israeli politics, my life in tel aviv

One day on the street I started talking to a man who was handing out oppositiion tshirts and as an afterthought asked him who he was voting for in the municipal elections. “Not the mayor,” he said.  “He makes deals with the haredis.”  I hadn’t thought about the high holiday services in Dizengoff circle before.  It actually seemed to me like a good deal.  But since there was a major confrontation about the establishment of a separation between men and women on Yom Kippur, the major has cancelled the permission of Rosh Yehudi to organize prayers in public spaces in Tel Aviv.   Regretfully, he said.

Right after the cancellation was announced I got a text asking if it was important to me that the mayor respect Jewish values in the same measure as he respects democratic values. 

I didn’t answer.

It was a loaded question, and sets up a division that has only come up for me in recent years – and only because of the rabbinate, not the religion itself.

tel aviv prayers Read Post »

israeli politics, my life in tel aviv,

Usually we meet friends or family to break the fast.  This year I’m in bed watching tv – especially programs about the war.  The entertainers who risked life and limb to entertain the troops during the yom kippur war.  Surprisingly, it is fascinating.  I knew it when it was happening – although I don’t know how.  From Leonard Cohen to Danny Kaye, from Yardena Arazi to Aliza Kashi – there were so many of them witnessing horrors, experiencing bombings, kissing and hugging soldiers who wanted only clean socks and underwear. 

I have to find something to help me forget those bombings.

 

apres fast – sept 23, 2023 Read Post »

israeli politics, my life in tel aviv

Every time I hear Yariv Levin speak I get depressed and scared.  I understand that most people do not sign petitions because they’re afraid of the information being used against them, and I remember how my father was terrified that I read about communism when McCarthy was destroying the lives of many famous people because they had signed a document.  My brother bought the magazine, USSR, and when my father saw it, he warned him, “They watch the newstands!”  

I was worried about hanging up a sign from my balcony that there would be retribution, but today I woke up and decided to do it.  Stay hopeful, it says.  About as innocent a sign as could be, but I don’t see many signs around, and it’s not for want of support for the opposition.

Once I realized that we’re in it for the long haul, and we have to succeed, I let go. 

And for Shabbat Tshuva, I’m ready. 

hang in there – Sept 22, 2023 Read Post »

israeli politics, my life in tel aviv

Here I was about to talk about art as a form of escape, and the post disappeared before my eyes.  I was trying to upload pictures from the exhibit by Ilya and Emilia Kabakov in the museum.  It’s about surviving in the face of a society that would get rid of you if they knew you existed.

So I’ll try again

See?

The exhibit is called Tomorrow We Fly

and my mind kept bringing me back to the spirituals about sprouting wings and escaping from a terrible situation.  I remember thinking about it when in high school I got put into the wrong art class and instead of learning about the old masters I wass in shop class as the only white person, the only girl,  And for me it was great fun, but for everyone else in the class their future was determined and limited.

That’s what our future will be – if we make it.  

There are two reasons why we may not.  One is war.

The other is the Saudi deal.  We may have a great future if this deal goes through, but this may also be a check-mate.  I mean, how can we refuse the offer?  And how can we believe the Saudis won’t use the atomic weapons they will be able to make?

museum escape – sept 21, 2023 Read Post »

israeli politics, my life in tel aviv

I don’t mean children orphaned from their parents.  I mean grandparents orphaned from their children.  Children who are leaving the country because the opportunities are better somewhere else.  Too many of my friends have said goodbye to the grandkids they helped raise knowing they will do well far away.   They raised their children in a wonderful nurturing environment – but the next generation will grow up in a different education and culture.  Unless…..

 

Orphaned – August 22, 2023 Read Post »

my life in tel aviv

End of year celebrations continue – Not only did I blow all my recent earnings from lectures and appearances on Lancome today, but I think I’ve already blown my entire monthly pension this month on restaurants.   Tonight was particularly celebratory – with birthdays and grandchildren and graduations – at a restaurant where nothing familiar was on the menu and everyone had to figure out what to order from scratch.  For example, I usually like to order familiar foods – say – kebab – and then I know what I’m getting.  But at Pastel, everything is local but put together in a new and strange way – sweet and bitter and sour and sharp.  And the kids actually liked it!

So even though I’ve been depressed all day that I can’t get things together at the English Writers’ Association, and I had to cancel the event I’d planned on the 27th, I began to think that mixing things up might be a good idea – that things may work out even better that way.

The idea that ‘this too shall pass’ made me think that the depression of an old friend and the complete discombobulation of some of my ex-students and younger friends are not the same thing.  My old friend may or may not be over the hill,  but those younger people will continue on to have much better lives than what we’re having now. 

 

 

 

 

pastel – July 7, 2022 Read Post »

israeli politics, my life in tel aviv

We were sitting in Mantra Ray on the beach, talking about politics, high finance, operations and their success rate, and even the vague hamsin weather, when I spotted the sailboat seeming to float between sky and sea.  Ezi took the above shot.  Me, I took a less ‘artistic’ view. 

you can barely see the boat from my perspective – but it is precisely the small size of the boat that I identified with.  The helplessness we all feel in the world of massive forces which are determining every aspect of our lives.  I can’t even answer my friends who are all nervous and deserve to be calmed down with friendship.  I hope they will excuse me – I’ll be back when the skies are just a little more clear.  

march 6, 2022 – manta ray Read Post »