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2018
נובמבר
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אדריכלות ישראלית
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tuvia’s choice
The municipality elections were held two weeks ago and the Knesset elections are on the doorstep; both
determine our welfare in our no-alternative-State… since, in America they insist on a Green Card… and I am
not so sure their Trump is any better than ours.
The atmosphere is thick with outrageous statements - all our "defaults" bombing us with arrogant slogans like:
"we gave, we built, we fought"… Well, where do you get so much if not from us… your captives, tax-payers?
From your friends… your grandfather who swore to emigrate to Israel after being beaten up by the Goyim?
Haven’t you heard of Tuvia the Milkman?
Shalom Aleichem’s wonderful story is about the wretched lives of Jews in an imaginary town near "Boiberik",
which until recently I was sure was Bnei Brak… one of the poorest towns in Israel, where every apartment is
worth gold, maybe thanks to the Mayor who was the first to realize that if he turns off the water supply for train
employees on Shabbat, they’d feel at home… in Gaza.
Contrary to our "no choice electees", Tuvia worked hard to barely support his wife and seven daughters who
debated the existential question of "whether to get married by an arranged forced match, or free choice". Until
one day the family received a deportation order requiring them to leave their home within three days, and
ironically, salvation came from their daughter Hava, who had married a goy out of choice.
Due to Shalom Aleichem’s no-choice humor (with an emphasis on Shalom), the story has enjoyed many
versions over the years, the best known - the musical "Fiddler on the Roof" - with an emphasis on "roof", just
to remind whoever feels too safe on a roof might tumble off one fine day. And I am not necessarily referring
to the best Foreign Minister we've ever had, but to all the
credit suckers – Miri Applause, Moshe Smiley, Arieh the Jail
bird Rabbi, and all the local mayors, who instead of serving
residents, nonchalantly behave as if they were their worst
enemy; not to mention all those who pay their debt to the
state "from behind bars”, or those who don’t for reasons of
conscience, or lack thereof.
Tuvia is long gone, Shalom (Aleichem) there 'aint, and the
only thing that still amuses us (or maybe not) are the comic
videos of the Nation’s Heroes – Lieberman-the-great, Bibi-
man-the-magician and Bennet-mentch five-units.
The insightful words of national poems like Alterman’s "Stars
Outside", or Haim Hefer’s "Tuvye’s Town" are no longer
relevant… or perhaps they are:
“Where, where does the road go
where, where do I go
towards a thousand beggars,
and a thousand cantors,
to a land where the winds howl our lullabies
"
Shalem Aleichem (my penpal) made me swear that I would
remind anyone elected, or not yet, that it is we who give, build,
and fight. Internalize! - The money you hand out as if it were
your grandmother’s is milked from us, and not out of choice.
It’s about time you kept your promises after the election as
well. Though some of us may be denoted "minority" due to a
few votes, we are still part of the only state we have.
National poet Raphael Klachkin who knew we’d be stuck with each other, wrote the optimistic, moving and
painful song:
"Believe me, good days will come, I promise you I’ll return to hold you, and tell you all"
.
Let us live out of choice or belief in a state that is worth dying for.
Architect Dr. Ami Ran
editorial