Solo Living, Travel, Mom Blogs!

Written by: SmileK 6/29/2007 10:02:07 AM
The True Cost of Freedom:

A week ago Thursday gays and lesbians marched down King David Street in Jerusalem to the consternation of many local haredi Jews, plus a few Christians and Moslems who considered such a parade inappropriate in a holy city. While democracy is about one man – one vote (hopefully more than just one time), freedom is about the ability to express yourself in public and not get thrown in jail -- or worse. Israel is a democracy AND a free country. Israel grants its citizens the right and the opportunity to freely express themselves, even if it is against the government or contrary to the wishes of other groups. Despite several petitions against the march the Israel High Court of Justice allowed it. So what is the TRUE cost of freedom in Israel? In this case, 8000 police, border guards, and army personnel were needed to provide security for 2000 marchers down a 500 meter (about 1700 feet) route at a cost of over $3 million. Regardless of your point of view, you must admit that true freedom is well worth that price.

Play Ball

What a thrill to join over 3000 people at the very first professional baseball game held in Israel. “They” built it – and “we” came. The opener was held at Israel’s finest baseball “stadium” (bleachers for 400 and plastic chairs for 2600) at K'far Ha’Baptistim. Yes, there is a Baptist village in Israel and “they” built a beautiful baseball field. The pre-game festivities included the introduction of the players on all six teams. 120 players from 8 countries. The Jerusalem Post reported that 18% of the players are Israeli and that the majority of the players are of “Jewish affiliation”. Is “affiliation” the new “persuasion”? There were about a dozen players from South Florida as well as many from other parts of the USA -- also quite a few from the Dominican Republic. When it came time to sing the national anthem the crowd rose but did NOT remove their hats. Everyone sang “Hatikva” and we all knew that we were seeing history in the making.

Sarah Golda Spira got autographs from everybody and nobody all at the same time. Hopefully, someday these nobody’s will become somebody’s.

Players in the Israel Baseball League (IBL) get $2000 for the season plus expenses. They all seem thrilled to participate. The opening game proceeded quite normally with the Modi’in Miracle jumping out to a quick 7-0 lead. As the Petach Tikva Pioneers came to bat in the 4th inning someone behind their dugout shouted, “Mincha, Mincha”, at which point a dozen or so fans gathered and began reciting the afternoon service. During the Amida, the silent devotion, there was a loud crack of the bat when the Pioneers’ Ryan Crotin from Amherst, NY hit the league’s first home run and put Petach Tikva on the scoreboard. How much do you think George Steinbrenner would pay to get those minyun guys to a Yankee game?

Apples and Apples – Israeli’s and Americans?

Prior to 1492 there was not a single person of European descent whose feet had ever touched the soil of what is now North or South America. In spite of that, the current government of the United States is composed mainly of people of European descent with values based on the Judeo-Christian ethos. Prior to the 20th century there were a significant number of Jews who lived in what is now the land of Israel and whose ancestors lived there for several thousand years. Starting with the First Aliyah in 1882 Jews from Europe also began to “settle” in the land of Israel. The current government of Israel is also composed of many people of European descent with values based on the Jewish ethos. While Europeans have migrated and “settled” in the Americas as well as in the land of Israel, there is no question that the Jews had a historical presence in Israel prior to the First Aliyah migration. The same cannot be said for the Europeans who migrated to the Americas. In each case, the Europeans who “settled” in their new lands built thriving open societies with opportunities for all; something the indigenous people were not able to do, despite having populated those regions for thousands of years. That said, it is astounding that anyone living in America could take the side of the Palestinians and give credence to the Arab world’s exclusive claim to the land between the Jordan and the Mediterranean. To do so is to give the American Indians the very same claim to the land between the Atlantic and the Pacific. Apples and apples! It is time to live in the present and stop trying to turn back the clock to 1966 or 1947 or 1881 or 1775 or 1491. Otherwise Europe might find itself faced with the mind-boggling prospect of absorbing a few hundred million people –- “settlers” from Israel AND America.

My 15 Minutes Intact:

Wearing my Marlins jersey to the opening game of the Israel Baseball League got me a TV interview with a local English language camera crew. I made some complimentary remarks about the whole experience and how surreal it was to be at a baseball game in Israel. When asked if I had any final thoughts, I said, “Hank Greenberg must be kvelling.” I thought that would clinch getting the interview on the air. Afterward I asked the crew when and where my interview would be broadcast. It turned out to be for a Christian news station that competes with “The 700 Club”, an evangelical TV program in America. So the Talmudic question is: If none of my friends actually see this interview, does it count against my 15 minutes of fame?

Update #4:

The pace has slowed, but just a bit. This week we visited the Elvis Café (Yes, his maternal grandmother was Jewish.), Neve Zedek neighborhood in Tel Aviv, David’s Citadel (The museum of the 3000-year history of Jerusalem), Brooklyn Bakery in Geula, Mea She’arim neighborhood, views of Tel Aviv from the 49th floor observatory of the Azrieli Mall and triple towers (Tallest in the Middle East. On a clear day you can almost see Miami.), Herzlia Marina and Mall, sunset on the beach in North Tel Aviv, Aharonsohn/NILI Spy Museum and First Aliyah Museum in Zichron Ya’akov, Choconoy Chocolate Factory, and IKEA -- plus all sorts of meals with Israeli and American friends. We are looking forward to an all-Kuttler Shabbat with family, and then back to reality.

Return to Top

Please credit sololady.com when sending out info from this site.


HOME PAGE ABOUT US BLOGS MESSAGES E-MAIL OTHERS ABOUT OUR SITE

Solo Lady Blog Topics

Israel Diary

Return to Top

HOME | PRIVACY POLICY | ABOUT US | CONTACT US ©2008 www.sololady.com

HOME | PRIVACY POLICY | ABOUT US | CONTACT US

©2008 www.sololady.com