Walked and window shopped this evening with the wife in downtown Jerusalem. Bought a few frocks and such at the 19-29 shekel stores along Jaffa Road, the main thoroughfare and also the site of scores of terror attacks over the last four years.
Blase', huh? Nope. Not really. Actually, a pretty nice change from wondering if the next passerby in a bulky coat and leering smile, flicking a thumbswitch, was going to be the last thing I saw on Earth.
As Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat drools into a Parisian bib and gets sucked dry in platelet counts, as aides frantically try to get him to tell them where the 5-800 million dollars are stashed and Suha and daughter Zahawa wonder when the cash tap gets turned off, as Hamas & Co. keep their eyes wide to the skies for IAF-delivered wake-up calls, I realized, standing outside the former location of the Sbarro pizzeria (site of a singularly horrific suicide bombing, recently moved down the block and now a chic' coffee shop, packed with latte' sippers) that we - Israelis - have reached a turning point in this war. I’ve read that before; but really hadn’t quite sensed it – until this evening.
And we're still here. Standing, dammit. Dazed. But on our feet.
You, over there in the States, from now until Tuesday night - keep up that momentum to keep John Kerry out of 1600 you-know-where Ave.
In recent email discussions with friends and family in the States, I've noticed that many, who are otherwise staunch Democrats, are dismayed - did I say dismayed? Aghast is better, by the "too clever by half" Teresa Heinz-Kerry and her mouth. Apparently, it's a mother-son genetic thing.
Not to show my colors here, but the "51-State," as her son Chris puts it, is about to pack her and hubby a walloping bitch slap come Tuesday, at least going by numerous conversations I've held with very active US voters and party officials from both sides of the aisle here in recent weeks. Here's why:
Following is a representative segment of a letter I was Cc'ed on about Israel's security concerns, written by an individual running for Democratic office and who strongly supported, um… Howard Dean. Yeah. "Arrrrrrrhhhhgggh," and all that. He’s nominally Jewish and "progressive," natch' - and my reply:
"The mail from David Bender was interesting. He is a one issue guy and has been influenced by sound bites and fear. Both parties will support Israel as the only democratic government in the Middle East. However the Democrats will be more engaged in the peace process as was Clinton. Just based on the record Dubya deserves to be punished."
Well. I just simply could not countenance being dismissed so casually by someone who has no idea who I am or what life here is really about, just to make easy political points.
Right. More Clintonesque gestures to resuscitate Arafat and Sons. Just when we were starting to see, if not exactly daylight, then the glow on the horizon of an end to mass murder.
Actively working in the press at ground level for the last several years, as well as living and raising a family here nearly a quarter of a century, I have - in all modesty - amassed no small degree of fair, in-depth and compassionate interviews and reports with government minister and members of Knesset from across the spectrum; Palestinian Authority officials - both on and off the record, Israeli and US academic think-tank and military experts, and "just plain folk" from all walks of life both within Israel and PA areas.
"Before working in the press, I worked - literally - shoulder to shoulder with Palestinians and Israeli Arabs for a period in construction and the automotive repair field - far from cameras, microphones and the press. I have learned from many deeply personal conversations with them at workbench and jobsite, as well as from heart stopping/breaking personal experiences far too closely to scores of 9/11- equivalent terror attacks - along with family, friends and colleagues, just how they feel about Israel and Jews."
"Unlike him (the Democratic runner), I actually live here, walk the walk, and so, have the street cred far more than he does to talk the talk about the issues at hand."
I am hopeful for the future, (and not "driven by fear"), otherwise I would have simply packed up and left long ago, not daring to raise children in this part of the world.
There are Palestinians - at least those referred to as Palestinians (pre-1948, Jews here were referred to internationally as the "Palestinians," with the original name of The Jerusalem Post newspaper being "The Palestinian Post." Really - you can look it up!) who do want to live in peace with Israel. They, however, are in the vast minority, and do not presently present a viable talking partner for the time being.”
