blog, my life in tel aviv

Why was I surprised when Toi told a story of house-hunting so she could buy a house near where she worked?  She would go alone because she was lightskinned and could pass for white, and her husband would appear just before signing the sale.  Why was I surprised in those days when just before that we ourselves seemed to have problems as Jews getting accepted in something of normal society?  

it was my sixth grade class when the recognition was the most extreme.  In a class of about 30 children there were four jews.  Miss Faye was certain never to call on us.  Perhaps she didn’t even see us because we had been placed in the back corner of the room.     For the final play of the year we were given a dance to do in the back of the stage.   The year after – in 7th  grade – we took over the stage, the class, enjoying every moment of free expression.  Mr. Cruikshank saved our lives.

But I digress.  When my younget neice married a dark man we were not surprised, since she had been brought up with an adopted sister of color, and perhaps she knew that her cousins and aunt saw nothing unusual in her choice.  

march 9, 2021 Toi Derricotte and women or color Read Post »

blog, my life in tel aviv

The Israel Trail.  Yes.  I’m too old for this.  Yes.  If I Can manage this I’m in pretty good shape.  

Yes, I learn a lot about the archeology of Israel.

As a teacher, our tripper is very knowledgeable and transmits the complex history and the intense botany with great clarity.  

But my goodness he walks fast.  For four years we’ve been following him, 10 kilometers every 2 weeks, and I still can’t get used to the race to the finish.

Today we walked from Harsuf to Apollonia, an amazing trail especially at this time of year, when the weather is perfect and the verdure is at its peak.  Our emphasis is always on archeology and today our attention was split between the flowers and the crusader wars.  

But we have a schedule – places to get to, a trail to complete… in short, I’m exhausted.

But the amazing part now is that we’re visiting places not far from where we live – places we know, and never knew about!

march 9, 2021 – the Israel trail Read Post »

blog, my life in tel aviv, poetry, ,

restaurants – finally eating food not from my kitchen! cafes – crazy, a place to meet! schools – kids no longer wasting their minds! flights – beginning again!  all very wonderful!  But because Ezi’s getting treatment so his lymphoma doesn’t come back, he’s failed his serology test and has to stay protected.  he’s staying away from others, and I’m careful not to transfer anything to him.  And yet, we zoom to be doing fine.  I’m even seeing some friends for lunch tomorrow, very carefully, and introducing my wonderful friends, Toi Derricote and Alicia Ostriker, at a zoom meeting in the afternoon.  Want to come? Here’s the zoom: “We Feel Now a Largeness Coming”:
Black Women Poets in America. I’m pretty excited about this and hope you are too. 

 

march 7, 2021 – we’re opening up – but not for me Read Post »

blog, my life in tel aviv, poetry, ,

i was sure it would be out for Passover, and I’d be able to send the mobi file to friends for the fun of comparing the stories of Passover with the reality of Egypt and the slaves and the Jews.  I spent at least 2 days editing it so the pictures align with the text.  but this afternoon I was informed that it all came out a mess and I have to start over and a kindle book would be impossible.  it’s such a fun book and to me so enlightening I’m really broken-hearted.  And I have a ton of paperwork from the IAWE to take care of before I leave.  But never mind – I’ll give you a poem in advance:

 

 

Footstool

 

See how each slave is unique –

But Sudanese, Philistinian, or Jew

they’re all tied in one unyielding queue

and you know they’ve been brought

from all over the world,

together on one footstool

under the heel of the Pharaoh

who will never let

these people go

a poem in advance:

 

march 7, 2021 – Egypt: an israelite returns, editing Read Post »

blog, my life in tel aviv, poetry

In time for Passover, I’m going to publish a little poetry book about Egypt.  Here’s a little poem and picture you may like.

Footstool

 

 

 

 

 

Look at how each slave is unique

Sure, they’re all tied in one queue

but you know they’ve been captured

from all over the world,

all on one footstool

under the heel of the Pharoah

who will never let

these people go

march 5, 2021 – planning a book on Egypt Read Post »

blog, israeli politics, my life in tel aviv

As I sat with a friend who is mourning the death of her lover, I began to lose concentration on the conversation of all her friends who were trying to divert her attention from her loss.  I knew she was mourning not only her lover, but all the past that had slipped away from her, and all that kept my mind occupied while people were chattering about vaccines.  But suddenly I found myself saying – I just wish we would vaccinate all the Palestinians.  And everyone became animated, even our distracted friend.  It was not because anyone disagreed – it was all about how we could help it to happen.  How I wish our government could have a conversation like that.

march 4, 2021 – vaccines for our neighbors Read Post »

blog, my life in tel aviv

last year at this time we were returning from Egypt.  It was a great voyage – in many ways and I am planning to publish a kindle in the next weeks about this trip.  I’ll send you a copy if you ask.  But the big thing i now remember is the miracle of our salvation.  We didn’t catch covid.  At one point, in the temple of Abu Simbel, I suddenly stopped listening to our guide and noticed that all around me I’d been hearing Chinese and Italian for days, that some people were even wearing masks, and we are among a close crowd of people.  That moment of clarity disappeared as we continued touring throughout the country, standing very close to numerous strangers.  A few days after we returned we realized how dangerous it was as we came down with some kind of violent flu, asked immediately to get tested, and understood that a woman who returned to Israel only a day after us, had died of Covid.  We didn’t catch it then, but it was just a matter of enormous luck.  Let’s hope that luck holds…

march 3, 2021 – Egypt Read Post »