israeli politics

staying home - 7.11.24

We were going to go to Tiberias today, but I’m a little sick and stayed in bed.  Now it seems there are a lot of rockets up north – and we did well by staying home.  People are being killed every day and we are doing nothing about the north – it’s as if we’ve given up taking care of 150000 of our citizens.

One of the results of staying home is being exposed to extensive news programs that have substituted for the educational programs that cost more money.  And the broadcasters, being exposed to much foreign news, are using more English terminology than ever. And we adapt most of them to our grammar so they become almost unrecognizable.  I’ll see if I can put together a list.

 

staying home – 7.11.24 Read Post »

israeli politics

a bit more about language - 7.11.24

We still say “Ahhlan” when we meet, even though it is outdated. We never say “Shalom Aleichem” and I’ve noticed that Arabs don’t greet each other with “Salaam Aleikum.”  Peace be upon you seems somehow to indicate that the peace comes from above.  We in the middle east tend to think that we’re responsible for war and peace.  We prefer thinking the enemy is to blame for war, and we are the ones who make peace.


“Besorot Tovot” also seems to have a religious feeling.  Better translated as “Glad tidings.”  “May you be sent glad tidings.”  

“Inquiry” scares people, as if it is clear someone has done something wrong, and our world is a mess.

 

 

  

what do you say when someone asks you how you are?  “Considering the situation, I’m fine.”  And when   

a bit more about language – Read Post »

israeli politics

optimism - 7.9.24

hah, you didn’t believe it, did you?  One of the news reporters said today that he’s never going to use that term again because every time he says that he’s optimistic about a deal, the whole thing falls apart.  

Our language has changed in other ways as well.  For example, when we say goodbye we always seem to add “Bsorot Tovot” -“May there be good news.”  It’s a bit of a religious expression, but it seems to suit even the atheists right now.

 

 

optimism – 7.9.24 Read Post »

israeli politics

sex sale - 7.8.24

I’m proud to be a part of this project about poetry about the sale of sex.  There are a few of my poems in this anthology.  

https://www.haaretz.com/life/2024-06-20/ty-article-magazine/.premium/israeli-poems-on-porn-sex-work-and-even-cicciolina-that-will-break-your-heart/00000190-3150-d700-a7f0-bdf25c170000

 

 

 

Sex Sale – 7.8.24 Read Post »

israeli politics

12,000 rockets -7.7.24

“I didn’t know there were still rockets falling on Israel,” an old friend from far away told me a few weeks ago.  It’s been hard for me to forget his words.   I felt like an idiot having to assert something so obvious to someone I think is usually very knowledgable.  I did stutter something about the facts that there are rockets falling all the time.  I didn’t say that Ezi has an app on his watch that buzzes when there’s an attack on Israel – and it buzzes a lot.  Today on the news someone tallied 12, 000 rockets since October 7, 2023, and said, “that’s all?” 

That’s more than 120 rockets a month. 

And nobody seems to know. 

 

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israeli politics

"night therapy" - 7.5.24

So we had a few hours before our great neice’s bat mitzvah and I really wanted to see something good for a change.  The dumbing down of Israel television has been absolute as they try to make us feel happy while acknowledging the soldiers dying, the hostages abused, the displaced families trying to get through the week.  So we have ‘big brother,’ ‘dancing with the stars,’ etc.

The show we happened to fall upon is “night therapy” – and I was enthralled.  Joseph Swed is a personal favorite, so anything he would be in would be good for me, but the script is not only powerful but relevant.  It shows something about the society without dealing directly with the politics.  It just started …

check it out

and now, to the bat mitzvah

 

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israeli politics

tel Aviv is amazing – 7.4.24

We killed a very high up Hizballah guy yesterday – at least Hizballah and I think it was us who did it – and the retribution is massive.  

But we went to Tel Aviv for ice cream, and the crowds were so thick we could barely get through the street and were happy to get to the queue for Iyal Shani’s latest creations.  Cassata is the name of the place and they have the best ice cream ever.  Strong, unique tastes,  All of us agreed that our choices were the best.

It took us a while to find it.  Many Tel Aviv restaurants don’t have signs because there is a tax on the sign.  But all of the neighborhood around herzl st. is crowded with amazing eateries and bars, and the people are amazing.  We kept running to really fine people – people who are very much in touch with reality and accept it in all its aspects.

tel Aviv is amazing – 7.4.24 Read Post »