It's beyond tzedakah, charity, chessed.
Residents of the suffering city of Sderot, which is being bombed by the Arabs from Gush Katif and Gaza, have no faith in their local government and no faith in their neighbor, Amir Peretz, the Minister of Defense.
The one person they feel they can count on is Arkadi Gaydamak. And nobody is even sure who or what he is, besides being a filthy-rich and very generous billionaire.
Arkadi Gaydamak now owns the very popular soccer team, Betar Jerusalem, and it's winning. Last summer he treated thousands of Israelis to a respite from the war. On Independence Day he made a party for thousands in Tel Aviv. He has announced his interest in running for Mayor of Jerusalem.
The head of the city's "PTA" sent him a letter asking for help, and he sent buses to bring them to hotels. The Gaydamak said that he's negotiating with contractors to reinforce the city's buildings, so they can withstand the missiles.
What does he really want for this?
3 comments:
He wants what every Israeli politician wants: to stay out of jail. A revolutionary, on the other hand, welcomes jail. It is his school and his laboratory. It also gains him popular sympaathy and support. Cowards can be politicians but never revolutionaries. The whole regime must go now! I hope we are on the verge in Israel of something like what happened when the Soviet Union fell. In this case we need a public vote of no-confidence in both the courts and the media.
"What does he really want for this?"
does it matter?
best case scenario, he really is generous.
worst case, he is no worse than any other israeli politician. what's the difference if you buy a vote with a patronage job, looking the other way for a busniess permit or reiforncing housing against rockets.
note that some of these russian tycoons have a penchant for singlehandedly funding gigantic charity projects. american jews complain about tuition so they estbalish foundations and think tanks, etc. but nothing happens. along comes lev leviev and on his own he opens an elementary school for bukharians in queens. i think close to 1000 students who otherwise would have gone to public school now get a jewish education.
goyish' and ari
interesting points
Honestly, what really worries me is the mentality of the ordinary Israeli who just wants someone (like a dicator) to take care of them. That's how the elderly Sharon managed to bamboozle. He kept smiling and telling the people that he'd take care of them.
Post a Comment