כמה מילים - A Few Words

A few words as I pop out of 'editorial seclusion' (thanks for that one, mr. brendah) for a few moments.
Some things I saw in the past 168 hours:

-There is a street very near to my building (derekh namir, for those of you who know Tel Aviv). It is a main street, comparable to W. 11th or Franklin in Eugene, although mostly residential. Walking past on my way to work this morning, I noticed one of the signs on one of the buildings (most buildings, when listing the building number, also include the street name) said Derekh Haifa, instead of the current street name, Derekh Namir.

The road must have, at one point, been called Derekh Haifa because it is/was? a main road from Tel Aviv to Haifa, in the north of the city. Unfortunately, either no one has noticed that this older, still-inhabited building, has the old name on it when the building right next to it has the current name, or no one bothered to change it because, as we all know - it's not my problem; someone else will do it.

-Last Thursday night, I was waiting for a bus not far from my flat. A woman, probably only a few years older than I, walked by with a little furry thing that must have been a dog, although I am not sure on this point.

The dog-like creature stopped not two meters from me, squatted, and dispensed its little dark brown wares on the sidewalk. I looked at the woman, she looked at me, we both looked at the shit, and she continued walking. Perhaps, I thought to myself, I should have said something. What happened next confirmed my belief in the inter-connected nature of the universe, even as it relates to little piles of shit (excuse my Turkish).

As I was rehearsing in my mind how I could have made some comment or perhaps influenced the woman to pick up the shit with my limited Hebrew, I noticed a man walking in my direction, coming from the same direction the woman had. He was fairly tall and gangly, with too long limbs and clothes that seemed about to slip off his shoulders, older, with greasy black hair, papery skin, and shiny black shoes. I looked at him, looked at the shit, looked at him again, and realized with inner horror that he was walking in a dead straight line right toward the little pile of dog shit on the pavement. The soles of his shoes just rolled over and brushed the little pile. I made no movement, just watched. He slowed and his second foot hit the little piece he had just overturned. He didn’t notice – at all. I just chuckled to myself at the irony of it all.

Maybe I should have said something to the woman, or even warned the man, but, you know....

Now for the news:
-Apparently, the Pope wants to be friends with us. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I always thought this one had shifty eyes...
-There's a hot new Israeli girl band. Hopefully they'll bring us something better than those Spice-y British chicks.
-BREAKING NEWS: The White House released a report disclosing that the president (yes W's still there, can't tell you why, but it's true) was (gasp!) treated for lyme disease LAST YEAR. OH DEAR! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! YOU'RE KIDDING! IS HE OKAY?? Apparently he is, since this picture accompanied the CNN story:


You know, I'm sure it's on everyone else's minds, and I am just asking the obvious question, but how does he find time to run a country with all of those bike trips and polyp removals (oops!) Oh wait, but I forgot, Dick actually runs the country. Phew! I was worried there for a second. Come to think of it, that guy on the right is clearly Lance Armstrong, but the other chap doesn't look at all like ol' dubya. What is CNN up to, anyway?

Well, that's about it. I swear I had something else to put here, but I got distracted by all the President's polyps.

Signing off.

Down to Business

Before I move on to other, more or less important things, I wanted to post a link here to a very poignant Q&A session that I found on NY Times.com.

Although I know that it's very interesting coming here and reading my blog about life in Israel (when I get around to posting, of course), you may also wonder what in the world is going on in Iraq. Of course, you could flip on the TV or radio or thumb through a newspaper and read about the 60 or 85 or 130 people killed yesterday, last week, etc.

But what is daily life really like? What is it like having to run daily errands like buying milk and bread, while worrying about whether there will be a bombing or mortar attack at the exact moment that you decided to go to the market? How are normal, average Iraqis, who want what you and I want - to go to school/work, have a family and enjoy time with friends - adapting?

This article is an ongoing Q&A session with some NY Times reporters in Iraq - real people, involved and informed first-hand, answering real people's questions.

So...what's going on here?
I think most of the people who read this blog (my immediate family) know very well what I have been up to, but just in case someone outside of this well-worn circle of communication finds his or her way over here and is wondering what has become of me...I must entertain and keep them well-informed.

