View source for Blog/February 2013/Feb 22nd

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{{bheadernew|Feb 22nd|http://ronware.org/devar/tetsave5773.pdf}}

Hi, again!

Busy, busy busy!  Sarah spent this entire week creating films with her fellow students -- directing, filming and whatever other things they do.  So she's been all over the Greater Jerusalem area, from the far western reaches to the far south and the east.  She spent one night in [http://www.gush-etzion.org.il/rosh_tzurim.asp Rosh Tsurim] because she had to film there in the early morning.  Then she overnighted in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beit_Shemesh Beit Shemesh], since they didn't finish filming until very late.  I'm sure she's really looking forward to a restful ''shabbat''!

Daniela resumed work after a week of "winter break".  Jeremy is diligently studying for his [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chartered_Financial_Analyst CFA exams].  And we're all looking forward anxiously to seeing them here in the Land on ''pesaḥ''.

Esther went to a [http://www.jpost.com/ArtsAndCulture/Arts/Article.aspx?id=295693 women-only play] with one of her friends one evening.  Another day she helped a local group fill [http://unitedwithisrael.org/united-with-idf/ ''purim'' baskets for soldiers].  And she did ''tons'' of laundry, cooked for ''mishloaḥ manot'', was Sarah's transportation assistant and was generally very busy.

I was also very busy at work, managing to improve our software's performance by doubling its speed.  That is a "good thing", and the Powers were happy.  I also finally revisited the doctor's office, and had my (bum) knee given a recheck.  This time the Dr. sent me for x-rays, which (I think) showed only that I have knees... but I'll see in a few days what the pros have to say.  In the meantime, he gave me a referral to physiotherapy and another referral to something called [http://apos.co.il/ APOS therapy] (which was invented here in Israel).

As I've mentioned many times, it's never dull here in the Land!  The elections came and went, and Bibi Netanyahu was given the task of forming the new government, in his rôle as head of the largest political party after the elections.  It would have seemed a pretty simple task: make deals with the two next largest parties -- [http://yeshatid.org.il/ Yesh Atid] run by Yair Lapid, and [http://baityehudi.org.il/ Bayit Yehudi] run by Naftali Bennett.  Get them "in the fold", and then start working on bringing in the other parties which are more or less compatible with the triumvirate.  

Unfortunately for Netanyahu, he's an idiot.  So says my lovely wife Esther.  Instead of making nice with the two upstarts, he made his first coalition deal with [http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/165523 The Movement] lead by Tzippy Livni.  The irony is that Netanyahu stated repeatedly he would not have Livni in his government, and she repeatedly refused to join the previous government.  As a result, she presided over the awe-inspiring shrinkage and near disappearance of her previous party (Kadima), and now might help Netanyahu shrink and disappear the Likud!

The polls are pretty clear that very few people like Livni.  And they are equally clear that substantial portions of the population like Lapid and Bennett.  So why did Bibi kiss and make up with Livni (whom he despises) rather than make nice with Lapid or Bennet?  Because, apparently, he despises them even more than he does Livni.  But politics is often about getting along with people you can't stand, and surely Netanyahu knows that very well.  So one wonders what his real "game plan" is... for if he cannot form a government very soon, the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shimon_Peres president] will be forced to either ask #2 (Lapid) to try to form one, or he will decide that elections are required again to try to break the stalemate.  In any event, Israel at present hasn't got a government.  Not that we noticed.

The ''purim'' holiday starts right after ''shabbat'' this year, so we are busy getting prepared for both ''shabbat'' and ''purim''.  Fortunately, ''purim'' doesn't really require a ''lot'' of preparation, but we do need to prepare ''manot'' to give friends. Other than that, I'm really looking forward to the day off work, relaxing with friends and listening to the incredibly dramatic ''[http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt3301.htm megillath esther]'', the Scroll of Esther.

I've been given to understand I'm a grill-master this ''shabbat''.  We're having my ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chavruta ḥavruta]'' and his family and friends over for ''shabbat'' day, since they're hosting us for the ''purim'' meal (and we don't want them to be overwhelmed!).  The menu includes:
homemade ''ḥallah'',
baked ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilt-head_bream denis]'',
various ''[http://www.couscous.co.il/food/default.asp?id=109&mnu=109 salatim]'', including:
pasta salad,
roast beets,
coleslaw,
roasted yams,
amazing eggplant
and "just a green salad",
artichoke ''pashtida'',
incomparable ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatayer fatay]'',
grilled ''[http://www.foodsdictionary.co.il/Recipes/837 pargiot]'',
traditional ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cholent cholent]'',
grilled ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kebab kebabs]'',
grilled ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merguez merguez]'',
various fruits
and [http://www.levanacooks.com/orange-poppy-seed-cake-recipe/ poppy-seed cake].


Until next week,<br>
''shabbat shalom'' and ''purim sameaḥ''!

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