israeli politics

First and foremost – I tried to update my computer yesterday and lost all my shortcuts.  So it should be clear I don’t know everything.

Second – we have a bit of a mess with our government right now that seems to be falling apart.  And from this frying pan we move into the fire.  Unlike most other governments that are wobbling, ours has a frightening alternative – Bibi.  The hate and chaos he engendered is only partially diminishing, and maybe it’s too late anyway to reverse the anger and mistrust, but still …a stable leadership in these troubled times would be very welcome.

Third – we’re on a corona wave again.  I have no idea if I had it before or not – but the thought of wearing a mask all the time does not please. 

 

june 7, 2022 – what a mess Read Post »

israeli politics

I’ve been reading Haim Zhitlovsky who at the  beginning of the last century called for a “Yiddish State” in a way as an alternative to the Zionist state.  All Jews would speak Yiddish all over the world.  No wonder Ben Gurion wanted to wipe it out.  But it’s coming back – even in Israel.  Next week I’ll be speaking about it

june 5, 2022 – Yiddish Read Post »

israeli politics

As I began to be sad that we’re posponing our plans for Ezi’s birthday because our visiting kids are sick, Ezi reminded me that he celebrated his birthday in ’67 in the air raid shelter.  And later in the day the Jordanians dropped a bomb a few blocks away.  Maybe that’s why I’ve never managed to have a proper birthday party for him.  The more I think about it, the more we mark events by war or  incidents of terror.  

So last night we had a get together with some of our friends, and they too count back to historical events.  A few, like Ezi, are more than 4 generations back in Israel, a few are children of holocaust survivors, or themselves survivors – not a representative sample of the population of Israel, but a comfortable group, like an old shoe.  Sometimes it’s nice to be with people with the same experiences.

 

 

june 5, 2022 – Ezi’s Birthday Read Post »

israeli politics

When Amnesty first came out with the decision that Israel is Apartheid in all four areas – Gaza, West Bank, East Jerusalem and within the 1967 borders, I wondered about the accuracy of linking all four areas together. After all, there are Arabs in our building, opposite us, and actually, a number of apartments on our street.  This is very different from the situation in Gaza, for example, where there are no Jews.

When I returned to Israel, I was delighted to have the situation explained to me by my friend Frances Raday, whose clear and rational response.  The article is here.  

As someone whose great-grandfather bought his land in the nineteenth century, Ezi blew up when I mentioned the subject – “Colonialist?” he said. “Half the people in this country were thrown out of North-African countries.”   

But I came here in 1978, so maybe I’m a colonialist…

june 3, 2022 – amnesty Read Post »

israeli politics

Shvuout starts on Saturday evening as shabbat ends.  We have our traditional dinner with friends on Shvuout, but that’s where our tradition ends.  Half the family with corona will be out of quarantine by Monday so we will celebrate Ezi’s birthday then, but for a beginning we”ll have dinner on the beach at sunset with the healthy half tonight.  The beach will save me from exploding over all the screwed up plans for the holidays.  My ideal shvuout would be to take all the grandchildren to a kibbutz where there is a parade of the first fruits.

 

june 3, 2022 -before shabbat Read Post »

israeli politics

Uri Zohar has passed away.  z”l.  

When I first became exposed to Israeli pop culture – in the seventies – I wasn’t very excited about him.  Even though he was incredibly funny, it took me years to see that he was exposing the very decadence he embodied, and it was not an enormous revolution when he turned to religion.  

Most people thought Uri Zohar’s ‘conversion’ was a joke, that he would soon shave off his beard and cut his sidelocks and announce that he fooled us.  But he continued for at least a quarter of his life to study torah every day and practice virtue in earnest.  

blessed be his memory.

june 2, 2022 – pop culture Read Post »

israeli politics

this is the invitation from the Yiddish Cultural Board

הרשות הלאומית לתרבות היידיש

אירוע לציון 70 שנה לפטירתה של המשוררת אנה מרגולין

יום שלישי, כב’ בתמוז תשפ”ב,  14.6.22

 

תכנית  הערב: 

ברכות: ד”ר שרה זיו, יושבת ראש הרשות

הרצאה: “הפנים הרבות של אנה מרגולין”

פרופ’ קרן אלקלעי-גוט

תכנית אמנותית :  משירי אנה מרגולין

  • “איז די גאָלדענע פּאַווע געפֿלויגען, געפֿלויגען” – מילים: אנה מרגולין  לחן : לייבו לוין
  • “שלאַנקע שיפֿן” – מילים: אנה מרגולין לחן: רגינה דריקר
  • “געווען איז אפֿשר דאָס מײַן גליק” – מילים:אנה מרגולין לחן: מ. לײַנוואַנד
  • “איך גיי אין שאָטן פֿון דײַן לעבן” – מילים: אנה מרגולין לחן :מ. לײַנוואַנד

הסדנה לשיר היידי האמנותי ע”ש נחמה ליפשיץ בניהולה של רגינה דריקר

גלי בן- אריה  – שירה

ז׳אנה ינקובסקי – שירה

רגינה דריקר – פסנתר

 

 

june 2, 2022 – coming event Read Post »