They hate and envy us. Israelis, Jews, Americans of any stripe.
And although a symbol, they hate Arafat, the Palestinian Authority and everything they represent even more. I have been told this personally, many times; once even by a mid-level Fatah member - an Arafat flunky, to boot - who told me this only behind closed doors and drawn window shades - and after the TV camera and minidisc were turned off.
Once, while building a house in a Jewish community near Bethlehem – but within the pre-1967 Green Line, a Palestinian building engineer I was working with checking the slab - a local resident - asked me how I felt about Israeli roadblocks, since he was stuck in Israel and couldn't get home for several nights.
We had kids the same age, and were sharing stories about raising toddlers. He missed his young son dearly. I understood his pain, but also understood the need for that roadblock. 14 female Palestinian suicide bombers have been nabbed this month alone. While that does not justify the stupid, violent treatment some receive at the hands of idjits in uniform, remember, Israelis are also checked numerous times daily as well. And I, for one am sick of those body checks and magnetometers. But, as they say, "When the terror ends, the wall falls." I asked him - and I will never forget this reply - "aren't you happy that we've acceded you freedoms unheard in the Arab world for Palestinians, not to mention arms (weapons for policing)? He looked at me and snorted, "Great. You've just armed the mafia." To a man, they have said that they are riven with internecine violence, ravaged by the thugs in the PA and other groups, and are now saying more and more openly, "the intifada and Arafat have brought us to utter ruin and futility." And as far as Arafat goes, he, along with many other Arab leaders - most despots and tyrants - have come out foursquare for Kerry.
Now, what am I to make of that?
Professional event & editorial photography, video, editing, and mentoring; satisfied clients & pupils worldwide.
Sunday, October 31
Saturday, October 30
Taken on rainy Friday morning (first rains of the winter - after a drenching hailstorm) as the US elects (or re-elects) a President, gravely ill Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat flies to Paris for medical treatment, and Prime Minister Ariel Sharon probably wonders about the future of his Disengagement Plan.
Posted by Dave
Tuesday, October 26
Don't blink: Autumn in Jerusalem
Ahhh.
That coolish' feeling that wakes you up just before dawn, eyes closed, as you pull the blankets just a little closer; snuggling down a bit deeper. The birds busily cawing and chirping just outside the still-open windows. Smoke rising over houses in villages and surburbs from first seasonal tries at firing up the fireplace. Smoking like Weber barbecues on a new tank of gas.
Nah - on second thought, drop that last metaphoric image - far too midwestern.
Smoking like "Mangal" barbecues in Sacher Park on Independence Day, as burly (ok, fat-bellied) Moroccan fathers madly wave cardboard fans to start the coals in flimsy tin contraptions passing as portable barbecues.
Better.
Trees shaking free of their foliage, like they got an itch they can't scratch because they're, well, trees, so what are they going to rub their backs against? People? Each other like Baloo the Bear from "The Jungle Book?" Ahh. Jerusalem autumn in the air.
LOOK FAST!
Damn, ya' missed it...
"Here comes that rain again..."
That coolish' feeling that wakes you up just before dawn, eyes closed, as you pull the blankets just a little closer; snuggling down a bit deeper. The birds busily cawing and chirping just outside the still-open windows. Smoke rising over houses in villages and surburbs from first seasonal tries at firing up the fireplace. Smoking like Weber barbecues on a new tank of gas.
Nah - on second thought, drop that last metaphoric image - far too midwestern.
Smoking like "Mangal" barbecues in Sacher Park on Independence Day, as burly (ok, fat-bellied) Moroccan fathers madly wave cardboard fans to start the coals in flimsy tin contraptions passing as portable barbecues.
Better.
Trees shaking free of their foliage, like they got an itch they can't scratch because they're, well, trees, so what are they going to rub their backs against? People? Each other like Baloo the Bear from "The Jungle Book?" Ahh. Jerusalem autumn in the air.