Almost a week ago, I moved out of my little, secluded, comfortable ulpan in Jerusalem, and moved into an apartment in Tel Aviv. I am working with a company called IDEX Online, an online diamond trading marketplace/news site/magazine within the Diamond Exchange. Very nice job, superbly nice people; I am learning more and more every day, which makes the job more and more interesting every day.
Because really, what do I care about diamonds? What do I care about gem and jewelry markets and trade shows? NOTHING. But seriously, now that I have a vested interest in learning more and becoming a well-read member of the team, this stuff matters a lot more to me.

Oh yeah. I forgot. I am working as a writer/journalist/copy editor, etc. etc. If you look on the website, you might find something I have written. Most of it has been edited by me, which I guess is unfortunate if you find any mistakes.

And that's all I will say about IDEX at the moment, since, apparently my wonderful coworkers got the word that I have a blog and just might read it. Hi guys!!

That's all I will say in general, for now. I am going to try and do some laundry at the self-service laundromat ten blocks down the street, go to the beach and enjoy my Friday.

Editorial Excerpt on Gaza

Hamas has completed its total takeover of Gaza. So, what? I pulled this from an editorial on YNet News (Yedioth Aharanot Online)

Fatah has collapsed in the Gaza Strip; it's gone completely under. Gaza has turned into a jungle. Everyone is fighting each other. The political conflict between Fatah and Hamas has turned into a clan war, a war between brothers. Scores have been opened that can't be settled, and vendettas are threatening to lead Gaza to terrible anarchy. The Palestinians are destroying their future with their own hands.

Within this chaos the state of Hamastan is being created upon the ruins of the Palestinian entity. Fatah is barely able to hold on to some key positions, yet it is clear that the new Hamas reality in Gaza has reached the point of no return. There is no one to stop it.

The US and Israel as well would be deluding themselves by thinking that Mahmoud Abbas and his government can be salvaged. That day has passed, and Abbas' leadership has nothing left to say. Abbas is detached from reality; he is living in the past, ignoring the present and incapable of planning the future. He is still entertaining the hope that he could mend the fences and therefore has still not ordered his forces in Gaza to fight back.

I also encourage you to check out this page: The Good Neighbors Blog, if not periodically, at least now. It's a consortium of bloggers (normal people putting their thoughts and observations on the page for you to see) from all over the region: Egypt, Jordan, West Bank, Lebanon, Iran and, of course, Israel. It's a very intriguing source of real, personal information, stuff that you would never find on the evening news.

Everyone here is wondering what's going to happen. Hamas controlling Gaza can't be a good thing - I can't think of anything good that can come of it, except maybe Egypt going in and 'taking care of things' (that way Israel wouldn't have to deal with the bad PR it receives every time it tries to protect its citizens and secure its borders). So, I will try to keep you updated as much as I can.
I'm going to get a pot and pan today from a Christian organization that gives basic stuff to new immigrants like me. This is how poor I am. I can't even buy a pot. Hmpf!

Major Happenings

If you have been following the news lately or have even glanced at a newspaper, you've probably heard something about Hamas and Gaza.
You're right to sit up and pay close attention, but let me say now that there's no need to worry about me (at least not because of Hamas).
Today, Hamas consolidated its near complete control of Gaza. Until today, the political/military organization was involved in a unity government with Fatah, the remnant organization from the Yasser Arafat days (indeed, Arafat was the leader of the terrorist organization; today, they've moved closer to politics and not so much of terrorism, although this is debatable).
The unity government was formed between Fatah (of which Abbas is the head) and Hamas after Hamas was elected to head of the government.
Today, after Hamas seized Fatah's main seat of power in Gaza, the headquarters of the Preventative Security Forces and the intelligence services, killing dozens of people in the process, President Mahmoud Abbas dismissed Prime Minister Haniyeh (the head of Hamas) and dissolved the government, calling for new elections.
There are some people, many of whom seem very well informed, who see this as a very clear sign of things to come. It is indeed momentous, and only time will tell what will actually be.
I don't know how much has been reported on this in the Western media, and I am not too aware of the Israeli media discussions and discourse, but apparently things are beginning to look a lot like they did before 1967.
It is being proposed that, instead of creating a 'Palestinian state' on the West Bank and Gaza, the area of the West Bank will be returned to Jordanian control, Gaza to Egyptian (if they want it or can handle it. I personally would say 'good riddance!').
Jordan has, after all a huge percentage of Palestinians and would probably do a much better job with health care and education. Maybe Queen Noor can do something; I don't know.
Keep an eye out for this....it has HUGE implications for the region, including life here in Israel.
All of that said, I am getting along quite nicely with my new job and my new apartment (more on that later). I am a real, authentic new immigrant - poor, penniless, destitute, but so happy that everything is working out...perfectly.

