'Israelity' 'n' me/Rain for Purim

Rain for Purim. That’s the latest forecast. The traditional rainout on Purim is expected, yet again, here in Jerusalem for this coming Sunday. Damn. And there are so many great events planned for the city, not to mention across the country. All the crepe’ paper ink leaking down onto the kids costumes and decorations, just like Halloweens trick-or-treating I grew up with in the States.

But ever since end of the first Gulf War in 1991, I more immediately associate the coming of Purim celebrations with the riiiiiip of tape and plastic sheeting off our windows; Israel Radio had reported a government decision that it was safe to remove the improvised “safeguards” against the threat of CBW attacks by Saddam Hussein the evening of the holiday. I think my old apartment still has remnants of the masking tape embedded in the glass…

Hey, great premier podcast, Harry and Ziva R.! Harry, you’re sooo “indie” and edgy over Eurovision - and sooo right. What a musical dreckoteria that show is. Hey, you two have a real career choice out there in radio, ya’ know… remember RadioWest (z"l), Ziva?! (For all you’se others out there, RadioWEST was Israel’s only all-English language, 24/6 radio station and an aural home-away-from-home for many Western-born immigrants. Semi-legal and broadcasting in Jerusalem from a super-secret locale - oddly enough - just across the street from the Second Channel Broadcasting Authority. Hmm… RadioWEST was a true labor of love for many on both sides of the mike, in Jerusalem and the environs. For more, go here and “control + F” with: “Pirate broadcasters claim they have been used as scapegoats").

Anyway, back to now: Daughter Inbal Chaya, 17, has, thank God, has successfully just completed her six-month round of chemotherapy treatments. She’s now due - barring awful surprises - some two years of pill-taking to finally defeat her lymphoma, once and for all. Its’s been a tough road for all of us, with an immense amount of help from family and friends. We’re not quite out of the woods, but can see a clearing through the trees. She’s planning National Service instead of the IDF, and has been investigating boarding schools and women’s seminaries.

Wife Mazal has re-started studying for her economics degree at the Open University, and together with that, started working back at her bank, where’s she’s been for the last 25 years.
Meanwhile, the kids are preparing for Purim, what with costumes, usually homemade and, umm, creative, and are starting to get their fill of traditional “hamentashen -oznei Haman” triangular pastries. Wife and kids are furiously wrapping gift packages while I post here. Meanwhile - chilled arak well in hand - I’ll be studying the sagacious learning in “Torah from Krusty“. Go. Go there and learn, my child…

Co-blogger Dave Bogner here (further down), pretty much covers the waterfront about pre-Purim stuff ’n’ nonsense is like here, as far as ramping up to the lunacy on Sunday goes…
I’ll be posting lots ‘o’ pics about Purim events here in the capital in coming days, including parties, kiddierama,and so on, so stay tuned.

(Crossblogged at Israelity)