LOOK FAST!
Damn, ya' missed it...
"Here comes that rain again..."
Monday, October 25
Sunday, October 24
Inbal and Nava
My family is undergoing a crash course in hanging on for dear life in a struggle against cancer. And in one bitter lesson along the way, I am once again reminded of the gaping hole Palestinian terrorism slashes deep within Israeli lives and society.
US-born and a near 25-year resident of Israel, I am a freelance journalist working and raising a family in Jerusalem. Reporting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict brings me into daily contact with newsmakers, politicians, and most importantly, those directly affected by terrorism's dead hand. More about that further down.
In August 2004, our 16-year old daughter Inbal Chaya began complaining about a number of seemingly unconnected health problems. At the beginning of September, she underwent a painful battery of CT scans and diagnostic tests at the Hadassah-
- -University Hospital Medical Center-Ein Kerem. We were handed the harrowing verdict: a large tumor diagnosed as a stage-3 type-B Lymphatic Lymphoma, was quietly, maliciously expanding beneath her sternum, crushing one lung and squeezing her trachea aside.
The prognosis for the cancer she is afflicted with - while pretty encouraging considering the alternative - has forced our family into a steep learning curve of coping with daily outpatient medical treatments at The Charlotte Weinberg Mother and Child Center at Hadassah; holding and encouraging Inbal throughout the painful, weakening course of chemotherapy treatments, and our constant weariness in coping with the more prosaic needs of working, running a household and raising a family while dealing with it all. The eminently world-class, compassionate medical team at Hadassah are a more than any family in such a predicament could hope for.
"Dealing with it all," in this case means being available around-the-clock, 24/7 to administer medication, help her bathe, dress, change her "Pikline" underarm infusion dressing, help her going up and down flights of stairs and even slowly shuffle across the house to the bathroom. Her last year of high school has been put on hold, despite constant visits by teachers and friends to help her keep up with studies. My wife has been forced to take an extended leave of absence from her banking position. As a correspondent it means being available to abandon a news report at a moment's notice, or even an interviewee in mid-discussion and race home to collect Inbal and rush over to the hospital at the first sign of unusual pain or abrupt change in body temperature.
Zichron Menachem, The Israeli Organization for the Support of Children with Cancer and their Families has come to our assistance in easing the burdens in a myriad of ways since we were first faced with Inbal's illness; from sending young women performing their National Service [NS] duties in lieu of IDF conscription, visiting with Inbal daily to aid and cheer her; to hosting our 4 other younger children in clubs and activities at the organization's recently-inaugurated, state-of-the-art Day Care center.
The kids and I spent a few hours at the center one evening several days ago. After going over homework assignments with them, we racked up the billiard balls for a game of pool in one of the center's multifunction rooms. As you step into the game room, just to the right of the doorway, the first thing that catches your eye is a stark memorial plaque: This room was established in loving memory of Nava Applebaum, a 20-year-old NS member murdered in a suicide bombing at Café Hillel in Jerusalem just over a year ago. The attack, in which she, her father Dr. David Applebaum and five others were killed and over 50 wounded, occurred on the eve of her wedding. Hamas took responsibility for the act; the 20-year-old Palestinian killer having been released from IDF detention earlier. The NS members aiding Inbal knew and loved Nava deeply. So did the afflicted children, their families, the staff and administration of Zichron Menachem. May it only bring some consolation to Nava's and her groom to be's family.
And that's where the deeply personal anguish sets in for me and countless other Israelis holding the line daily against illness and pain, and where the connection to Palestinian terrorism begins. After the glass and gore are cleaned away, the reporters close their notebooks and the religious mourning period concludes, families throughout the country must go on each with their own personal battle, but also with the feeling of a ragged black emptiness where someone like Nava or David was, that never goes away.
The way I felt seeing that pale green memorial tablet with Nava's name on it. An elegiac longing and sense of loss. And an inchoate anger at those who cheer on such obscene acts.
