Sadly, Not Everyone Can Handle Fame and Fortune

The public eye is very big brother.  For many of us, it's great that we can live our lives without the world knowing our foibles, mistakes and "meltdowns." 

I feel so sorry for singing talent Susan Boyle, whose life has been hell ever since the world discovered her voice on Britain's Got Talent last May.  I don't know who's managing her career, but whoever it is should be sued.  Her family should take custody and control her public appearances.  She shouldn't travel alone.  She probably shouldn't travel much at all.  Her appearances should be in a recording studio only.  It's cruel and criminal for the poor woman to be subject to pressure she can't handle.

In Israel there's a different drama unfolding concerning Guma Aguiar, whose riches are financial, but he, too, could do without the public glare. 

Psychiatrists talk of a Jerusalem psychosis, messiah complex etc.  Has the Betar Jerusalem soccer/football team become a jinx for foreign-moneyed sponsors who saw it as irresistible public relations stunts to gain instant fame and fanatical fans?  Its latest sponsor, Guma Aguiar is sequestered in a psychiatric ward and his predecessor, Arkady Gaydamak is hiding out abroad.

You can feel sorry for Boyle and Aguiar but not as much for Gaydamak, even though he has donated lots of money to people and causes in need, if a fraction of the stories about the sources of his money are true.  Fame, fortune and talent aren't always heaven nor heaven-sent.

In "Pirkei Avot," Ethics of the Fathers, one of the most popular sayings is:

"Who is rich?  The one who is satisfied with what he has/his portion." 

Gaydamak--Not For My Jerusalem

I wasn't very surprised to read Jerusalem: Arab candidate joins Gaydamak . That's because the feature article about Gaydamak which appeared recently in In Jerusalem, described his vision of Jerusalem as an "international city."

"I see it as an international, open and undivided city. Of course it will continue to be a capital for the Jews, but also for all the people in the world."

Unfortunately, I don't have a vote in Jerusalem. I live in Shiloh. I don't think Gaydamak would be a good mayor for Jerusalem.

If you read the article, much too long to be copied here, you'd see more worrying things.

Jerusalem is a Jewish city, open to others, but JEWISH!

Gaydamak's Moving In...

He smells blood and is ready to move in...

Gaydamak says willing to join Olmert government
Billionaire mogul and founder of the 'Social Justice' party Arcadi Gaydamak announced on Sunday evening that he would be willing to accept a position in Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s government were the latter to ...Full story

No surprise. Is it?

It's All In The Timing

I admit that I haven't read every article discussing why Yvette (Avigdor) Lieberman left Olmert's Government, just now, but the CPA's daughter in me goes to the numbers.

The numbers I'm talking about are the polls, what today's modern ambitious politicians eat with every meal.

Two things have been eating away at Lieberman's potential support. One is he, himself, his actions and words. It's hard to reconcile his joining Olmert's anti-Land of Israel, anti-Jewish Civil Rights policies with what Lieberman claims to believe in. And the other is the potential political power of billionaire Arkady Gaydamak. He has invested his money where others just float words.

Here are a sample of some recent polls:

IMRA, 18 Jan 2008, Actual Knesset today in [brackets]
27 [12] Likud
19 [19] Labor
11 [29] Kadima
11 [09] Nat'l Union/NRP
10 [11] Yisrael Beteinu
07 [11] Shas
08 [00] Social Justice (Gaydamak Party)

And a week earlier:
11 January 2008
Dahaf poll of 500 adult Israelis (including Israeli Arabs) conducted 8
January, 2008 for Yediot Ahronot.
Statistical error +/- 4.5 percentage points.
If elections were held today how would you vote (expressed in mandates - no
indication how many were undecided)
Actual Knesset today in [brackets]
28 [12] Likud
21 [19] Labor
11 [11] Shas
10 [29] Kadima
10 [10] Arab parties
08 [11] Yisrael Beteinu
08 [09] Nat'l Union/NRP
07 [00] Social Justice (Gaydamak Party)

Yes, I'm sure he wants G-d's support, too. No harm for the man who wants to rule, nu?

Yes, Bibi, I agree, but...

Netanyahu: Barak is responsible for Hezbollah on our border

That's true, but your time as PM wasn't all that much better. I've been saying the same things about Barak. Maybe you read this blog? Or your staff? I wouldn't be surprised, but if that's the case, you'd know from the comments of my other readers that we can't forget the terrible things you did to our control of Hebron, for example.

Sylvan Sour Grapes Shalom quit trying to compete with you. I could never figure him out and wonder whom he's going to latch onto.

You're no "metzi'ah," great find either. Your big problem is that you want to be perceived as a "moderate," in the "center." Parve may be great in the kitchen, but it's traif in terms of leadership.

A leader must have clear "vision," meat or dairy. You have to have a clear direction and not try to attract all to the middle. It's an oxymoron to be a leader of the middle, since the middle isn't going any place. At best it treads water, and just surviving isn't enough.

Arkady Gaydamak's popularity should have you frightened, not as a politician competing for votes, but as an American educated man. We're of the same generation and know that when a country's population is looking for a savior to solve all their problems, they're looking for a dictator.

You have potential, training and a staff. Too bad you're wasting it pointing out the lard in Barak and how his policies have endangered us, but that's old news.

Bibi, you haven't shown that you're any better.

Gaydamak is taking his campaign to Tel Aviv

Arkadi Gaydamak is definitely running for something.

He's taking his "rescue mission" to Tel Aviv. The movers and shakers won't be able to avoid him, and even better, they won't be able to avoid the fact the Israel is being attacked by Arabs from Gush Katif.

At least I hope they won't ignore it.

It really bothers me, frightens me that the residents of Sedrot are so quick to leave their homes. When there were Jewish communities in Gush Katif, pre-Disengagement, they were also bombarded by the Arabs shooting missiles at them, but they wouldn't budge.

This has me worried

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?

For an eye a .... an empty eyeglass case?

That's how the Israeli government is responding to the constant missile/rocket attacks by the Arabs.

The recent ones seriously injured innocent Israeli civilians, but only the usual farcial response by Israel.

Desperate Sderot residents are begging Gaydamak to rescue them.

It's all in the timing

And that's why I wonder why yesterday, Winograd Report Day, did
Gaydamak Announce Candidacy for Mayor of Jerusalem
He's not the sort of man to just be spontaneous. You don't get that rich by buying lottery tickets.

He's a man with a plan.

But he's not revealing it.

It's believed that he's interested in the power of controlling the City Council, but that he doesn't want to be mayor. Some pundits say that he may let former police chief Mickey Levy run as top of his ticket. Levy is well-remembered as the policeman who was excessively brutal against Women in Green and other pro-Eretz Yisrael demonstrators.

Arkadi Gaydamak is also a man of mystery. How exactly did he make his fortune?