7
January 27, 2018
I haven't watched this yet. it embarasses me to listen to myself. but i'm putting it up again in case you want to see it.
I've never really tried to find the list of people made into soap at Stutthopf. Each detail I discovered about my family has gone through trials and mistrials. Today is international holocaust remembrance day and every year i learn some detail about that terrible forgotten world. Flashes of Memory is the story of my life.
January 28, 2018
Apparently I pressed the wrong number on my cellphone. instead of pressing 1 and confirming my biopsy at ichilov this morning i must have pressed 7 and cancelled. i spent half the morning worrying about it, and going there, and waiting in line for the secretary, and then it turned out i wasn't registered. it's a thyroid biopsy i've had a few times before but never gotten used to. because you have to lie on your back with a pillow under your neck to expose your throat, I always think of myself as a chicken waiting for slaughter, and have frequently laughed at the weirdness of the image. But as I was waiting for the secretary to double-check my cancellation, I noticed that she had a rather large collection of toy chickens in the cupboard. I will try to photograph it in 2 weeks when i come back there.
January 29, 2018
Yesterday when I went to buy aspirin, the pharmacist literally sneezed on my credit card. it reminded me to buy alcohol wipes, but i didn't remember to use them on my card. Guess how i feel today.
January 30, 2018
the sad proof that illness (even a cold) is at least partially psychosomatic: i woke up planning to spend the day in bed (after exercise class). And then the Yiddish press called to say my book is ready for examination. Guess who's getting dressed up and driving to the city?
Examination? Rewriting is more like it. When I saw the cover I realized that the poems have to be as good as the cover is and we spent a good few hours smoothing things out.
I have often written about Beit Leyvick in the past, but it has been a while since I've been there and it surprised me how dusty and neglected it looks. Even though there is a great deal of activity around the Yiddish house, no one is wiping away the cobwebs. So if i have an opening there I'm going to have to get someone to help me give the hall a thorough cleaning. Who's helping?
January 31, 2018
Haim Guri died today, at the age of 94. we've gotten used to having his wisdom around. From "Bab El Wad" when he wrote of the tragedies of the War of Independence, and "Reut" he has been our heart and our conscience. His criticism of the moral fiber of this country, his fight against naming of the road to Jerusalem in the name of Rehavam Ghandi less than a year ago, and in general the practical and beautiful mirror he held up to this society, will sincerely be missed.
I used to be friends with one of his late sisters but while i was abroad in the 80's she passed away - i don't think she was more than 55.there seems to be no trace of her.here is a bit of a reminder of her. Haim Guri's poem Reut especially reminds us that we will never forget our heroes, but I always remember his anonymous little sister.