More months have gone by without me tending to the blog that no one reads anymore. It's as if this blog has lost its reason for existence. Kind of like Israel itself. JUST KIDDING GUYS.
Tel Aviv has felt fabulous to me lately, and I even found edible Mexican food here. (This was the biggest revelation of the year.)
The Pixies show was cancelled but at least I saved $100 (that is, if I ever get my ass to go get the money refunded.)
And I'm very proud of myself because I haven't watched the new season of Survivor (Israeli version) at all. This kind of only happened because the cable company blocked our pirated cable connection, but ya know.
Despite all the annoying tourists, summer is magic, as always. Feels strange that I've been living in the TLV for a year and a half now. WTF? I haven't even learned any new army abbreves yet!
I haven't written here in a while because the whole flotilla incident made me full of rage all the time and I couldn't really handle writing anything besides "jakdgjoiu!k3432udsjn,xksdj1". I hadn't been politically involved for a few months before it happened, and I kinda sprung back into action after that. I just so angry and couldn't stop thinking about politics/war/etc. I went to protests for the sole reason that my yelling would be encouraged and accepted. And now I'm worried I'm getting complacent again. It's so hard for me not to feel like everything is completely hopeless and wonder what difference I can even make. Worst of all, I feel like I've been directing the bulk of my anger at American activists and their seeming stupidity, which is really kind of unconnected and is totally just me projecting. They're not the enemy, but sometimes I act like it anyway. I need to work my shit out. And maybe one day, in the near or far future, a coherent post will appear on this here blog and all will be well.
Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Monday, October 26, 2009
And to Think, I Don't Even LIKE Hummus That Much
Hello! My friend Chris just sent me an article about another flare-up in the hummus war between Israel and the rest of the Middle East (link here), and now I'm all upset, so I'd like to speak more about my feelings about hummus wars.
Look, I am not the biggest fan of Israeli hasbara and marketing around the world. And I do understand that some of the history of hummus in Israel comes from early Israeli settlers' (mostly European and Russian) glorifying/orientalizing/co-opting Arab identity. And yes, I am aware that Ashkenazi hegemony isn't going away any time soon.
But history-of-Zionism aside, currently more than 50% of Israelis are Middle Eastern Jews (unless stats have changed). Unless hummus and falafel were only eaten by non-Jews in the Middle East historically, which I really doubt since they are completely kosher, MOST ISRAELIS' FAMILIES WERE EATING THESE FOODS BEFORE THE CREATION OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL.
Denying the Israeliness of hummus and falafel is denying its Mizrahiness. While early Zionist settlers were European idealists braving the "exotic" desert, most Jews who live in Israel in the present have grandparents who probably spoke more Arabic than Hebrew.
So seriously, stop pretending that all us "Zionists" came from Europe and that we "put mayonnaise on our falafel" (this is what the people making fun of me on facebook for my falafel group said! harumph!).
Most of us JOOS are actually JEWISH ARABS. Get over it. MOST JEWS IN ISRAEL DID NOT ACTUALLY COME FROM EUROPE. Get over it. I mean, seriously, cancel that yoga class you scheduled with Ben Gurion in Be'er Sheba tomorrow and stop pretending it's the 1940s.
For more research on hummus wars, here are a couple of good articles.
!!!!!
Look, I am not the biggest fan of Israeli hasbara and marketing around the world. And I do understand that some of the history of hummus in Israel comes from early Israeli settlers' (mostly European and Russian) glorifying/orientalizing/co-opting Arab identity. And yes, I am aware that Ashkenazi hegemony isn't going away any time soon.
But history-of-Zionism aside, currently more than 50% of Israelis are Middle Eastern Jews (unless stats have changed). Unless hummus and falafel were only eaten by non-Jews in the Middle East historically, which I really doubt since they are completely kosher, MOST ISRAELIS' FAMILIES WERE EATING THESE FOODS BEFORE THE CREATION OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL.
Denying the Israeliness of hummus and falafel is denying its Mizrahiness. While early Zionist settlers were European idealists braving the "exotic" desert, most Jews who live in Israel in the present have grandparents who probably spoke more Arabic than Hebrew.
