recorded their readings and will put them on youtube shortly.   

 

arc 30 -sept 14, 2023 Read Post »

israeli politics, ,

it took me 3 years to go for a third opinion, primarily because I assume that if two completely unconnected doctors say the same thing, it must be right.  But after 3 years of complaining that maybe my heart is okay but I’m feeling lousy, and not being checked even once, I gave up.  And he raised suspicions that it was the medication that was making me into the zombie I have become and sent me for a heart mapping with radiation.  For some reason the appointment came very quickly for today, and after 5 hours of fasting (longer than needed but we got busy) I got to the clinic.  

Since I was told the test would take 5 hours and my radioactivity would keep me isolated during that time, I asked Ezi to leave.  But as soon as I stepped into the waiting soon, and saw the old couples holding hands, I realized I shouldn’t have sent him home.  We might not have reduced the age of the patients, but we might have brought one or two to smile.

Anyway there was an injection and a stress test first.  No big problem – great technicians with the kind of sense of humor I need for these occasions.  Then waiting.  Then a big machine taking pictures and telling me when to breathe for half an hour.  Then waiting.  Then dismissal.  Barely 3 hours.  And I was home by 6.  Results in 2 weeks

Then 2 hours of advice from friends around the world about what the proper procedure should have been and what this test means, why I was sent home early, and what the dangers are.  

I feel better already!

 

 

 

me and my heart – Sept 14, 2023 Read Post »