Who said eating Ice Cream is not a self reflictive act?

Met with R last night, she came from London for a friends wedding, we sat at the Colony - a very cool bar, walked down Emek Refaim and had same Ice Cream at Aldo. The flavours we had were Bounty and Chocolate Mint, we discussed life, poetry, relationships and then while licking the chocolate Mint ice cream I said its a bit too Minty, Just like Benedict Mints.
R pointed out my that my frame of reference is very British, and it is. Its part of what I lost - my English frame of reference makes sense to me only. I think that's part of the reason for me feeling constantly misunderstood, only I laugh from my jokes, once again. It might be the explanation for my anger as well, or lack of interst in explaining people who amazing were the last three years of my life, they wont really get it, so whats the point??
On the other hand there are 6.500.000 people here who understand my Israeli frame of reference. Well, maybe not all of them, not all of the time.
It was a such a great evening. Well done to R! Who is coming next?

Israeli Sesame Street

It`s from Youtube. You can see how Arik (Ernie) bakes a cake for Ougi (Cookie monster) In Hebrew. Please dont try at home!

200 posts Aniversarry

Mazal tov to me! Funny how time flies. Ishould really have a fund raiser for the 300 celebrations. Where should the money go to? Any ideas???

Studies: Jews in Israel and the U.S. are no longer seen as a single nation

As someone who was been involved in the last ten years in different Jewish educational programmes reading this article saddened me. I believe in Jewish Peoplehood, and in Israel being its focal point. I would love to see Israeli teenagers learning about Jewish Life outside of Israel. And vice versa, Jewish teenagers learning Ivrit as a living language, not as Sfat Kodesh (A sacred language).

Few years ago, before my time in London, my nephew (6 years old at the time) asked me what do I do at work. As it was a bit complicated even for me to understand what I really DO I said that I work in an office, that help Jewish people from all over the world. He opened his brown almond shaped eyes and his reply struck me: What??? There are Jews all over the world???? I cannot believe this!!!
For him, Jewish people lived only in Israel, If you lived outside or Israel you must not be Jewish. At that opportunity I cleared out that our cousins that just made Aliyah are Jewish.

Reading this article shows me that I might had convinced him, but there are so many others out there yet to challenge.

UK Jewish Film Festival in Redbridge!

Sort of proud of my colleagues in Sinclair House. The success of the Yom Haatzmaut Gala Screening allowed to co-operate even more with the UK national Film Festival. It means that 25,000 jewish people in East London and Redbridge can enjoy the excellent films UKJFF brings over on their door step (Odeon in South Woodford), and save the drive on the North Circ to Hampstead! I am so jealous.
Well done Sam!
If you want to find more information email Sam at scurtis@jcare.org.

We got this on the first class of the Masters program in Creative Writing

so you want to be a writer?
by Charles Bukowski


if it doesn't come bursting out of you
in spite of everything,
don't do it.
unless it comes unasked out of your
heart and your mind and your mouth
and your gut,
don't do it.
if you have to sit for hours
staring at your computer screen
or hunched over your
typewriter
searching for words,
don't do it.
if you're doing it for money or
fame,
don't do it.
if you're doing it because you want
women in your bed,
don't do it.
if you have to sit there and
rewrite it again and again,
don't do it.
if it's hard work just thinking about doing it,
don't do it.
if you're trying to write like somebody
else,
forget about it.


if you have to wait for it to roar out of
you,
then wait patiently.
if it never does roar out of you,
do something else.

if you first have to read it to your wife
or your girlfriend or your boyfriend
or your parents or to anybody at all,
you're not ready.

don't be like so many writers,
don't be like so many thousands of
people who call themselves writers,
don't be dull and boring and
pretentious, don't be consumed with self-
love.
the libraries of the world have
yawned themselves to
sleep
over your kind.
don't add to that.
don't do it.
unless it comes out of
your soul like a rocket,
unless being still would
drive you to madness or
suicide or murder,
don't do it.
unless the sun inside you is
burning your gut,
don't do it.

when it is truly time,
and if you have been chosen,
it will do it by
itself and it will keep on doing it
until you die or it dies in you.

there is no other way.

and there never was.

My sleeping arrangements

Just to keep a record

Wed 18/10 slept at N&N Jerusalem
Thur 19/10 Slept at H Jerusalem
Friday 20/10 at M&M Rimonim
Saturday 21/10 at M`s parents Jerusalem
Sunday 22/10 Ra`anana Home Sweet Home
Monday 23/10 at J&T - My old flat in Jerusalem
Tueday 24/10 at D`s Tel Aviv.

