OMG. I read the Aleppo Codex which led me to read Spies of No Country, which was deeply unnerving because he mentions meeting someone at a mall in a city right outside Tel Aviv. Based on the description, and the fact that the guy was originally from Iraq, I was.pretty sure this was the mall in the corner of Jabotinsky and Bialik in Ramat Gan. There are old people who gather at the McDonald's there every day who schmooze (ha) in Arabic. My mom would take us there to hang out because my grandmother decided to opt out of air conditioning and we spent most of August in Israel with my mom's family. Anyhoo. When I was a kid I would just hear Yiddish accented Hebrew at home and then my aunt would take me shopping and I would hear Hebrew with a strange accent. My aunt told me it was Arabic.
Also. My grandparents almost lived in Bat Yam but my grandmother hates it there so they moved to Ramat Gan.
Also I didn't realize so few people went to a kibbutz. My grandmother's only relatives who survived the war were cousins who made aliyah in the 1930s and all went to 1 kibbutz. Each had 1 child, only 1 of whom stayed in the kibbutz. He had two kids, only one who is still on the kibbutz.
Oh. My dad went to Israel to live on a kibbutz when he was in college. I don't know why that stopped. Probably a result 9f the 6 Day War, when Israel stopped being a liberal darling.
I spent a few summers back in the early 1980s at a religious kibbutz - Alumim (located near the Gaza strip, ooffff) - working in the vineyards, chicken houses and even the machinery workshop (not the usual tasks permitted for their female visitors) - learning some hands on skills while i studied to be an agricultural engineer at a university in the UK. We don’t hear much about kibbutzim anymore, a shame.
I found this conversation very interesting and informative. I hope you will have more chances to talk to Matti Friedman. He’s my second favorite guest behind Chaya Leah’s father 😀 (yes, the Fifth Column guys are great too, but they have their whole own podcast and have my attention there as well).
I’m one of your non-Jewish listeners. I received some pivotal life guidance from my best friend in high school’s father, around the table after one of many times I was generously included in Shabbat dinner. [note, I realized I did not say what it was; mainly it was temper idealism with American pragmatism to make things work for change that helps real people now; later he also convinced me to apply to law school and a lawyer I became]. At that time, in the 80s, it seemed relatively uncomplicated that this family was left/liberal, practiced Reform Judaism and was strongly pro-Zionist and pro-Israel. My friend’s father, of blessed memory, passed away some years ago, and my friend, a writer, is so far deep into the far left culture war echo chamber, I have a hard time keeping in touch with him and I am honestly afraid to ask where he and his family stand on Israel now. His wider political circles are definitely anti-Zionist which to me is shocking.
Meantime, I’ve found myself politically homeless I’d say (pro tolerance, pro free speech, pro law and order, pro rules based international order, pro Israel, pro immigration, patriotic American, somewhere in the “mushy middle” and always in danger of some cancellation or another).
I listen to Ask a Jew to learn more. That’s a lesson my friend’s dad and my parents always encouraged. Sure “some of my best friends are Jews” also and all that, but really, I so appreciate the curiosity, humor and open inquiry on the show. It makes me think and question and I am sincerely grateful to have it to listen and learn from.
I have more books on my “to read” list now.
I guess this is more than a little rambling, but I am still sorting out memories and feelings here, but I really appreciate what you are doing and hope to continue to learn (and laugh!)
OMG. I read the Aleppo Codex which led me to read Spies of No Country, which was deeply unnerving because he mentions meeting someone at a mall in a city right outside Tel Aviv. Based on the description, and the fact that the guy was originally from Iraq, I was.pretty sure this was the mall in the corner of Jabotinsky and Bialik in Ramat Gan. There are old people who gather at the McDonald's there every day who schmooze (ha) in Arabic. My mom would take us there to hang out because my grandmother decided to opt out of air conditioning and we spent most of August in Israel with my mom's family. Anyhoo. When I was a kid I would just hear Yiddish accented Hebrew at home and then my aunt would take me shopping and I would hear Hebrew with a strange accent. My aunt told me it was Arabic.
Also. My grandparents almost lived in Bat Yam but my grandmother hates it there so they moved to Ramat Gan.
Also I didn't realize so few people went to a kibbutz. My grandmother's only relatives who survived the war were cousins who made aliyah in the 1930s and all went to 1 kibbutz. Each had 1 child, only 1 of whom stayed in the kibbutz. He had two kids, only one who is still on the kibbutz.
Oh. My dad went to Israel to live on a kibbutz when he was in college. I don't know why that stopped. Probably a result 9f the 6 Day War, when Israel stopped being a liberal darling.
Great conversation - do bring Motti back!
I spent a few summers back in the early 1980s at a religious kibbutz - Alumim (located near the Gaza strip, ooffff) - working in the vineyards, chicken houses and even the machinery workshop (not the usual tasks permitted for their female visitors) - learning some hands on skills while i studied to be an agricultural engineer at a university in the UK. We don’t hear much about kibbutzim anymore, a shame.
I found this conversation very interesting and informative. I hope you will have more chances to talk to Matti Friedman. He’s my second favorite guest behind Chaya Leah’s father 😀 (yes, the Fifth Column guys are great too, but they have their whole own podcast and have my attention there as well).
I’m one of your non-Jewish listeners. I received some pivotal life guidance from my best friend in high school’s father, around the table after one of many times I was generously included in Shabbat dinner. [note, I realized I did not say what it was; mainly it was temper idealism with American pragmatism to make things work for change that helps real people now; later he also convinced me to apply to law school and a lawyer I became]. At that time, in the 80s, it seemed relatively uncomplicated that this family was left/liberal, practiced Reform Judaism and was strongly pro-Zionist and pro-Israel. My friend’s father, of blessed memory, passed away some years ago, and my friend, a writer, is so far deep into the far left culture war echo chamber, I have a hard time keeping in touch with him and I am honestly afraid to ask where he and his family stand on Israel now. His wider political circles are definitely anti-Zionist which to me is shocking.
Meantime, I’ve found myself politically homeless I’d say (pro tolerance, pro free speech, pro law and order, pro rules based international order, pro Israel, pro immigration, patriotic American, somewhere in the “mushy middle” and always in danger of some cancellation or another).
I listen to Ask a Jew to learn more. That’s a lesson my friend’s dad and my parents always encouraged. Sure “some of my best friends are Jews” also and all that, but really, I so appreciate the curiosity, humor and open inquiry on the show. It makes me think and question and I am sincerely grateful to have it to listen and learn from.
I have more books on my “to read” list now.
I guess this is more than a little rambling, but I am still sorting out memories and feelings here, but I really appreciate what you are doing and hope to continue to learn (and laugh!)
An admirer.
Who was the author of the Herzl biography he recommended?
Amos Elon: http://plunkettlakepress.com/herzl.html
Thanks!