israeli politics

I'm back - 2.22.26

well nearly.  im on the way.  and that, i feel, give me the right to express my terror at what may happen in the very near future.  

it doesn’t look good.  sorry.  whatever the US hits in Iran, they will respond by hitting us.  and whatever they hit us with, it will do serious damage.  

Still I am with a bunch of Israelis who have no qualms about going back home.  No logic in it, but having just read “reading Lolita in Teheran” I find many similarities between the discussions of staying in a country that that is despressing their way of life, that is, in fact, endangering their lives.  And yet, the difference is great.  You leave Israel – Israel is gone.  Even the thousands of people who have left Israel don’t want it to disappear.  They want to come back when it’s livable.

 

 

I’m back – 2.22.26 Read Post »

israeli politics

Surprised by joy - 2.18.26

Everyone talks about the superb level of the carnival in Brazil = but what I loved by Tenerife’s carnival today was its natural love of what there is.  Beautiful girls, perfect costumes, etc.  it was there.  But there were also fat girls, uneven dancing, mothers in sparkles and sneakers pushing baby carridges, leading the dancers…

I loved their love of the parade, the music, their lives.

It is something we have to relearn in Israel. 

   

surprised by joy – 2.18.26 Read Post »

israeli politics

breathless in tenerife - 2.16.26

After an amazing day visiting the volcano Teide and the area around it – I look up the news.  And guess what – The Canarian Review reports that that Tenerife is volcanologically active.

For this I had to take a vacation from Israel?  

I was so excited by the sights that I forgot how to use my camera and will have to rely on Ezi’s facebook…  

In short, it feels like there are openings to hell  there, and it is inviting us in.  Many years ago I slept in Naples and felt Vesuvius breathing.  This is more real and more inviting.  

Yes, yes, I’ll get the pictures up soon.  I’ve got some more time in Tenerife.

This situation reminds me of the old man who once told us “for 2000 years the jews have been longing for zion…un punct mir hot us getroffen.” (and it had to happen to me)

and here we’ve been worried about going back home with a war going on in Iran.  How it follows us everywhere…

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israeli politics

carnival - tel aviv-las Palmas, canary Islands - 2.14.26

what’s the difference between carnival in Las Palmas and Tel Aviv?  In Tel Aviv we say we will dance despite the terrible challenges we are facing.  We’re very conscious of the need to celebrate despite the dangers.  In Las Palmas it’s more Cuban but there’s a lot of simple fun.  

Funny, I think it’s the Baal Shem Tov who said that joy can nurture belief in the Divine.

i think joy is wonderful wherever it come from – but it must be wonderful just to dance.

    

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israeli politics

now that there are no seasons (our warm spell, for example, will turn into thunderstorms tomorrow and return to winter), we have no summer wardrobe and winter wardrobe.  It’s all onion – layers and layers of clothes.  We usually determine our behavior as well as our clothes by the holidays – pesach is festive and almost light, shvuot is the beginning of the swimming weather and the scraps of material remaining to signify bathing suits. Sukkot is the beginning of the rainy season and the end of sandals…. 

But now – who knows.

This is particularly obvious when a war threatens.  Getting ready to go away for a few days, I think – what if the time extends and i need more underwear? more meds? more coats?

So silly to have to think of such trivia when the world itself may be destroyed…

 

clothes – 2.13.26 Read Post »

israeli politics

taking off a bit - 2.9.26

i’m taking off a few days to catch up with my life.  My latest book is pulling in all kinds of interviewers and I’m not keeping up.  i’ll tell you more tomorrow when I find I can’t keep away from you.

taking off a bit – 2.9.26 Read Post »