I didn't know either of the Applebaums. But after reporting on that attack the next day for Chicago's WGN AM radio, in tandem with fellow blogger and writer Brian Blum. His cousin Marla was killed in the bombing at Hebrew University in 2002.
I have come to learn much more about Dr. Applebaum's expertise and loving care helping both Israeli and Palestinian patients as head of Sha'are Tzedek Hospital's emergency room. A veteran immigrant from Cleveland, Ohio, Applebaum was an international authority on emergency medical care who established the hospital's world-renowned patient intake system. Applebaum had just returned to Israel from New York after addressing colleagues on first-responder trauma care at a terror symposium commemorating the second anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks.
Nava's NS colleagues told me about her love, dedication and volunteer work helping children at Hadassah and Zichron Menachem. From the One Family Fund Memorial page for victims of terror attacks: "She would spend the entire day with the children, and a few weeks ago accompanied a group of them on a trip to Holland. 'She was an incredible girl,' said one of her classmates. 'She studied biology because she wanted to help find a cure for cancer.'"
That is what Nava and her father were.
This is what terrorists are: cold-blooded slayers of pure souls like Nava, who glory in the kill. Their despicable acts and the support of those behind them cruelly rip away from us those who selflessly gave of themselves to aid others, like Inbal.
But they will ultimately fail.
Inbal, and others like her coping with cancer, God willing, will heal.
May the memory of Nava and David, along with the over 1,000 slain in terrorist attacks here in Israel and abroad remain with us forever as a blessing.
(I translated this essay for Inbal. In an act of courage, integrity and sharing with others, Inbal has graciously assented to its publication. Photos and content will be updated as events permit. Comments and best wishes can be forwarded to Inbal at: triplets@bezeqint.net - DB)
US-born and a near 25-year resident of Israel, I am a freelance journalist working and raising a family in Jerusalem. Reporting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict brings me into daily contact with newsmakers, politicians, and most importantly, those directly affected by terrorism's dead hand. More about that further down.
In August 2004, our 16-year old daughter Inbal Chaya began complaining about a number of seemingly unconnected health problems. At the beginning of September, she underwent a painful battery of CT scans and diagnostic tests at the Hadassah-
- -University Hospital Medical Center-Ein Kerem. We were handed the harrowing verdict: a large tumor diagnosed as a stage-3 type-B Lymphatic Lymphoma, was quietly, maliciously expanding beneath her sternum, crushing one lung and squeezing her trachea aside.
The prognosis for the cancer she is afflicted with - while pretty encouraging considering the alternative - has forced our family into a steep learning curve of coping with daily outpatient medical treatments at The Charlotte Weinberg Mother and Child Center at Hadassah; holding and encouraging Inbal throughout the painful, weakening course of chemotherapy treatments, and our constant weariness in coping with the more prosaic needs of working, running a household and raising a family while dealing with it all. The eminently world-class, compassionate medical team at Hadassah are a more than any family in such a predicament could hope for.
"Dealing with it all," in this case means being available around-the-clock, 24/7 to administer medication, help her bathe, dress, change her "Pikline" underarm infusion dressing, help her going up and down flights of stairs and even slowly shuffle across the house to the bathroom. Her last year of high school has been put on hold, despite constant visits by teachers and friends to help her keep up with studies. My wife has been forced to take an extended leave of absence from her banking position. As a correspondent it means being available to abandon a news report at a moment's notice, or even an interviewee in mid-discussion and race home to collect Inbal and rush over to the hospital at the first sign of unusual pain or abrupt change in body temperature.
Zichron Menachem, The Israeli Organization for the Support of Children with Cancer and their Families has come to our assistance in easing the burdens in a myriad of ways since we were first faced with Inbal's illness; from sending young women performing their National Service [NS] duties in lieu of IDF conscription, visiting with Inbal daily to aid and cheer her; to hosting our 4 other younger children in clubs and activities at the organization's recently-inaugurated, state-of-the-art Day Care center.
