Thank you all for several constructive notes since #15. It means a lot. To add people to this list: Self serve! Send the link to https://zimberdvar.substack.com -- and anyone can self subscribe there. Or send me the email address like you have been. It is touching that these essays are meaningful.
Done
Starting the day in Jerusalem. Made a shiva call. A שיבעה רגילה - "a regular shiva" as someone there said. The deceased: Grandfather of teenagers. The bereaved: A friend, a peer of mine. The grandfather died in the hospital. Was admitted a day or two before October 7. My friend was there on October 7. Helicopters started arriving with wounded from the area around Gaza. The hospital speakers blared a call for blood donors. My friend donated blood for the first time in his life.[1] Hospital staff (to whom the announcement was directed) lined up to donate.
Heard
Speaking of hospitals, a healthy double digit percentage of doctors, nurses and pharmacists in Israeli hospitals are Israeli Arabs. (So high that it is a kind of joke. An episode featuring Israeli Arabs on the reality show "Excuse me, I have a Question" [has English subtitles, may require Israel IP] has the question: "Why are you all [Israeli Arabs] pharmacists?") Anyway, one of the visitors at the shiva had baby girl two days ago. At the Hadassah hospital on Har Hatzofim. A chunk of the staff there is Israeli Arab. I was told Israeli Jews are avoiding that hospital the past two weeks. He reported that the place was quiet, empty ish.
The epidural was done by an Arab doctor who was great.
Seen
Speaking of Shiva, this is the Jewish ritual when someone dies. The word "Shiva" means the number seven, which is the number of days the family sits. Immediate family members "sit shiva." Visitors (friends, family, community members) come. In Jewish communities around the world, it is common to put up a notice of some kind. In Israel, the house where mourning is happening gets a notice that looks like this:
The deceased grew up in Calcutta/Kolkata (India). Hundreds (or thousands, I have not researched in detail) of Jewish families from Iraq went to India in the late 18th and 19th centuries. In the 1960's, he migrated to London, where my friend was born and grew up. The family bakery business in Kolkata yet thrives: Nahoum and Sons. (Heck, it’s even on Trip Advisor.)
Being in the home of Sephardic Jews, food is front and center. Pastries. Burekas. The paper goods are, understandably, reused from an earlier event. I notice the napkins:
That says גיוס קל - May your entry into military service be easy. (Literally: "an easy draft into the army.") Raf comment: At a shiva? OK. During wartime? _________
At one point all the visitors are between 45 and 60 and all (excepting yours truly) are discussing where their military-aged children are serving.
I am going to have some lunch and head for the train station. Back to Tel Aviv. Hebrew class this eve.
The Jerusalem train station is essentially empty. Kiosks closed. (None of this is normal.)
My fast take is that the Jerusalem station is running fewer routes than normal. The Herzilia to Jerusalem is running. That’s the one I use.
Billboard
On the way to Tel Aviv, I see a huge billboard: ביבי מה אתה עשית? Bibi (Netanyahu), what have you done? (Apologies no photo).
Felt
The first week: Shock. The second week: Search for equilibrium. Third week (now): Facts in the face. The amazing speech at the U.N. by Rachel Polin Goldberg? (Link and more below.)
She is close friends with my new (ish) circle in Jerusalem. The boy she mentions, who threw grenades out of the shelter? I have had multiple meals and parties with people who know him well. An elite military unit that jumped into action the day of the attack and took heavy casualties? The son of old friends in Seattle serves in that unit. He happened to be on leave that day.
Eaten
I walked home from Hebrew class down Dizengoff. Two thirds of cafe's are open. The grill I was looking for was open.
Felt x 2 (Emotionally heavy - skip if appropriate)
At Dizengoff Square, there was something that hit hard (1 minute).
Further Reading
If you have yet to see the speech of Rachel Polin Goldberg at the U.N., now is the time. It is the strongest ten minutes you are likely to find this month. (The next Prime Minister?)
Relief Area
Alef
A couple days ago, Raf thought this was funny (so did a few readers!):
A reader (M.T.) notes: Hey, just 'cause it walks and quacks English-like doesn't mean it's actually English....
OK, Mordechai, you're right too… <g> San Gorg and San Gorg and more San Gorg
(And thank you!)
Bet
A box of cookies sent to soldiers:
אומנם אני לא מהחמאס אבל אני אוהבת שקושרים אותי
שרופים עליכם אלופים שלנו
"Even though I am not from Hamas, I love to be tied up. We are crazy about you. You're our heroes.
Gimmel
Over two hundred thousand Israelis are displaced from their homes. In the south, from the cities and towns near Gaza. In the north, away from the escalating conflict with Hezbolah on the Lebanon border. They are living in hotels, unused apartments, and moved in with families who have space. A polished three minute video about one of the (many) support organizations handling the logistics of this displacement.
(Thank you A.K. for helping me parse the Hebrew and the introductions.)
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[1]
Turns out my friend tried to donate in the past, but was ineligible for having lived in London during the Creutzfeldt-Jakob/"Mad Cow" years. This ineligibility phased out some years back. Then he was denied on the basis of travel to India. Took a war to "get to yes."
Speaking of, the mother of a high school classmate (and friend) of mine died of Creutzfeldt-Jakob. Went to London for a two week vacation. Her husband: Unscathed.