So seriously, stop pretending that all us "Zionists" came from Europe and that we "put mayonnaise on our falafel" (this is what the people making fun of me on facebook for my falafel group said! harumph!).
Most of us JOOS are actually JEWISH ARABS. Get over it. MOST JEWS IN ISRAEL DID NOT ACTUALLY COME FROM EUROPE. Get over it. I mean, seriously, cancel that yoga class you scheduled with Ben Gurion in Be'er Sheba tomorrow and stop pretending it's the 1940s.
For more research on hummus wars, here are a couple of good articles.
!!!!!
Friday, May 22, 2009
The Transitions in This Blog Post Are Lacking
Things have been rather quiet on ye olde mfthewebsite. That's because one of my only readers, my little sister, is visiting me from Obamaland. I "blog" to her on a regular basis by "talking," so "blogging" seems rather redundant.
I will say this, though: Visiting your favorite serene artists' village is not as fun once you realize the artists created this village by taking over "abandoned" Arab houses. The visit is further dampened by your realization that all the Arab owners of the houses live 5 minutes away in a makeshift village of their own.
But the Dada museum in the Ein Hod Artists' Village is still pretty cool. Check it out.
I will also say this: The Survivor finale is coming up, and I barely even care who's going to win. What is happening to the world? And how will I pass the time after Survivor ends? Only time will tell.
I will finish with this video:
Reason for video: An obnoxious blond with a Paris-Hilton-like baby voice and a tiny puppy was parading herself around the cafe where my sister and I were eating breakfast. After a while, I realized she was Rony Superstar, the lamest Israeli pop sensation of all time, and singer of the "song" in the video above. I'm still embarrassed by the lameness level of Israeli celebs I recognize.
Oh, that reminds me: I went to see Yona Wallach: The Play the other day. They actually performed Tefillin (though without the last stanza for some reason). And they performed Strawberries, one of my favorite poems. The play was aight, though I think they could've done a lot more with the poems. I also think I should've been able to watch Tefillin performed without giggling. This was not the case, unfortch.
I will say this, though: Visiting your favorite serene artists' village is not as fun once you realize the artists created this village by taking over "abandoned" Arab houses. The visit is further dampened by your realization that all the Arab owners of the houses live 5 minutes away in a makeshift village of their own.
But the Dada museum in the Ein Hod Artists' Village is still pretty cool. Check it out.
I will also say this: The Survivor finale is coming up, and I barely even care who's going to win. What is happening to the world? And how will I pass the time after Survivor ends? Only time will tell.
I will finish with this video:
Reason for video: An obnoxious blond with a Paris-Hilton-like baby voice and a tiny puppy was parading herself around the cafe where my sister and I were eating breakfast. After a while, I realized she was Rony Superstar, the lamest Israeli pop sensation of all time, and singer of the "song" in the video above. I'm still embarrassed by the lameness level of Israeli celebs I recognize.
Oh, that reminds me: I went to see Yona Wallach: The Play the other day. They actually performed Tefillin (though without the last stanza for some reason). And they performed Strawberries, one of my favorite poems. The play was aight, though I think they could've done a lot more with the poems. I also think I should've been able to watch Tefillin performed without giggling. This was not the case, unfortch.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Apropos Old Socialist Dinosaurs...
I went to the kibbutz last weekend, and my great aunt gave me these babies:
Kibbutz house shoes! They are super hip, and no one even makes them anymore. Only old kibbutznikim have them. I told my dad that I wear these around now, and he said: "Yes, those used to be very fashionable. We wore them with jeans, a t-shirt, and an open button-down shirt." Pahaha. I just love that this was his response.
For some reason, I feel like these shoos could totes be the next big thing in Austin. I must start marketing them!
It would have been befitting for me to wear these when I voted Meretz on Tuesday. We got three seats in the Knesset. Even less than Chadash. Wow, we suck.
Kibbutz house shoes! They are super hip, and no one even makes them anymore. Only old kibbutznikim have them. I told my dad that I wear these around now, and he said: "Yes, those used to be very fashionable. We wore them with jeans, a t-shirt, and an open button-down shirt." Pahaha. I just love that this was his response.For some reason, I feel like these shoos could totes be the next big thing in Austin. I must start marketing them!