Beautiful Oregon Coast

While doing some research for my current freelance job, I stumbled across this beautiful video of the Oregon Coast. Having moved to Israel, I always say that I miss the people much more than the actual place, but I guess that's not true. Watching this video, I began to realize that I do miss that place too....a bit, a bit. If you've never visited the Oregon Coast/Northwest region, I STRONGLY recommend it. This is not your typical 'vacation'/resort spot, but it is something you will remember for the rest of your life. If there is a paradise on earth, in terms of natural beauty, this is it.

Watch the video:

If it doesn't work, visit the site here

By the way....can anyone tell me the 'poshest', most luxurious and perhaps most expensive place to stay on the coast? Thanks.

The Deadly State of Affairs

Sderot. A city in the south of Israel, near the territory of Gaza. Keep in mind that Sderot is located within Israel's pre-1967 borders.
I've written about this place once before and included a story from the JPost on how scary these rocket attacks can be and how children have adapted to the situation, learning the right way to walk quietly to their bomb shelters when the sirens go off, taking yoga classes to deal with the stress, and giving cute but telling answers to questions like "Why does the snail have a shell?" ("So it can be protected from the kassams".) This is not just a stressful situation, this is also a deadly situation. Last week, a 32 year old woman named Shirel Friedman (z"l) was killed when a rocket hit a car next to her. She was walking.down.the.street and was killed. For what? For existing? For being alive? It's barbaric!
Hamas, as well as other groups, claimed responsibility for the attack.
That day, FM Tzipi Livni was giving a press conference in Sderot. She stated: "The situation in Sderot is unbearable... We consider the Palestinian government headed by the Hamas terrorist organization responsible for this situation...
Until now, Israel has shown restraint. But the rockets and the Kassam missile attacks on Sderot continue. Israel must defend its citizens. While Israel is looking for terrorists, In order to stop them from their terrorist activities against civilians, these terrorists are looking for civilians to kill.""
In accordance with these statements, the IDF arrested 33 members of the Hamas terrorist organization (also known as a 'political party/organization'?!), the highest ranking officials being the PA (Palestinian Authority) Education Minister and the mayors of Nablus and Qalqiliya.
Just a little news from this side of the world. Let's wait for these events to unfold.
Meanwhile, I have two appointments this evening to look at apartments in Tel Aviv and another job interview on Tuesday, this time with the City of David Foundation. Wish me luck!

The Home Stretch

So, I must say. This ulpan-working-trying to go to the gym-looking for a job-looking for a place to live-sustaining my oh so very important social life-keeping myself culturally, politically and religiously aware through books, music, magazines and newspapers is getting to be harder than I thought it would be.
At the moment, I am on the market, as it were (or is it in the market?), as well as perusing the market. My lovely live-in ulpan, courtesy of the Jewish Agency and the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption, will viciously kick me out in or around June 15 (kind of like a mother bird 'viciously' kicks her babies out of the nest when they're ready to fly), and, by that time, I will need to have found a place to live and a job to pay for it. I'm still opinion-less as to whether this process is more complicated than it seems or whether I am simply unaware of how complicated it really is. I do have a few leads on the job-front, which will be revealed after the fact, and am perusing the online and offline markets in search of a nice little place to call home.
Life is a bit crazy at the moment. Everyone is looking for the solution to their lives, and, although I know that mine is out there just waiting for me to find it, it can be a little scary at times. Not only is everyone looking for a job and a place to live (you can come visit me in my cardboard box after I get all moved in), the ulpan teachers, bless their little souls, have also realized that we're running out of time. I don't know if they have simply realized that they perhaps didn't get to as much material as they had hoped, or if they finally realized that we haven't done diddly-squat in the past four months and 'ohmygosh we have to teach them something!' It's not that we haven't learned anything, but you know....it's like in college when they profs PILE on the work in the last few weeks....the different is that we're trying to learn this darn language as quickly as possible, go to class every day, deal with loads of homework they've now decided to pile on in the last month and figure out our lives...it's been tough to say the least.
But, in all seriousness, every problem has a solution, and if we look hard enough in the right places, we'll find it.
Tired. Going to bed. Goodnight.