Tel Aviv Diary May 18-22, 2018 - Karen Alkalay-Gut

Tel Aviv Diary --May 18-22, 2018 Karen Alkalay-Gut

May 18, 2018

I know people like me who get news reports on the phone all the time, and usually it ruins our evening. but I also have have friends who disconnect - say - when they are home. and it is very strange to visit them, and then come home and find out what is happening. after all, we live in Israel - something is always happening. on this border, on that border, in the UN, down the street. i thought we'd have a quiet evening, but it never happens completely.

May 19, 2018

Hag Sameach! Ramadan Kareem! how desperate to you have to be to stand in front of armed soldiers, having been warned of their orders. what would you have done? sorry, i fear i would be at home hiding under the bed.

but i am one of those people who make sure my cupboard are full in case of a war, so i'm a terrible example. I may have been born with a hoarding instinct, or maybe picked it up in all the wars, or maybe it was especially sharpened in the 73 war when i was the only person with a driving license in the neighborhood and was going all over the country for milk, batteries, etc. but the thought of an empty refrigerator with no electricity and children to feed might well bring me to scream at a border.

May 20, 2018

want to know my favorite song? "You and I will change the world"

this isnt my favorite clip of it - the best one comes at the end of the cult film, Lul, but the idea of this song always hits me in the gut - one by one we change how people think.

May 21, 2018

this means that if you listen to radio jerusalem tomorrow night at 11:10 Motti Gerner will be talking to Karin Zalait Sagiv about me.

May 22, 2018

how do we change the world? First by getting people involved in politics - getting people ready to vote, and vote intelligently. making sure the people over which you have any influence see the importance of learning facts and understanding them. politics doesnt have to mean direct contact with political parties, but that helps. unfortunately, even though i joined the labor party last year, and there are elections now, i can't get myself to move on this. i just feel the weight of too many personal obligations and heavy responsibilities to obligate myself at this moment. The percentage of voting is getting lower and lower and i know i must do something to increase awareness and a sense of responsibility, but i can't do much more than i'm doing right now.

Last night Avichai Kimchi launched a new book of poetry, and his warm heart and his ability to cut to the quick touched me as it always does. it is a good thing to remind people of their heart, their humanity, but it isn't enough unless we influence others. Perhaps all the people in the audience - at least 100 - will be moved and move in return.

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