so what's going on??
i am feeling down in the dumps these days.
i feel israel is on the brink of a real explosion. like some horror sci fi movie scene, the forces of evil seem to be gathering frightening momentum. we've had hordes of ultra orthodox going crazy on the streets, throwing stones, hitting cops, creating total havoc, in DEFENCE of a woman who almost starved her child to death! and why?? simply because she was "part of THEM"! what the hell is THEM for god's sake?? does being part of THEM justify murder?? shouldn't a court of law be the judge of that?? i am appalled and horrified. and the treatment of foreign workers here is beyond belief, beyond disgust. if they would have passed that law about evicting the children of foreign workers born in israel from this country, i would have ripped up my passport. enough is enough. and add the horrible murder of those young homosexuals in TA and the murderer still on the loose!! i mean, who needs terrorist bombers when we have all this?? i don't know what's going on. it's just appalling. but you know how the hebrew saying goes, the fish stinks from its head.i feel the present government is such a pathetic failure they should all go home NOW, staring with Netanyahu the zero and followed by his criminal entourage led by the psychopath Liberman and the fascist Eli Yishai. HOME.
sadly, besides Livni (possibly), there is not a ray of light in parliament to replace them. darkness all around.
so what do i hang on to?
i look close to home. i shut off the tv and search for hope in the boring mundane actions of stubborn people who won't give up..
like my friend Issam who escaped from gaza and is now living in ramallah, who against all odds created a summer camp for kids form ramallah and sderot who spent 2 weeks of the summer together. he said it was a blast (no pun intended :-)
like my friend ofer bronstein who travels ceaselessly to an fro talking to this side and that, bringing people together, fusing, mending, building bridges.
like the incredible "parent's circle", amazing people , bereaved families who have paid the highest price as a result of this conflict, arabs and jews dedicated to peace against all odds.
these and many more like them are my heros.
i salute you!!!!
and now, i'll go to sleep. tomorrow my daughter turns 5. we'll sing and dance and eat choclate cake. she wanted fairies for her birthday. she likes to dream. like her mom.
may she grow to see better days than these.
good night.
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Oh Dear,
ReplyDeleteYour message upsets and frightens me. Such a difference with your previous post, just a few days ago.
We all know and understand that artists are particularly concerned and sensitive persons, but the situation you describe is very serious indeed. You compare it with a movie scene,... it reminds me of Assi Dayan's "Ha chayim alpi Agfa". At least, at the end of this so brilliant but so hard B&W movie, you see a ray of light and colour through an open window. Let's hope someone will open that window and that the (near)future may then look brighter for you in Israel.
After the last elections, I immediately thought that the presence of such morons in your government would only bring chaos. It is such a dramatic paradox to see these a..e-h...s (both non religious as far as I know) team up with the ultra orthodox to threaten the state of Israel from the inside, but it is no surprise.
Hopefully, Israeli artists are there to give a better, more positive image of their country. Thanks to YOU, Mira, Gil, ... and others, ... Avishai Cohen to name only one (now playing on my Ipod),for showing us the beautiful, friendly side of Israel.
You all do so much more for your tiny piece of land, than all those corrupt politicians will ever do.
P.S: sorry for the length of this comment!
When looking for 'light' in politics, one needs to consider disposing of ones philosophical baggage:
ReplyDelete1. Acting peacefully in the face of a murderous enemy is best
2. Assume that finding warm human connections among ones adversaries, 'proves' that peace is possible
3. Belief that music and song heal political wounds and make people more resonable.
Finding warm connections with moderate Arabs is wonderful, of course, but puts our Arab friends in danger, as their society rewards such acts as treason. Who is safer, you or she?
Don't get me wrong, please keep on singing of peace and love with anyone you can. Peace will prevail at some point. But if you're looking for a solution to the problem, Netanyahu is not the enemy of peace. However, the Palestinian polity is. Until our Arab friends are a majority and force change among their leaders we are stuck in the position of defeating their chosen leaders.
That is just as much light as singing of peace.
Hi Noa, I'm so sorry you're feeling down. I knew you'd be posting soon about the shootings of those young gay people in Tel Aviv. Around the world people were shocked. And I'd read about that poor child. But the Jewish ultra-orthodox were ever thus. Here in London a few years ago we had them protecting a paedophile for the same reason that he was one of 'them'.
ReplyDeleteBut Noa, nothing has really changed. A sense of perspective is needed now,for your sanity. Religious extremists of every kind, Christian, Islamists, whatever, have always been disgusting, preaching everything except what their founders believed in - which is LOVE! And as to the shooting, it was just one man. Yes, I know you have your homophobic politicians fuelling this kind of hate, but it happens everywhere. I'm gay, but societies in every country are changing for the better. Here I've gone from being a social pariah to becoming a fashion accessory! (I jest,people are not as patronising as that!). Life is so much easier in general for us, people are so much more tolerant and understanding compared to how it was when I was younger and the outpouring of love in Israel for gay people - even condemnation of the shooting from your ultra-orthodox party - is heartening. These things take time. Please try, as I'm sure you're already doing - to focus at this difficult time on what you love, your husband and children, friends from both sides of the divide, your wonderful gifts that you are able to share. And thankyou too for your support of Mira. I've just received Bahlawan from Israel-music and it's stunningly beautiful.
If it's any consolation, it's pissing it down here in London! In August, the height of our summer, ha ha! I'm sitting in the dark in my garden under a parasol, but raindrops are plopping on to my keyboard. I've been to Israel and it's beautiful. You're lucky in many ways to live there. Keep believing in yourself and what you believe in. Much love, Anne
Hi Noa,
ReplyDeleteAs a mother and as an artist, you must be really exposed by all this injustice.
To listen to your songs, the beauty of words, of music helps us, people touched by your music, to keep faith in the human beings, and you have to find the ressources too, to keep faith. By cherishing your family, the sheer moments of joy spent with them, what the nature offer.
I hope you won't let all these things get you down, the most important things for you is you, your children, your husband.
Have a good week-end, take care,
Dorothée