Next wednsday is still available!

Taste of Childhood

If you will ask me what does childhood taste like, my answer will be easy and pleasing: Creambo. It originates are from Denmark, but it was happily adopted in Israel since the 1940`s. Its a seasonal product. you can find it in the beginning of the fall - a week after Simchat Tora. I think the Vanilla flavoured is the best, some will argue the coffee flavour is better.
Its good to be home.

What would have I done if I was in London tonight?

Quite obvious. Have a great time, let me know how wild it was.

So it has been a while. What was I up to?
1. Started working. I stopped working the day the war begun (12/7), as I just read the news from Israel, so it was 3 months without feeling the commitment for a work place. since I came back to Israel, I had all the holidays, and now work. I got really tired, and slept more than 16 hours today.
2. Got two offers for other jobs, have to decide what do. I will first see how It all works out with university.
3. Drove a lot, not happy about it, but what can I do???
4. Met the Mervish`s - they are in Israel now, and I was lucky to have dinner with them, they brought me 3 copies of the JC, luv it! It was surreal to walk with them in Ra`anana - they belong to Redbridge, it`s quite nice that all my world mix up actually. While I was reading the JC had few surprises - saw some friends faces in the party photo-s section, discovered someone I knew from Redbridge passed away
5. Went yesterday to be some groceries before Shabbat in the most expensive place in Jerusalem (The one on Agron and Keren Hyasod st.) its 30% more expensive than the regular supermarkets, as I read in the shabbat newspaper today.
6. Went to buy some new cloths, and realized I dont really need anything new, I have enough.
7. Wrote a poem I am very proud of, PG I will send it out to be published.
8. Met up with few friends, got to see my family.
9. Didnt find where to live. Dont even ask.

News from the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo

A great piece. enjoy!

The Katzav Affair

I heard one journalist calling this mess "Clinton for the poor". sadly its True, Moshe Katzav, which still is the President of Israel, is probably going to face a trial regarding few rapes/sexual harassment.
I had some respect towards him, not because his personality or achievements,more about his biography- Born in Iran, making Aliyah as a child, involved in community work in development town, becoming a mayor, a minister and then a president - living the big Israeli dream. I also had much respect for The President, in my family symbols matter, and that institution symbolizes the sovereignty of the Israeli state. You see, I belong to a generation that finds those things important.
Therefor I feel embarrassed.
I feel embarrassed for him to represent me or to represent any other Israeli , I cannot understand the reasons for him to still try to keep his job, I think he should have resigned a month ago, but really the sooner the better.

First day of rain!

Yesterday we asked for rain in our prayers, and today it rained for the first time this (Jewish )year .
If only all our other prayers will be answered so quickly!
Amen.

Catherine Tate

A great piece with her from The Observer. I admire her, not only because she makes me laugh, there are some other deeper reasons.

So.. I started working today, sort of. Its ok, It will get better - I promise to update.

Tonight its Simchat Torah as in Israel we celebrate one day for both Shmini Atzeret & Simchat Torah.
One of my continuing wonders regarding Simchat Torah in England was the alcohol. For some reason (Marketing?) it became a booze for Jews day, with no reason. Check the first paragraph from wikipedia about Simchat Torah:

Simchat Torah (שמחת תורה) is a Hebrew term which means "rejoicing with/of the Torah". It is one of the happiest days in the Jewish calendar and is marked with festivities in synagogue that include singing, dancing and (typically) a moderate consumption of alcohol.Wikipedia

I find this a contradiction to the whole Idea of sukkot and Simchat Torah itself. During sukkot we celebrated the freedom of the soul, that needs no house, that accepts its diffrent parts. On Simchat Torah we rejoice with our spiritual heiretence, we are proud to be the people of the book. Again not so intouch with the material side.
And alcohol. what it has to with that? No idea.

I hate banks, really. Dont even ask. Like what`s the point? I earn a living and they take some of it month by month by pretending it legal to charge me 2 shekeles for this or that, come on, be honest with your self. Its a theft.
Were`s Rubin Hood when you need him?

Getting Old or Getting Stylish?

Well, some of you might be surprised. I have a little group of white hairs, on the left side of my head, sort of above the left ear`s tip. I had three long ones there, and I decided to check, by myself if the common belief that If you pull a white hair ten others will grow instead is true.
I promise to update you in a month. It can be quite cool, having a silver line decorating my hair, or even better all-white hair like Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada, rather lovely.

