Mommmmmmm! The TV's on strike again!

While there are commercial stations in Israel and any number of satelite and cable providers, Channel One is still one of the mainstays of Israeli TV. But it is a government channel, and so, when a strike is called, the station lets everyone know. And that's all they do until the strike is over. Here in Israel, Unions actually have some power. Yes, that does lead to occasional abuses and bullying by the Histadrut, and can lead to a bad situation for new teachers and other workers who are unable to change their fields because union regulations protect kludges and insiders. Blah, blah, blah. What is amazing is that Unions still work here, and that occasionally, the whole nation can come to focus on a group of people who would otherwise be ignored- and in the united states would be fired or left working for nothing. Its a legacy left from Israel's formative socialist days, and it is a significant difference between life here and anywhere else.

On the other hand, I won't get to watch the Simpsons tonight if the government workers don't get paid. Bastards! Arrrrrgh!

TV Screen reads "Today, Thursday, March 29th, a strike has begun in all government offices for all national services. The strike has been approved by the Histadrut [of] Government Workers.

Halva break.

With "Passover Madness" about to grip the city of Jerusalem, this shabbat is a calm before the storm. The whole city is a bit more quiet than usual, and from outside the school windows you can hear schoolkids (at the "dati" or religious schools) singing "Mah Nishtanah" and other seder classics.

While many products in the stores (photos to be posted soon) are already K-4-P, the real onslaught begins after shabbat. Matzot are in the stores, but not so much Matzo Meal. Soup mix but not cakes. Seasonings, but not dressings. That changes come sunday. Of course, for passover here the Salatim do NOT get made with cottonseed oil, which not only has to have a toxin removed from it to be eaten, but also has the most unhealthy balance of omega-6 to omega-3 you can find in an oil. Better you should eat butter. Of course since Israel is a Sephardi/Eydot Hamizrach kind of country, the Chummus is already marked Kosher for passover, as are cans of beans and other kitniyot-based dishes.

So enjoy a slice of Halva before all hell breaks loose. Marble Coffee? Mixed Fruit? There are so many kinds to choose from, but the regular favorite of many halva junkies is the layers of chocolate and vanilla halva separated and enrobed in thick chocolate icing. I think that one's a bit rich even for my sweet-tooth, but I haven't tried them all yet. It would take years.

The halva stand is run by a intimidating guy who has a LOUD voice (as so many hawkers in the market do); his head is clean shaven, he's all muscle and he does not smile when on the job. He has a giant 14" chef's knife in hand at most times, which is only one hilt away from a short sword. Put this all together and you would think that you would never want to buy from this guy. But he will let you try any flavor, he always has a plate of samples ready, and if you are a repeat customer, he will often shave you off a slice to wolf down as he carves out an order for someone else. What's not to love?

a case of Hamentaschen-itis

Purim comes at the end of Israel’s version of winter (known as autumn north of the Mason-Dixon line), which means that all the “limited edition” chocolate bars are still around: Pesek Zman bars with orange or coconut, Elite chocolate with liqueur filling, etc. Rest assured these things find their way into Mishloach Manot. People in Jerusalem can be seen delivering their “shaloch-monis” the day before Sushan Purim, if not a bit earlier. People double park, have their kids run in, or just walk them to the intended recipients, costumes and all.

As I noted in a prior post, for all their prickly protests, Israelis really are sweet-at-heart sabras when it comes to Purim. The holiday has the mass appeal of Halloween in the US. But the tenor of Purim day is so different from All Hallows Eve; and I think part of that has to do with the joy – and frustration- of Mishloach Manot. In many ways, putting the little sacks and baskets of food are a lesson. A set of lessons, actually, some of which are annoying and others are very Jewish.

Having worked very hard with ribbon, fruit and cellophane, you often deliver your hard work to those whose reaction you will never know; your pride and joy quickly becomes another basket in the pile in front of the door. They are out delivering too (and sometimes you are at each other's doors at the same minute). You just leave it and hope that the friends you are giving a basket to are going to enjoy it.
Lesson: It is worthwhile to enjoy giving for giving’s sake, and giving without being asked is important.

Sometimes there is a knock at the door and you are given Shaloch-monis, and you are completely unprepared for it. Who would have thought they had you on their list? And because it is a surprise, you have to quickly assemble something for them. Its always under pressure, because they have 12 more homes to reach and need to go, and you just put in 3 oranges and a head of garlic in with the chocolate because its all you could think of…. Or you ran out of stuff, because you only made 4 extras and stand there sheepishly.
Lesson: Be prepared. Also, sometimes there are good surprises.

