Third Try Israeli Elections, I Vote Häagen-Dazs

Here in Israel, we've recently had two national Knesset Elections with the same unsuccessful results. The Israeli political system requires a coalition government if no political party gets a majority of the one hundred and twenty Knesset seats.

In 2019, neither the Bibi-Likud Bloc nor the Anti-Bibi Blue and White Bloc succeeded in negotiating deals that would bring them to that magic sixty-one-plus, 61+. So we're scheduled for a third round of elections in a few weeks.

Most of the public is rather nauseated, sick of all these useless elections. There's a saying in Hebrew if you meet someone a second time within a short period. I've written about it before, Knesset Elections Ad Nauseum.

פעם שלישית גלידה
Pa'am shlishit glida
Third time ice cream

My guess is that the winning bloc will be the one whose supporters are less jaded and bored. Whichever side can galvanize its voters to show up and vote has the best chance to win, meaning get enough MKs to form a ruling coalition. Polls are showing Likud behind, which suits Bibi's favorite "gevalt-we're losing" campaign strategy.

Right now the small satellite parties of the Right and Left are negotiating to run to form two larger parties, one pro-Bibi and one anti-Bibi, in order not to waste votes for parties that don't pass the minimum.

Elections are scheduled for March, 2020, the Jewish Month of Adar, 5780. Adar is traditionally a month of surprises, so there's no way of predicting results or what the results will result in...

ונהפוך הוא
Vinahaphoch huAnd everything will be reversed

So, beware of pundits. Gd has something up His sleeve for sure. That's the most accurate prediction one can make.

I'm a Häagen-Dazs fan. The ice cream brand was founded by good pro-Israel Jews, Rose and Reuben Mattus, who supported Jewish Rights in all of the Land of Israel. This is diametrically opposed to Ben & Jerry's which supports Leftist causes, including endangering Israel by being pro-Palestine.

Let's have a Häagen-Dazs party! How can we go wrong with good ice cream?

Adar, Purim, The Month of Joy

I had a very different post in my head that I may write in the future, but since today is the first of the Jewish Month of Adar, 5778, I decided that it wouldn't be appropriate.

We'll be celebrating Purim in two weeks or less depending on where you live. Purim is a Jewish Holiday which celebrates Gd's presence even when we don't see Him directly. The Megillat Ester, Scroll of Esther, which is read twice each Purim day, doesn't mention the Name of Gd.  But if you read the narrative carefully, you see that Gd is protecting the Jewish People behind the scenes.

It's the real Holiday of Joy, because we are commanded to be optimistic and trust Gd. This is not to be done passively. Purim is not a holiday to stand on the sidelines. We must act, even fight if necessary. When we do fight, Gd will help us. We also must pray and help other Jews.

Here in Shiloh, we celebrate two days of Purim, the regular one and what's known as Shushan Purim, which is the following day. I've heard the Megillah read over 140 times since moving to Shiloh, and the readings were all very clear and easy to follow. We, the Jewish People, have been celebrating the holiday for thousands of years, one of the proofs that we are the People of This Land and of the Bible.

At the end of the Megillah, we're commanded to give food gifts to our neighbors, and we do it to this day. Every time I hear it, I feel totally connected to the narrative in the Megillah. We read and listen to the story and follow the commandments, the same as Jews did two thousand years ago.

"When Adar begins, joy enters..."

Shevat Bet? A Joyless Adar Alef

Adar, whether the year has one or two, is supposed to be a time for joy. But this year I've been to too many funerals and shiva (comforting the mourner) visits. Just short of a month ago, when we celebrated Rosh Chodesh Adar Alef, I commented to many that the fruit trees looked so bare of flowers that it seemed much more like we should call the month Shevat Bet, the Second Shevat. That's because there were almost no signs of a שקידיה פורחת Shakadiya Porachat, Almond trees blooming on TU B'Shvat this year. I was certain that we'd be waiting until Adar Bet (the Second Adr) to see the pink and white flowers.

I was wrong. This Adar Alef suddenly had a heatwave, and the fruit trees have not only bloomed, but the petals have already fallen wastefully to the ground. And not only that, but young people have died. Friends and neighbors have lost children.

It has not been a joyful Adar Alef. I have seen too many graves and shed too many tears.

I'm writing this post the day before it is to be posted. The day of posting, the day you'll see this article is the 29th of Adar Alef. There is to be one more day of the month, but that day is already Rosh Chodesh Adar Bet.

May the true joy begin and may all the mourners be comforted. We need some smachot, joyful news and joyful occasions. Gd willing...