The kids and I spent a few hours at the center one evening several days ago. After going over homework assignments with them, we racked up the billiard balls for a game of pool in one of the center's multifunction rooms. As you step into the game room, just to the right of the doorway, the first thing that catches your eye is a stark memorial plaque: This room was established in loving memory of Nava Applebaum, a 20-year-old NS member murdered in a suicide bombing at Café Hillel in Jerusalem just over a year ago. The attack, in which she, her father Dr. David Applebaum and five others were killed and over 50 wounded, occurred on the eve of her wedding. Hamas took responsibility for the act; the 20-year-old Palestinian killer having been released from IDF detention earlier. The NS members aiding Inbal knew and loved Nava deeply. So did the afflicted children, their families, the staff and administration of Zichron Menachem. May it only bring some consolation to Nava's and her groom to be's family.
And that's where the deeply personal anguish sets in for me and countless other Israelis holding the line daily against illness and pain, and where the connection to Palestinian terrorism begins. After the glass and gore are cleaned away, the reporters close their notebooks and the religious mourning period concludes, families throughout the country must go on each with their own personal battle, but also with the feeling of a ragged black emptiness where someone like Nava or David was, that never goes away.
The way I felt seeing that pale green memorial tablet with Nava's name on it. An elegiac longing and sense of loss. And an inchoate anger at those who cheer on such obscene acts.
I didn't know either of the Applebaums. But after reporting on that attack the next day for Chicago's WGN AM radio, in tandem with fellow blogger and writer Brian Blum. His cousin Marla was killed in the bombing at Hebrew University in 2002.
I have come to learn much more about Dr. Applebaum's expertise and loving care helping both Israeli and Palestinian patients as head of Sha'are Tzedek Hospital's emergency room. A veteran immigrant from Cleveland, Ohio, Applebaum was an international authority on emergency medical care who established the hospital's world-renowned patient intake system. Applebaum had just returned to Israel from New York after addressing colleagues on first-responder trauma care at a terror symposium commemorating the second anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks.
Nava's NS colleagues told me about her love, dedication and volunteer work helping children at Hadassah and Zichron Menachem. From the One Family Fund Memorial page for victims of terror attacks: "She would spend the entire day with the children, and a few weeks ago accompanied a group of them on a trip to Holland. 'She was an incredible girl,' said one of her classmates. 'She studied biology because she wanted to help find a cure for cancer.'"
That is what Nava and her father were.
This is what terrorists are: cold-blooded slayers of pure souls like Nava, who glory in the kill. Their despicable acts and the support of those behind them cruelly rip away from us those who selflessly gave of themselves to aid others, like Inbal.
But they will ultimately fail.
Inbal, and others like her coping with cancer, God willing, will heal.
May the memory of Nava and David, along with the over 1,000 slain in terrorist attacks here in Israel and abroad remain with us forever as a blessing.
(I translated this essay for Inbal. In an act of courage, integrity and sharing with others, Inbal has graciously assented to its publication. Photos and content will be updated as events permit. Comments and best wishes can be forwarded to Inbal at: triplets@bezeqint.net - DB)
Tuesday, October 19
International radio roundtable on US overseas
Just a heads-up to you that I and a crew of international journalists will be speaking live on-air, in a radio roundtable discussing US voters, absentee ballots and the issues at stake here in Israel, Europe, Asia and elsewhere overseas.
The program, including live chat with listeners, will be on WINK/WNOG AM 1240 Newstalk 1270 on Wednesday morning, Oct. 20 from 07:10 to 07:45 Eastern US time in the Ft. Myers / Naples, Fla. area.
I just wrapped pre-recorded interviews with the leaders of: "Democrats Abroad - Israel:" http://il.democratsabroad.org/ , "Republicans in Israel:" http://www.raisrael.org/, as well as the national director of "The Association of Americans and Canadians in Israel:" http://www.aaci.org.il/.
