Below are the latest blog items from Michael Brunert, a Yeshurun ex-pat, who now lives in Israel...
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Written by Michael Brunert
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We've been Bushed twice this year and it does not appear possible that we can branch out into peace, as the American expression--hideous as all American expressions are-- has it " anytime soon ". We seem rooted so far as one can see at present in an impossible position so far as a sustainable peace settlement is concerned. I had intended to write about the encircling problems of Israel's borders in this Diary Entry. And then last Friday's "Ha'aretz" newspaper carried an interview of supreme authority on exactly the same subject and convincingly analytical.
The interview is of Maj.-Gen. Amos Yadlin, the Director of Military Intelligence for Israel. It provides a geographic tour of Israel's borders in setting out "a survey of threats and prospects" for the country's future.
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Written by Michael Brunert
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I have said I will answer questions from you about life in Israel. And so I will. So, send them .
Michael Blank, the creator and operator of this website, has asked me "How does the Israeli Press treat the situation in Sderot ?" Since he asked that question, I have retained reports appearing in the two Israeli newspapers. I regularily but not every day read--"Ha'aretz" and "The Jerusalem Post". Both, of course, in English. I cannot say what reports were in the Hebrew-language papers.
The two newspapers report on the situation in Sderot factually, as one might expect, together with occasional features and editorial comment.The last is of the criticism of the Government genre--for not anticipating enough or properly and/or for not supplying enough or correct protection to the residents of Sderot.
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Written by Michael Brunert
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Refer to street furniture in England and you will introduce a topic that brings up the aspects of over-furnishing, i.e. street-cluttering, bad taste, some surprisingly good designs ( where ? ) and a nostalgia for the artistic items of the past. Oh for the old gas-lighter !!
I guess that if you mentioned the same subject here you'd get a blank stare in response. So, let's have a look at street behaviour in Israel instead. It's a contrast of abysmal and well-ordered. The well-ordered behaviour you will meet occurs at traffic-light controlled junctions--main intersections--where it is an offence for pedestrians to cross against a red light on pain of spot fines--and many do ! Ruth and I were at the junction of King George and Keren Hayesod Streets --a very up-market bit of shopping-Jerusalem-- when we saw a young woman stopped by a foot-policeman because she had crossed against a red light. In the several minutes we stopped to watch what he did, we saw him progress to getting her to empty the contents of her bag--in full street, as it were--from merely lecturing her on committing the actual offence ! Did it mean that he considered her a threat to public safety over and above being merely a ragged pedestrian ? For obvious reasons, we didn't find out.
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Written by Michael Brunert
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I do not and never will know how young people--young men in particular, for they take on combat, can gather, spend time and openly enjoy life--all the time in uniform and fully armed .
As I write this on the bus into Jerusalem, on a brilliant sun-lit morning, in front of me sits a 20-year old soldier fully armed, fresh and very pleasant, chatting with his friend of similar age. They embraced as they met. They embraced as they parted as the bus stopped at the Jerusalem Central Bus Station where the soldier left. "Motzei Shabbat" they said to each other I hope so !
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Written by Michael Brunert
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The first mistake I made on Shabbat Bo was going to the ( lookalike from the outside) Sephardi Synagogue even though the night before I had davened in its next-door neighbour, the Ashkenazi Shul. The second mistake was caused by the first--I entered it at the similar end to the Ashkenazi one and found myself beyond the Mechitza and in the midst of many Ethiopian women ! They are stunning. I retreated quickly, however. Ruth and I made Aliya on 18th December 2007. Our apartment in Modi'in ( midway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv) is due for completion in June. In the meantime, we have rented a house in Mevassaret Tsion---as to Jerusalem as Stockport is to Manchester i.e. only in terms of distance! It is more beautiful than Stockport! Our address is Rechov Harav Josef Haim 9, Mevassaret Tsion, Israel 90805. Our landline telephone no. is 00972-2-5333404. We will be glad to hear from you !
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