Is Raf OK? -- Installment #23
2023-11-02 -- Tel Aviv
Wrote 500 ish words in the morning. Now it’s 12:30, just back from Lockeroom aka "The Frecha Studio". Not my favorite studio, but for a late-sleeping-blogger their locations and schedule work. And: Crazy reformer pilates workouts. Bonkers.
Done & Seen
Language school went apace last night. Walking back had dinner at a new Argentinian place: Franco & Lili's on Kikar Rabin. Franco from Argentina and Lili from France.
It's a new "spouse and spouse" place. I think they opened right when the war started. Chatted up Lili when walking by last week "What is good here?" So last night I stopped in and sampled.
A few blocks down, a bakery was closing (at 7:30PM on a Wednesday night in Tel Aviv? Ouch. Not normal). "We aren't serving coffee now, but pastries are one and one" (e.g. two for the price of one). Two small pastries for me. Yum!
Going home down Dizengoff:
Felt
Back pain.
Raf? Back pain? Yup. Started a week or two ago. Life changed: A lot less yoga. A lot more hours at this laptop. My rig isn't just a laptop (of course). The laptop itself is up on a stand, and I use a big keyboard and proper mouse.
But it is still sitting on my ass. My back finally spoke up.
The background plot to get a proper standing desk has not yet happened. So, back to the future: Box Desk!
Observed
Construction
I thought construction would halt. Yet activity is observed. From my apartment window I hear a jackhammer. Yesterday I saw a grout pump make a nice arch.
Received
Requests for help
There are a lot of messages like this. Businesses of all kinds seek help, because their labor has been called up for reserves, walled off in Gaza, or _____:
בוקר טוב, בקשת עזרה בהולה שהגיעה. לחקלאי אין אף מתנדב היום🍓🍓 יהודה יפרח המקסים עובד כרגע לבד בחלקת התותים בעין שריד. החלקה הזו היא כל חייו. מי שיכול להגיע לעזור לו, נשמח מאוד! אפשר לתקשר אליו 050-5_____7
פשוט קחו את הרכב וסעו. יהודה ואנחנו נודה לכם
בואו לא נשאיר אותו לבד
Good morning, a request for help with Hula has arrived. The farmer doesn't have a single volunteer today🍓🍓 The charming Yehuda Yfarah is currently working alone in the strawberry plot in Ein Sharid. This plot is his whole life. Anyone who can come help him, we will be very happy! You can call him at 050-52_-____
Just take the car and drive. Yehuda and we will thank you
Let's not leave him alone
The Situation
In Maps -- Quasi-Explicit
This 3-D map shows the impact on towns and villages in an infographic. Click here to open.
Rockets
Wry Comment from M.T.
Observation on the number of bombs being tossed around:
[Hamas is] running neck and neck with the Israelis in terms of numbers, they just have no shelters, iron dome, and no aim (M.T.)
More Iron Dome
Everything you can see in these clips are Iron Dome interceptors (these clips from cities nearer to Gaza):
Rocket
Near Miss On A Road 2 Days Ago
Rockets Being Launched
Early in the war, I read an account by a Gaza resident from October 7. He spoke of being wakened by massive launches of rockets and could tell they were not tests being sent out to sea. He knew that meant his neighborhood would be destroyed and there would be misery. Here is one view of what that looks like. (From an Arabic news source.):
Hamas “Borrows” Fuel From Hospitals
The term "human shield" isn't up to the task. Tunnels and command centers built under hospitals? Using emergency room electrical panels to power the Hamas military apparatus? Stealing diesel fuel meant for pumping water?
Send candidate new terminology. I’ll share anything useful. (With attribution.)
Here is a release from monitored communications about Hamas coming at night to take 1000's of liters of diesel fuel:
The IDF spokesman revealed to the international media - this is how the terrorist organization Hamas steals fuel from the hospitals in the Gaza Strip, at the expense of the humanitarian needs of the residents of Gaza
The exposed conversation between the commander of the West Jabaliya battalion of Hamas and a Gazan, with the participation of the director of the Indonesian hospital, is further proof of Hamas's cynical use of humanitarian resources in the Gaza Strip. In addition, the conversation confirms that the terrorist organization Hamas controls the existing energy resources in the Gaza Strip and chooses to channel them for its operational needs at the expense of the needs of the civilian population.
This 90 second clip is a conversation within the last few days about how it is arranged (in Arabic with English subtitles)
(Yes, Raf is following a feed from Arabic sources that includes some IDF Spokesperson releases.)
Behind The Scenes: Morgue Becomes CSI
This Washington Post write up is on the mind here. (Not the write up, the contents.) (PDF here if access is blocked.)
On The News: Military Casualties
Israeli news is full of fallen soldiers. In Gaza.
Watched
I wrote recently of my Uncle Victor, an Israeli who worked for, made, peace his whole life. Here is another peacemaker. 2.5 minutes long. In English. Some graphic clips start 80 seconds in.
Relief Area
Alef
In the bathroom at ulpan:
כאן מותר לעשן, יום כן יום לא, היום לא!!! י
Smoking permitted here! Some days yes. Some No. TODAY NO!
Bet
Gimmel
Dalet
Dark humor, “in the name of Zaka” (the organization that collects dead bodies):
We would rather work with 1000 terrorists than a single Jew.
I am going to the beach.
Love from Tel Aviv.
Raf
(Thanks to A.K. and M.T. for content and feedback.)