It would have been befitting for me to wear these when I voted Meretz on Tuesday. We got three seats in the Knesset. Even less than Chadash. Wow, we suck.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
think before you blog
I am avoiding unpacking so I will write a blogspot separated into a "wartime" section and an "other" section.
Wartime for F.
Okay, I've calmed down a bit. The last couple of posts were written in the heat of the moment and some of the things I wrote do not actually make any sense (for example, I know that the purpose of the Gaza offensive isn't to kill civilians, even though some civilians are dying--though I tend to feel uneasy about saying a military offensive is or is not meant to kill civilans. I'll just stop talking now). I guess what I'm saying is: please don't treat the last two posts as solid, coherent political commentary.
I'm going to try not to comment too much on the political situation for a bit since I have a hard time writing anything profound when "the situation" escalates. It's just bewildering to me and I don't even know where to begin. One day, hopefully soon, I'll be able to write about my political leanings. If anything, the latest crisis is making me want to sit down and learn to express my feelings about it without getting swept up in rhetoric or emotion. Actually, learning to talk about anything without getting too swept up in emotion should probably be my general life goal.
So for political commentary, I will point you to someone who can be practical and talk strategy without going into histrionics: David Grossman. Here's what he wrote in Ha'Aretz: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1051008.html
Other than that, I'm going to stay mum on all of this because what can I say?
"Other"
1. Hulu doesn't work in Israel! Time for me to cry about it.
2. I've already eaten two cottage cheese sandwiches. Israeli cottage cheese is unparalleled. Unparalleled!
3. My mommy made me a surprise blanket that I found in my suitcase last night. She sewed on pictures of the F.mily (pictures printed on fabric) to this really soft blanket and it is very cute. This present made me feel very Eema-otional.
4. Here is video of people clapping in the plane when we arrived in Tel Aviv. I must say, their clapping is a little unenthusiastic, no? I also didn't know how to make the video right-side up. Meh.
That's all for now. Time for me to listen to NWA, unpack, and call my cousin 300 times. Lehitraot!
Wartime for F.
Okay, I've calmed down a bit. The last couple of posts were written in the heat of the moment and some of the things I wrote do not actually make any sense (for example, I know that the purpose of the Gaza offensive isn't to kill civilians, even though some civilians are dying--though I tend to feel uneasy about saying a military offensive is or is not meant to kill civilans. I'll just stop talking now). I guess what I'm saying is: please don't treat the last two posts as solid, coherent political commentary.
I'm going to try not to comment too much on the political situation for a bit since I have a hard time writing anything profound when "the situation" escalates. It's just bewildering to me and I don't even know where to begin. One day, hopefully soon, I'll be able to write about my political leanings. If anything, the latest crisis is making me want to sit down and learn to express my feelings about it without getting swept up in rhetoric or emotion. Actually, learning to talk about anything without getting too swept up in emotion should probably be my general life goal.
So for political commentary, I will point you to someone who can be practical and talk strategy without going into histrionics: David Grossman. Here's what he wrote in Ha'Aretz: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1051008.html
Other than that, I'm going to stay mum on all of this because what can I say?
"Other"
1. Hulu doesn't work in Israel! Time for me to cry about it.
2. I've already eaten two cottage cheese sandwiches. Israeli cottage cheese is unparalleled. Unparalleled!
3. My mommy made me a surprise blanket that I found in my suitcase last night. She sewed on pictures of the F.mily (pictures printed on fabric) to this really soft blanket and it is very cute. This present made me feel very Eema-otional.
4. Here is video of people clapping in the plane when we arrived in Tel Aviv. I must say, their clapping is a little unenthusiastic, no? I also didn't know how to make the video right-side up. Meh.
That's all for now. Time for me to listen to NWA, unpack, and call my cousin 300 times. Lehitraot!
Saturday, December 27, 2008
All this, for me?
Just yesterday I was watching a feature story on the rocket fire in Sderot and the area, and now I see that Israel is making sure to "retaliate" by . . . killing civilians. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/28/world/middleeast/28mideast.html?_r=1&hp
This fireworks/death display is timed just for my arrival. I know it's the thought that counts, but really, Israel, you shouldn't have.
This fireworks/death display is timed just for my arrival. I know it's the thought that counts, but really, Israel, you shouldn't have.
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