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Blog/April 2019/Apr 5th

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April 5th Comments or questions? Click here!


So I spent the first part of this week on crutches, because the post-operation instructions were that I should keep weight off the knee for a while. But I felt fine, and when I didn’t use the crutches I still felt fine. Nevertheless, I waited until the post-op doctor’s visit to ask whether or not I need to use the crutches. Turns out, I don’t. The stitches are out, I’m walking more or less normally, and my pain levels are low enough that I don’t need medication. It’s like a miracle!

Nonetheless, as the doctor said, “you’re not completely recovered and you need to listen to your body”. Feeling pretty much back to normal, I overdid it a bit yesterday; as a result, my knee was painful and swollen. So: lesson learned — take it easier.

The elections here in Israel will be taking place this coming Tuesday. Of the 47 parties which registered, 5 have dropped out, and only about 14 have a realistic chance of getting in. Here’s the current list of realistic parties in alphabetic (English) order, based on recent polls, with a few words about them:

  • “Blue & White”: sign פה. A merger between the “three generals party” (”Israeli Resilience”) and “Yesh Atid”. If they form the gov’t, the PM job will rotate between General Gantz (of I”R) and Yair Lapid (of Y”A). The party describes itself as a “pluralistic party representing all citizens on the political and religious spectrums”. However, it is notably secular despite their self-description.
  • “Gesher”: sign נר. Centrist - center-left, Zionist, socially and economically liberal.
  • “Hadash-Taal”: sign ו. A far-left, Communist, primarily Arab party. Anti-Zionist, and Marxist-Leninist.
  • “Kulanu”: sign כ. A center, center-right, economically and socially liberal party.
  • “Labor”: sign אמת. The party which (in various incarnations) led the country from its founding until the 1980s. A secular, left-wing, social-democratic but Zionist party, socialist in economic outlook and ideology.
  • ”Likud”: sign מחל. The party which currently forms the gov’t (and has for quite a while). It’s a secular, centrist to center-right party with a generally nationalist and populist bent.
  • “Meretz”: sign מרצ. Far left, secular, socialist and progressive party.
  • “New Right”: sign נ. Right-wing party formed by split of two of the leaders of the “Jewish Home” party. Nationalist, Zionist, economic liberalism.
  • “Raam-Balad”: sign ד. Socialist, Arab party. Anti-Zionist, pan-Arabist.
  • “Shas”: sign שס. A Sephardi ḥaredi religious, right-wing politically, center-left economically, populist party.
  • “United Right”: sign טב. A merger between the “Jewish Home”, “Tkuma”, and “Otzma Yehudit” parties. Religious, right to far-right politically, more centrist economically.
  • “UTJ”: sign ג. An Ashkenazi ḥaredi religious, right-wing politically, center-left economically, party.
  • “Yisrael Beitenu”: sign ל. A nationalist, secular, right-wing party primarily formed by Russian expats.
  • “Zehut”: sign ז. Right-wing libertarian. Classical liberal, nationalist, right-wing on issues of security, libertarian economically and socially.


I’ve decided to put my vote behind the “Zehut” party this time. I’ve wavered between them and the “New Right”; but I can’t stand Bennett, and I don’t like their willingness to compromise their principles. At least this time, it looks like my vote won’t get “thrown away” as it has been every single other time I’ve voted. Esther is still deciding, and my mom is completely bewildered. As are we all…

This shabbat is the new month of Nisan, which means in 14 days it’s pesaḥ. Which means my wife and I will be starting the preparations this week, getting the house in trim and foodstuffs appropriate to the holiday in stock. I might clean the windows, which I last cleaned three pesaḥs ago… but the pre-holiday dust-storms render that almost pointless.

In any event, I’ll be staying home this shabbat and giving my knee some TLC. Esther will most likely go to shul and come back with whatever news there is to be had.

It’s just the three of us this time around. We’ll have:
homemade ḥalla, baked chicken, baked potatoes, various salatim, lentil stew, rice, and baklava.

Until next time,
shabbat shalom and ḥodesh ṭov!



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