israeli politics

Some of the sweetest people I know have been demonstrating.  Cousins, students, grammar school kids – regular people.  And they have been getting spat on, sworn at, knocked over by horses, and even arrested.  No wonder they’re all in hysterics.

I don’t even know how they can be normalized again.  It’s like we’re all in a battle, and even if we win the battle, we’ll be crazy.  

And will they ever be able to be friends again with those who accosted them?

In the meantime, our prime minister is going on vacation for week ends, and the cost to us of three-quarters of a million dollars.  You could give all those demonstrators a cruise for that money.

 

 

 

counter-demonstrators – March 24, 2023 Read Post »

israeli politics

There was a moment today.  Terri said, there’s hope.  The Minister of Defence was supposed to make an announcement this evening, and we thought… he’s going to stop the “reform” and we’ll be able start concentrating on the important problems in this country.  But then Bibi appeared in his time slot with a speech reinforcing the “reform.”   Instead of pressing the brakes, he floored the pedal, and we’re in hell.  As they say in Yiddish, ‘Gut in drerd.’

 

Bibi Sticks it to us again – March 23, 2023 Read Post »

israeli politics

Today is a day of demonstrations.  I hear them as I try to do my exercises with weights on my shoes.   At first I resolved to join them as soon as I could finish my recorded walk that tells me how unevenly and crooked I traverse the sidewalk, but ten minutes of this new regimen wore me out.

The fact that the first law to pass 3 votes in the Knesset in this time of crisis was the one ensuring that Bibi can’t be ousted unless he chooses it was enough to make anyone get out and demonstrate, but I watched and suffered along with them at keast.

demonsrations – march 23, 2023 Read Post »

israeli politics

I have lived all my life with the knowledge that I was a backward infant and the proof was that I only started walking when I was a year and a half.  I think that this influenced my parents’ entire approach to me – perhaps to my advantage.  But today, while examining my history very thoroughly for physiotherapy, the orthopedist mentioned casually that I had DDH.  Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip

I probably made the situation worse with my years of belly dancing, but it was alleviated by my hip replacements.  Unfortunately, the collateral damage caused before the operations can’t really be repaired.  But it helps me to understand that I was not only not backward as an infant, but there is a reason for the lifetime of pain, and a way to prevent further degeneration.   

Maybe I should be sad that I have a bad back and legs, but I’m kind of relieved that I’m not an idiot.

 

 

 

 

intimate discovery – march 23, 2023 Read Post »

israeli politics

I wish people would stop telling me how scared they are.  So many of us are doing our best to prevent a coming disaster and have faith that their efforts can help.  Instead of beginning with their fear, then, I would appreciate hearing more about what they are doing.  

Ramadan Kareem – March 22, 2023 Read Post »

israeli politics

Since my family is taking me out for my birthday next week, they asked me what kind of food I’d like.  And for the first time – since it’s all about me – I thought – what about a JEWISH restaurant?  I’m always going to Arab restaurants like Abu Hassan and Haj Khakhil or Moroccan or Georgian restaurants but where would I go for some good old European Jewish knishes or helzel or ptchah or the like?  Keton!  Every recommends it and I was kind of thinking of some Schtav or Borsht and then I looked at the menu and it’s just not what I was thinking of.  It may be great but it’s not what I used to make or what my mother made or even what I could get anywhere in New York.  

And there’s nowhere else.  

Unless you know somewhere and then you’ll be invited to my party.  

So I’m probably going to wind up in some pretentious noisy place where the food is lousy and the portions are small…. 

jewish food – march 20, 2023 Read Post »

israeli politics

Take it day by day, my friend says.  The number of people who have had their ways of life destroyed by Covid, and are now suffering the results – lack of purpose, lack of community, lack of enjoyment – forms a large percentage of the population in the world.  Maybe some are refinding their purpose in protesting their governments now.  Maybe that’s part of why we’re out there?  

Or maybe it’s the other way around?  That we now understand that we can’t leave government to the idiots, that we have to take responsibility for our own lives.  

On a different note, we continue to live our own lives, day to day.  We even went out for breakfast today with friends from abroad.  We wanted to take them to one of our favorite places, but when we arrived at BetaCafe and sat down our friend got up and walked out.  He went next door and found a new place, with lots of cakes that he liked, and he moved us.  For us, it didn’t really matter which cafe we preferred, because when they asked where I liked to eat breakfast, I automatically said, “in bed.”  But for them, the question of breakfast is really important.  

For me, I’d rather put my concerns and emphasis on who we’re eating breakfast with.

 

 

every day – march 20, 2023 Read Post »

israeli politics

Every day I marvel at the way Politics has become popular – people suddenly realize that their lives are shaped even by little laws, and are determined by big laws.  Take “Fashion Week” that opened today in Tel Aviv.

Okay, it’s clear,  Everyone has an agenda.  But everyone has also been living under the assumption that they can live their own lives and work around any problematic laws.  Now they see that it’s not possible.  

And maybe, just maybe, some of the people who have been woken up will go into politics.  And then maybe, just maybe, we’ll be able to have a democracy.

 

pride – march 19, 2023 Read Post »