Each has a unique view of the election from US immigrants here, and exclusive information in fascinating quotes, clips of which will be aired.
So tune in to WINK/WNOG AM 1240 Newstalk 1270 Wednesday morning from 07:10 to 07:45 Eastern US time to hear the show. Not webstreamed, unfortunately, but I’ll try to upload a copy, station rules permitting.
http://www.winkwnog.com/
http://www.voxnow.com/daybreak/
http://www.voxnow.com/daybreak_forum/
Looking forward to hearing from you.
The program, including live chat with listeners, will be on WINK/WNOG AM 1240 Newstalk 1270 on Wednesday morning, Oct. 20 from 07:10 to 07:45 Eastern US time in the Ft. Myers / Naples, Fla. area.
I just wrapped pre-recorded interviews with the leaders of: "Democrats Abroad - Israel:" http://il.democratsabroad.org/ , "Republicans in Israel:" http://www.raisrael.org/, as well as the national director of "The Association of Americans and Canadians in Israel:" http://www.aaci.org.il/.
Each has a unique view of the election from US immigrants here, and exclusive information in fascinating quotes, clips of which will be aired.
So tune in to WINK/WNOG AM 1240 Newstalk 1270 Wednesday morning from 07:10 to 07:45 Eastern US time to hear the show. Not webstreamed, unfortunately, but I’ll try to upload a copy, station rules permitting.
http://www.winkwnog.com/
http://www.voxnow.com/daybreak/
http://www.voxnow.com/daybreak_forum/
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Tuesday, October 12
Sunday, October 10
Groups of youth, families out for the evening, religious and secular all took part in the event. This individual performed rapid-fire intricate movements with lighted plastic wands. This is the third of a series of three images I shot of the "Simchat Torah-Rejoicing in the Giving of the Torah" celebrations at Jerusalem's Liberty Bell park last Wednesday evening.
Posted by Dave
From Mt. Sinai to 'Paradise Lost'
Early Sunday morning here in Jerusalem (Yes. Guilty as charged: 'another one of them "Pajamahadin," chief; where should I lock him up?').
Wondering how to cover the Taba terror attacks at work today, dig up a new interviewee, consider an angle hasn't yet been picked over and through since Thursday... hmm. Maybe the part of where the grim-faced Israeli newscasters Saturday night broke the government-requested "embargo" on the despicable behavior of the Egyptians before and throughout the search for bodies - or survivors. Not to mention those who took part in the ghoulish stripping of valuables off the bodies before they were collected by rescue teams. And please don't tell me about relative poverty or different cultural mores. This was way beyond contempt.
Also wondering about last night's conversation with daughter Inbal's close girlfriend Ayelet (age 16) who lives just down the street from us and decided to return from Ras a-Satan about an hour before the attacks took place...She, her dad and I spoke briefly Friday night at synagogue about what prompted her to up and leave - possibly keeping her off a hospital admission list - or worse. Trying to think through the inchoate despair and anger at how close she was to disaster.
For those who are aghast at Israelis who travel to Sinai and visit Egypt - try to understand that all of us here are still working through the grief, both for those lost and wounded and for what might have been with relations with Israel's Egyptian neighbor, cold as they might be presently. We are such suckers for words like, "peace, good relations, cheap weekender tours"...
Sinai was our own pristine back yard, site of Mt. Sinai where we believe the Torah was given to Israel, and a place to breathe deeply and listen to the wild, rugged desert silence, without cares about terror, taxes, politicians or living in the pressure cooker that is Israel.
