Summertime and the Living is Easy?

Summertime and the living is easy, goes the words of Gershwin’s song in Porgy and Bess. I suppose in the fantasy world of the theater, anything goes! Nothing could be further from the truth for our family after a hectic week last week (and I am supposed to take it easy!!)

Following a party at the beginning of last week for the barmitzvah of yet another of our Grandsons, we made our way back home on Monday to a) deliver the barmitzvah cake, at least the half that was left, to a shelter for battered women b) to organize a stone setting for an elderly friend who passed away and had no children and finally c) drove to Zichron Yaacov for a performance of Broadway songs at the local theater.

The next day was my routine visit to the Cardiologist, who was happy with my progress and told me there was no problem to my starting to “lightly” exercise again. This was a welcome comment since we had planned to go to the Galilee and Golan with the family for a couple of days to do some trekking and continue the barmitzvah celebration.

The Galilee/Golan outing started in temperatures of 37 -38° C, the whole trip planned by the children. We arrived at Ein Tina, a river with a pool close to the parking area for the young children whilst some of the “elder” community walked via the river bed towards the waterfall.. Yes in spite of the dry winter, there was still water flowing.

Having enjoyed 3 hours there, we then all moved North on to the Golan Heights (seeing quite clearly how prior to 1967, the Syrians were able to fire on the farmers working in the fields in Israel) where we arrived at our “sleeping quarters” for the night – bamboo huts, with the “luxury” of mattresses provided, one electric bulb and a single socket. The huts were all in line like town houses so noises traveled down the line quite effectively.

We all settled down to a BBQ, enjoyed by all, it just seemed strange that we were there as “invited guests” and not involved in the planning or implementation.

The next morning, we set off for the Banias river and its waterfall. From Kibbutz Snir we followed the nature trail towards Moshav Sha’ar Yishuv. The scenery was exquisite, the waterfall amazing and the grandchildren (and some of their parents) enjoyed the dips in the river at those points were the flow was not dangerous. After three hours we arrived at our destination and our cars with relief. The weather although not at the previous days temperatures was still around 30° C.

We then traveled south, near to Bet She’an to a kibbutz Tirat Zvi where everyone enjoyed a relaxing time over the Shabbat before returning home.

Thankfully I had no after effects, so the “ticker” must have been working well. However, it was a pleasure to sleep that night in my own bed!!

A Cold and dark Winter in Gaza?

I am sure that the actions of shutting down Gaza are giving rise to innumerable stories in the overseas press concerning “humanitarian crises”, “occupation” and all the other buzz words. Hamas, as is to be expected, are claiming lives are being lost in hospitals yet there has been no independent confirmation of this.

United Nations representatives are talking in terms of “How would Tel Avivians feel if waste was flowing down the streets etc., etc.,

The facts are that the supply of electricity to Gaza from the Israel and the Egyptian power grids (124 Megawatts and 17 Megawatts respectively) has continued uninterrupted. These 141 Megawatts of power represents around 75% of Gaza's electricity needs.

While the fuel supply from Israel into Gaza has indeed been reduced, due to the Hamas rocket attacks, the diversion of this fuel from domestic power generators to other uses is wholly a Hamas decision - apparently taken due to media and propaganda considerations.”

It is the case that while the Gaza population remains in the dark, the fuel generating power to the Hamas rocket manufacturing industry continues to flow unabated.

Also the Hamas claim of a humanitarian crisis in Gaza is also greatly exaggerated. There is no shortage of basic foodstuffs, and Gaza patients who need treatment in Israeli hospitals continue to travel into Israel for care.

I received the following letter from a resident of a kibbutz that has been under kassam attack for 7, yes 7 years. She writes:-

"Yesterday 56 kassams , today only 40 but the day is not over yet.

Yesterday morning I was coming to work at almost 8:00 in the morning and the moment I enterd to Sderot 4 kassams landed in a few minutes. I had no place to hid,e the alarm screamed over and over again. I couldn’t move, I felt like I couldn’t even breathe. The smell of smoke and the sound is still real like I’m there once again.

I came home to our kibbutz, thought to my self a little quite, it was 17:00. After half an hour, 2 kassams fell and for 3 hours there was no electricity, it was dark and very cold. I did my best to make the children play with me and maybe have fun but I think they don’t believe me any more when I say that it will be alright.

We all do our best to continue normal life but what can I say? Nothing is normal. Today a kassam missed Inbar on his bus to school, the parents were histerical and everybody talked about the miricle but when I spoke with Inbar he dismissed it like it was nothing. I ask you is this normal that a 11 year old boy won’t be afraid? Maybe fear is his daily experience so it doesn’t count or mean anything."