June 19, 2017
Wonder woman. after a full day of wonderful friends from the past, some of whom i respect beyond measure, and some of whom i simply love, we should have been worn out. Thank goodness Alex suggested going to see Wonder Woman. It is a film about values and their complexity, the difficulties of navigating beliefs and the importance of taking responsibility despite these difficulties in today's world. i was truly amazed and inspired, and was incredibly pleased and proud that an Israeli would embody these values and complexities. The Israeli identity comes out not only in Gal Gadot's personality and physical abilities, but also in broad hints - like her discussion of the necessity of leaders to stand in the front of their fighting men, not behind, a basic principle of the Israeli army.
June 19, 2017
New York or No Where. We made it just in time for the storm. flood warnings. The entire area under warning. And now we're safely esconced in the Roxy, ready for catching up on email and in-room movies. It's the perfect way to prepare going home to Tel Aviv.
January 20, 2017
June 21, 2017
And now we are leaving the strangely attractive Roxy hotel and getting ready to go off to the airport. It is so hard to be here and there. Last night we spoke of Israel to friends and sometimes I felt like I could give them nothing new about the situation there. People who are interested already have read as much news about it that they can get their hands on. They still trust that Israel is less corrupt than The US and from here it looks like it may well be right.
How little comfort that gives me.
June 22, 2017
We're back. Suitcases in the hall, papers piled up on the dining table, mail on another pile. I walked in and fell fast asleep for hours and hours. then we watched the news. a completely different world. there are real and present dangers here, not only the ethical ones and the physical ones of Trump.
June 23, 2017
The children are almost finished with school here, and everyone is reorganizing for summer. This is a very child centered society so school and vacations are central. When I went back to my old neighborhood in Rochester (where nothing is left of the street that was central to shopping of Jews and Italians) even the library was closed. Then I remembered how I used to take home piles of books every week in summer and devour them - mostly junk historical fiction, but good books too. That was when I wasnt at camp.
So just when I was thinking that no one cares about poetry and i really shouldn't try any more, the media began to notice my poems. Eli Rachlin read one on tv and Ronny Sommek read one on the radio today and one showed up in the paper the other day. What's next.
How can you tell if someone is a health freak? Don't worry, they'll tell you. I was fed up in the US with friends who are in great shape and tell you how they do it and what they eat all the time. And its here too. My granddaughter and I got caught with our fingers in the ice cream this evening. Not a pleasant situation.
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