Read the morning newspaper, when you don't work you have time to do that. I noticed Haaretz and Maariv both have a Suduku table. I find it a bit passe'. You know, like playing the Hungarian cube or something like that in public...

A morning walk in Ra`anana

Woke up early this morning and went for a walk, back in London I used to walk either to Snaresbrook Pond while I lived in South Woodford or to Cheery Tree Wood after moving to East Finchley, so you can get the general idea - a pond or a wood. Exactly. Here in Ra`anana I walked towards the fields , when I grew up it used to belong to Nehemia- he was a farmer and it was all potatoes or strawberries. This morning I discovered they all got to grow into nice flats or cottages.
I resent that for few reasons - nostalgic (It was beautiful living near those fields, back in the days), ageist (another evidence of the natural progression of my age), and environmental ( Hello, we do need some Green space, what about a nice park Heyyiii?), but I appreciate the irony - It was worthwhile for Nehemia to be a farmer for this fifty odd years - now he sold his land and he is wealthier than he ever was You see, you never get much from selling potatoes...

Part of being back home, and frankly LIVING at home, is sharing thew duties. So this morning I helped my mother going through my fathers` books. We found few books that were printed in Lithuania in 1923, in Vilnius. We found a book about trains my mother received for her 4th birthday from her uncle, he bought it in London for her as a special gift. Books my father received for his Bar Mitzva, one of the signed by Menachem Begin, and many other gems.
It made me feel sad, getting to think about my father from the angle of the books he left behind him, and then I found a photo - its of my father and his classmates, I think they are around the age of 10. But I cannot recognize him, there is one boy there that looks slightly resembles my brother. I will ask my aunt if it is/was my father.

Recommendation for the next generations: circle yourself and avoid confusion.

My New Car

Good news - I got my newish car yesterday. Its a Hyundai Getz. white. I looked for a coloured one but decided to join my people - and get a white car.

For all of you that asked: Yes I went to see my hairdresser. Now my hair looks the same, just shorter and healthier.

The North Circ

Last week had many hours of driving and I desperately miss radio4 (yes I am a pseudo intellectual)I just had to invent this new game. I imagined myself driving on the North Circ. The starting point was Sinclair House of course, and as I progressed I brought up the different landmarks as mental images My rout included: Charlie Brown roundabout, the South Woodford bridge, Water Workers Corner, Sainsbury at Chingford, Costco etc.. I think by the time I got to Haifa I was some where near Gatwick. I think I miss London. Can you tell?

Poem of the week by Admiel Kosman

Admiel Kosman

NAMES UNTO THEM


Through the scratched plastic window of the central
bus station I saw a young couple. Early
and next to him stood his wife
Eve by the wall.
Through the scratched plastic window in the first
rain dripping humbly down the window
I saw a young couple. I saw a man who was
a distant relative of mine as was
his wife delicate his beak lightly touched
her beak so I gave that
man the name of good bird, and his wife called
Birdie.
Translated by Vivian Eden

*******
I love Admiel Kosman`s work. Some ten years ago I sent him few of my writings. I still recall his feedback everytime I sit down to write.

Good news: My mother is out from hospital.

Everyon`is a little bit racist

I called 144 today - Its the israeli version of 118118 or 247247. I have to admit I was quite relived to discover I wasnot directed to a call center in India/Scotland/Ireland. Nothing about those dear and much loved countries. its the accent, you see.

New Career?

In the last week I drove more than 900 kilomoteres. If you think about it, I did it over four days, as I don`t drive on Shabbat or Yom Kippur and Friday and Sundays are half days. Not bad. If you add to this the fact I was one of three Lady drivers for the Limmudfest van, you can clearly see my next carrer move!

The wall. Saw few sides of it during last week. It made me feel deeply sad and worried. Any ideas?

I stayed at my brother`s for Yom Kippur, the synagogue there is Sephardi, so I had the moving experience of being part of a Sephardi Slichot Service, the tunes are different, so are many of the Piyutim. It felt right. The Ashkenazi Mynian we had in the morning was built from 15 people, and it felt right, intimate with tunes I knowband love.
Yom Kippur was different for me this year, maybe its a post war thing, maybe being with my family.
PS Still miss South Woodford!

My mother is in Hospital, went to visit her today. In Hebrew the word for Hospital is Beit Holim - the house of the ill people. Not very cheerful indeed. So the House of the Ill people she is at is going through rebranding as the Health Care Campus. The have a nice little mall there with Aroma, Shawarma and a bookstore. Health Care indeed.