Speaking of the Torah - and considering that we just concluded celebrating "Simchat Torah - Rejoicing in the Giving of the Torah,"(images of that here in Jerusalem on the way soon...) I had a brief, interesting conversation with the co-owner of the Yemenite felafel shop near the house here in Givat Shaul on Friday morning as I picked up a few "la'huch" patties (soft, large pancake-looking bread, very similar to Ethiopian "injara") for Shabbat: He reminded me of the hometical "tale" that God at Mt. Sinai held the mountain over the heads of the newly-freed Israelites "as a 'gigit - like an inverted bowl,' to "convince" them to accept the Torah. The co-owner pointed out the very debatable similarities with the crush of the hotel on the Israelis at Taba.
I do not justify going to Sinai despite the terror warnings, but most Israelis have at some level decided on a personal threat level based, sometimes, on intangibles that wouldn't make sense to North Americans.
Personally speaking? It's suddenly as though another threat level has been added to the mix with ongoing Palestinians terror, as well as the implications for future relations with Egypt at many levels, due to their behavior before and, especially after, the attacks.Just coming to terms with the results of the devastation at a few different levels will take time. And consideration of a new "threat matrix."
Wondering how to cover the Taba terror attacks at work today, dig up a new interviewee, consider an angle hasn't yet been picked over and through since Thursday... hmm. Maybe the part of where the grim-faced Israeli newscasters Saturday night broke the government-requested "embargo" on the despicable behavior of the Egyptians before and throughout the search for bodies - or survivors. Not to mention those who took part in the ghoulish stripping of valuables off the bodies before they were collected by rescue teams. And please don't tell me about relative poverty or different cultural mores. This was way beyond contempt.
Also wondering about last night's conversation with daughter Inbal's close girlfriend Ayelet (age 16) who lives just down the street from us and decided to return from Ras a-Satan about an hour before the attacks took place...She, her dad and I spoke briefly Friday night at synagogue about what prompted her to up and leave - possibly keeping her off a hospital admission list - or worse. Trying to think through the inchoate despair and anger at how close she was to disaster.
For those who are aghast at Israelis who travel to Sinai and visit Egypt - try to understand that all of us here are still working through the grief, both for those lost and wounded and for what might have been with relations with Israel's Egyptian neighbor, cold as they might be presently. We are such suckers for words like, "peace, good relations, cheap weekender tours"...
Sinai was our own pristine back yard, site of Mt. Sinai where we believe the Torah was given to Israel, and a place to breathe deeply and listen to the wild, rugged desert silence, without cares about terror, taxes, politicians or living in the pressure cooker that is Israel.
Speaking of the Torah - and considering that we just concluded celebrating "Simchat Torah - Rejoicing in the Giving of the Torah,"(images of that here in Jerusalem on the way soon...) I had a brief, interesting conversation with the co-owner of the Yemenite felafel shop near the house here in Givat Shaul on Friday morning as I picked up a few "la'huch" patties (soft, large pancake-looking bread, very similar to Ethiopian "injara") for Shabbat: He reminded me of the hometical "tale" that God at Mt. Sinai held the mountain over the heads of the newly-freed Israelites "as a 'gigit - like an inverted bowl,' to "convince" them to accept the Torah. The co-owner pointed out the very debatable similarities with the crush of the hotel on the Israelis at Taba.
I do not justify going to Sinai despite the terror warnings, but most Israelis have at some level decided on a personal threat level based, sometimes, on intangibles that wouldn't make sense to North Americans.
Personally speaking? It's suddenly as though another threat level has been added to the mix with ongoing Palestinians terror, as well as the implications for future relations with Egypt at many levels, due to their behavior before and, especially after, the attacks.Just coming to terms with the results of the devastation at a few different levels will take time. And consideration of a new "threat matrix."
Saturday, October 9
Back at the blog
After a several month hiatus, I'm back at blogging, and will be showing off the latest pics taken with a Fuji S5000 I recently purchased, as well as getting back up to speed with writing. Much news around here; at home and in Israel. More on that in coming days...
Here are a few recent images for your dining and dancing pleasure.
Here are a few recent images for your dining and dancing pleasure.
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