israeli politics

anemones, narcissus, marigolds - 1.24.26

On Tuesday we travelled up north – in a bus made for people half our size – to see the spring flowers.  A sign of new beginnings, they awakened our hope for new beginnings.  Despite the discomfort, the long journey, the hunger and thirst, we were inspired.

Today we went to the neighborhood nature preserve.  And there were all the flowers we could wish for – a short walk away. 

We’ve even got narcissus sprouting in our window box.

There is something about this country that is always renewing itself.  Every time I read Melville or Twain or any of the writers who wrote about this land and the desolation they encountered I look around me with appreciation and wonder.

 

 

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israeli politics

pre-purim - 1.23.26

this must be the time of year that Haman is making his nefarious plans to get rid of all the Jews in Persia, so it occurred to me that there might be a queen Esther out there to save us from the attack that is sure to come when the US bombs Iran.  Not a very optimistic thought, but one that keeps popping up in my mind this week.  Most people here are pretty confident this weekend is the one that will drive us all underground for a number of days, and yet the atmosphere is pretty blase’ –  

I myself buckled down under the strain and regressed to my usual behavior, buying out the supermarket.  The prices are higher than usual, and the coupons symbolic, but i managed to eke out a few discounts.  

It comforts me to have a full refrigerator in wartime.

 

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israeli politics

anemones and cyclamen - 1.21.26

From here, you can see many of the kibbutzim in the north.  Here, you can see memorials to the lost soldiers of the kibbutzim.  You can also see memorials to the kibbutz members who were killed on October 7.  sometimes whole families.

In the neighborhood are fields and fields of flowers – anemones, shy cyclamen.  Overwhelming.

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israeli politics

Politics - 1.19.26

In his dictionary Samuel Johnson defined politics as “The last refuge of a scoundrel,” and if you look at the knesset now, it seems an exacrt definition.  But if you look at the people who are entering politics for the first time in this country, it’s the complete opposite.  The most promising people are planning to change our future.  There is hope!!!!

 

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israeli politics

Greenland and Iran - 1.19.26

I uonce went out with a boy like that – he spent the entire evening making eyes at other girls, and then, when i was sure he wasn’t interested, he went after me big. I picked up on it quickly because I’d seen him play that trick on others.  Bait and switch I think it is called.

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israeli politics

come back and vote - 1.18.26

since so many people left the country – because of the war, but also because of the politics – I would like to suggest that they keep a bag packed in case elections are called and they return to vote.  I know this is a very complicated issue, but i would look into it if I cared about our past, and our future.

 

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israeli politics

museum - 1.18.26

It has been too long since we’ve gone to museums in the city.  But obviously we have been cured, since we found ourselves in museums at least twice this week.  

And the joy was overwhelming.  I can’t describe the pleasure first of seeing the crowds in both the museum called Muza and the Tel Aviv Museum, and second in the quality of the exhibits there.  At the Tel Aviv Museum there is an exhibit called ” Year Zero” which consists primarily of works saved from the Nazis at the last moment, and an exhibit called “The Day is Gone” about German painting between the wars.  Both are wonderful – but the former is incredibly chilling.  Check out what the museum previews on these exhibits. Here: https://www.tamuseum.org.il/en/

 

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israeli politics

in every generation - 1.16.26

Every reader was wonderful in this reading.  worth going through the technical difficulties at the beginning with Simon’s reading while i figured out how to host the zoom with Mike Stone.

The interesting part for me is noting what I picked to read – poems about my mother mostly.  How much she influenced me. Me – I begin around 101.47.

Enjoy the video – with all its flaws.  

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