There are deliveries to an aged relative, or someone living alone, or new in town, or going through trouble. Then give your little plate of treats, and get you see their face light up, frowns are erased, and it can take 20 minutes to get out because they are so glad to see you. And you would never get to see this if you didn’t give without being asked.
Lesson: Sometimes there are good surprises- and sometimes you get to deliver them.

At some point in the day you will deliver to someone whose door is barricaded by bags of stuff. And not just a few small packages, but envy inducing towers, expertly wrapped and dressed. These are filled with good wine, an entire salami, hand made truffles and fluorescent tinged candies in imperial tiers of cavity causing glory. Next to those, your hard work seems to be nothing more than a dinky, ugly little bit of gournisht. And when you come back to your door, the collection of deliveries nestled there seems shvach and meager. But you do your best to be thankful, as you know that there are those who have gotten no baskets, bowls, or plates.
Lesson: Sometimes its hard not to be jealous or resentful. But you do your best anyway.

Sometimes people don’t think of you and it hurts; and sometimes you forget others, and they are hurt. Does it really matter that much you didn’t get another orange and two candy bars? Yes, it does. Is Uncle Leroy that hurt? Yes, he is.
Lesson: Details matter. Being forgotten by someone occasionally helps you not to do the same to others.

Halloween is oft compared to Purim, because of the Costumes and candy. But the resemblance is superficial. Halloween’s necrophobia aside, at the core of that day for most kids is the call of “Trick or Treat,” which in these days has devolved into a form of extortion. Give us a treat, or we’ll play a trick on you. But unlike the blackmail that is implied with “Trick or treat”, Mishloach Manot teach a complex set of life lessons. Sometimes you are surprised and sometimes you are disappointed; you will give to those who do not thank, and be unable to thank those who give; yet you try your best to share what you have with those you love and those you live near.

It is hard to teach a child all of that, especially since they know that you have to share the Mishloach Manot with everyone at home, but their Trick-or-Treat candy is usually theirs and theirs alone. Parents of Jewish children outside of Israel have a simple choice to make; emphasize modern Halloween with its fear, extortion, and selfishness; or give real effort to teach Purim’s charity, generosity, patience and thankfulness. You would think the choice would be a clear one for them.

Perhaps they never packed a car full of paper baskets (leaden with brownies and nuts) into the trunk of the car with thier dad, costume under coat to protect against the cold march air, racing in and out of the car's warmth to cram a bundle of generosity between the doors of a cousin or freind. The only thing more sad than the fact that so many Jewish parents grew up without Mishloach Manot is the fact that so many are unwilling to give the tradition a try. Perhaps next Purim will be different for some of them. Then they too can join in that happy refrain:

For the Jews there was light, joy, gladness and honor.
( So may it be with us!)

Hava Narisha? Rash-Rash-Rash.

Its tempting to say “wow, look at all the crazy Purim stuff in Jerusalem! Its so zany! So wacky! You would never believe it!” But aside from the Lunar Eclipse tonight (which should reach totality some time around 1am), there’s not much going on that’s really unusual.

True, there are the fire-crackers. Unlike in other parts of the Jewish world, Purim seems to be a time when Jerusalem boys aged 11-15 are left alone to play with matches and M-80 firecrackers. You don’t need to have taught middle school to know this is a bad idea. The irregular bursts of bangs and explosions are ignored by everyone, include many police. The cops have their limits- one young pyromaniac set off a small detonation near a costume parade- he was shortly being frisked and detained in what was surely a moment of glee for his teachers.

Jerusalem is of course celebrating Purim one day later- a real “Sushan Purim” at last! This means a day off for most to shop, send mishloach manot, and try and find a costume that won’t dissolve if it gets wet (usually, it rains on purim). There are large community readings and parties, with information plastered on billboards and in the case of the Messianistic Chabaniks, screaming the info from Cars rigged with speakers.

Yes, there are carnivals and costumes in the area. It is a reminder that here Judaism is the popular/ majority culture; yet these bits of merriment do not produce the surreal sense of otherness that one gets on Yom Kippur, when major streets are flooded with white-clad residents, or when the adhan of the Mosques of Jerusalem comes flooding in at 5 a.m. It is a bit touching, actually, how even at the bakery people are into the spirit of the day, as are medical receptionists, staff at restaurants, and even security guards. Everyday people putting a bit of purim carnival sprit into their work. That’s not incredibly zany or wacky or crazy.

But it sure is fun.

Purim Sameach!