Good news from Israel.
Jerrold Kessel will be leaving his position as Israel correspondent for CNN.
Back from Germany. It was an interesting experience to say the least. I’ll blog more about it tomorrow but I will say this.
It is extremely difficult to reconcile my feelings about the genocide of my people and the beautiful cities and the warm people that I met this past week. I’m confused to say the least and need some time to digest my feelings.
In any case, I found out about the Hillel bombing moments after it happened. My wife called me, told me that their was a pigua on Emek Rafaim and my heart instantly went cold. I thought about all of my friends who live in the area and sent as many sms messages as I could. Relief came slowly as I began to receive replies.
Please read this piece by Jon Medved. The Medved family live right off of Emek and Jon’s son, Momo was one of the first on the scene. Although I don’t know him well, I have met Momo several times over the years. He is a good kid and helped a lot of people the night of the attack, although I am sorry to hear that his sixteen year old eyes had to experience such horrors.
On a personal note, I was supposed to report on Cafe Aroma and Cafe Hillel as competitors this past week. Because of my trip, I had to put off the piece for a week and rescheduled it for this week. I’m not one to play guessing games like, “I could have been there,” or “I go there all the time.” But nonetheless, these things hit home when it affects your daily life.
Another close friend cared for two girls who ran by his apartment covered in blood with shrapnel embedded in their flesh. Thanfully, the two girls will be alright.
The sound of the bomb did not wake his three children, but he had the awful task of cleaning blood off his living room floor.
When will it stop? When will it end?
As Gold Meir said “When they start loving their children more than they hate their us there will be peace.”
I am off the Germany in a couple of hours. Should prove to be interesting. I will definitely try to blog, but I’m not sure what my access is going to like.
This is going to be a strange trip.
Israeli Guy moved to a new url and a new look. Check it out here.
Israeli aircraft did a fly-over today at Auschwitz-Birkenau in Poland.
The director of the museum had some issues with this.
From Haaretz:
The National Museum of Auschwitz-Birkenau
deplores the demonstration of Israeli military
might in this place,” the museum said in a
statement issued Wednesday.
“It’s a cemetery, a place of silence and
concentration,” museum spokesman Jaroslaw
Mensfelt said by telephone.
“Flying the [F-15s] is a demonstration of
military might which is an entirely
inappropriate way to commemorate the victims.”
The pilots of the planes were piloted by descendants of victims and survivors of the Holocaust. I can’t think of a more appropriate tribute.
Perhaps the director’s issues with this comes from the fact that Poland fell to the Germans within three weeks and the Jewish fighters of the Warsaw ghetto held them off for over forty days in the Warsaw ghetto.
Anyway, want to talk about inappropriateness? How about the Auschwitz-Birkenau gift shop?
Speaking of the Holocaust, I’ll be flying to Germany on Saturday. I’m apprehensive to call it a vacation considering it involves work. I struggled for about an hour whether to go or not (yeah, deep thinking). I never had the desire or drive to go before considering the nazi’s wiped out my family. But there will be a historical/education aspect to my trip.
Obviously I can’t blame the young folk of Germany for the crimes of their fathers so I decided to go. What will prove to be interesting is how I actually feel when I am there…
Wow. Lots of changes went on when I was away.
Alisa decided to come home, the Head Heeb jumped to blogmosis and there is a new kid on the block, Israellycool.
Links have been adjusted accordingly. Anything else happen while I was in limbo?
Superstar!
Back online and now in Modi’in
Wow. FINALLY back online. This blogging break was totally unintentional. I was without a TV or internet access for about a month and a half. It wasn’t easy. I did sleep a lot more which was nice, but I’m thankful for technology.
We were living on Abraham Lincoln street or as they say in Hebrew “AVRAHAM LINCOLIN.” It’s located right behind the YMCA in Jerusalem. It was weird being back in town. First of all the noise. The ambient noise which probably doesn’t affect most city-dwellers was a bit too much on my ears. I got used to the quiet of life on a moshav.
I must say I enjoyed the time we spent sitting on the porch watching people go by. Bibi and Sarah even took a shabbat stroll by our place. Colorful characters would ask for directions, stare, say hello or just yell at my dogs.
Another bonus was living near Cafe Hess. A wonderful cafe down the block. The owner Gilad is a real mensch and has created a beautiful neighborhood cafe where I got a cup of coffee nearly every morning.
My dogs weren’t so impressed with the holy city. Too many noises to startle them and not enough space. Thankfully in our new home in Modi’in we have a substantial garden for them to play in.
Good times. Good times. Noodle pudding.
Consider this a new beginning. I’m back and I have a ton of shit to talk about and will probably need some DIY advice.
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