israeli politics

fanatics - 8.13.24

I don’t know why it has taken me so long to get it but only now do I understaqnd why our government is rushing us headlong into disaster.  The decisions are designed to get rid of the non-fanatics.  “They can leave,” my friend told me. “And who will defend you?” “God.” “Who will support you?”  “We don’t have the needs of a capitalistic culture.”  

I’ve heard this before – that prayer protects us – that miracles happen to the righteous.  Tfilim against tilim (phylacteries against rockets).  Never believed that people actually believed it.  Always thought it was a front.  But it is true.  that our minister of finance is witholding funding from the Palestinians and the evacuees and all those who are not believers in the vision of an extreme religious israel…

 

  

 

fanatics – 8.13.24 Read Post »

israeli politics

life goes on - 8.13.24

You’re not supposed to ask people how they are on Tisha B’Av, the fast day in memory of the destruction of the temple.  Compared to the greatest tragedy of the Jews, people don’t have a right to think about themselves.  But what do you do with a toothache that has swelled half your face to the size of a potato?  What does the world matter when you are in pain? 

life goes on – 8.13.24 Read Post »

israeli politics

stop scaring yourself - 8.12.24

We read “lamentations” every year.  We’ve lost so much so often.  And we’re still here.  So tonight – who knows – we’ll read “Lamentations” in the shelter and we’ll be greatful we’ve got a place to hide.  I refuse to be terrified in advance.

There’s always tomorrow to be torrified.

stop scaring yourself – 8.12.24 Read Post »

israeli politics

silence - 8.11.24

There really is so much to talk about.  But I find that talking to my friends is sometimes difficult right now.  Either they are terrified and they can’t be talked out of it, or they have developed theories that may make sense – if you’re crazy.   All the apocryphal visions.  All the wild scenarios.  Some of them make a little sense, but the religious extremists frighten me, because they make just a little sense.  Not the part about how the prayers of those who don’t go into the army have  saved us, much more than the helpless army.  But the part about how we’ve become far too materialistic and we need therefore to introduce some spirituality into our society. 

And I have to become more compassionate.

 

silence – 8.11.24 Read Post »

israeli politics

How many medals? - 8.10.24

We’ve won 7 olympic medals so far, totally out of proportion to our population, and I don’t know how we did it.  One of our granddaughters does artistic gymnastics, and one of the boys lifts weights, so we find ourselves following olympics games all the time.  I don’t particularly like competitive sports, so I need to clear my head after the games, and watch an episode of “Taagad,” a series last year about a medical unit in the army.  How much of a difference a year makes in the army!  I watch the naivete with longing – it helps me to sleep.  Better than all the medals.

 

 

how many medals? – 8.10.24 Read Post »

israeli politics

Staying in Touch - 8.11.24

Now that my flu or whatever it was is diminishing I’m beginning to become able to begin to answer emails and respond to friends.  

But it’s no fun.  Their pessimism shows through and they are expecting me to calm their fears. 

I’ve just packed a bag for 3 days in the shelter – and even though I know that we’ll make it through, there will be tough days ahead.

Don’t ask.

 

 

 

 

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israeli politics

losing it - 8.9.24

What is worse – when the prime minister wasn’t functioning at all at the beginning of the war (and before) or now, when he is simply crazy, leading us off a cliff to oblivion?  I keep thinking he will shake himself and realize what terrible harm he is doing to his people as well as the people next door.  But it just gets worse and worse.  There seems to be no way to wake him up to reality.  Even Biden’s “Stop Bullshitting Me” remark last week didn’t make a tiny difference in his behavior.  When he was sure that Trump was going to win, I thought maybe he was banking on that – having a partner in his madness.  But now that it is possible there will be a president who won’t let him get away with all this madness, he hasn’t batted an eyelash.  

I wouldn’t mind the fact that he was losing it, but he’s bringing two peoples down with him.

And yet, I have not been demonstrating lately.  Mostly out of fear of personal injury.  But this distance I’m keeping from rebellion is also keeping myself from the population that matters.  These are the people who can rebuild this country, the people who matter, the people I would most hate to lose.   

 

losing it – 8.9.24 Read Post »

israeli politics

If it doesn't happen today - 8.8.24

i keep hearing it. Today is the day we get bombed bigtime.  If it doesn’t happen today, repeat this message tomorrow.  

Yes, we’re all crazy with fear, but no supermarkets are overwhelmed with customers, no banks are having a run of cash withdrawals, and I spent 6 hours at the hairdressers today to look exactly the way I usually look. (The hairdresser doesn’t have a safe room much less a shelter.)  Maybe there are fewer diners at open air restaurants.  Maybe.  There still are parties and jokes aplenty.  There is even an ad for sexy nightwear – “When the attack comes, you’ll be a bombshell.”  

Ah yes, we’ll die laughing.


if it doesn’t happen today – 8.8.24 Read Post »