מה?

Seriously though, Dover Tzahal, what the fuck is this?

Justice

For a country as great and proud as the United Kingdom, yesterday was about as sad of a day as I can remember. It's hard for me to believe that we live in a current climate where it's acceptable to sit idly by while a mad regime gasses its own children with chemical weapons. At the same time, it fills me up with pride to see the US take the lead as practically the sole voice willing to stand up for what's right and make clear that inaction in the face of evil is simply not an option.

Peace, Love and Gangnam Style

Quite possibly one of the most bizarre stories ever was reported just the other day on Channel 2 here. It involved two IDF soldiers from the Givati Brigade stationed in the Palestinian territories in Hebron. I find this nearly impossible to believe, but according to accounts, after hearing music playing outside a local nightclub while on a routine patrol, the soldiers for whatever reason decided to make their way inside and join the party, and then were surprisingly welcomed by everyone inside. If that doesn't sound surreal enough, check out the video, where one of the soldiers is hoisted on the shoulders of a Palestinian reveler and is dancing to "Gangnam Style", with his weapon and combat vest and distinctive Mitznefet head piece.

Gangnam Style, uniting Israeli soldiers and Palestinians

Not surprisingly, the entire patrol was disciplined. And if you want to believe reports, the majority of patrons taking part in all the fun were from the Jabari clain, who happen to a known Hamas family.

Basically

As Ehud Barak once said "Israel is a villa in the jungle". It's a statement that's certainly ringing true at the moment. While I don't expect Assad to go all out and hit Tel Aviv when the US cruise missiles start falling, which seems to be the predetermined conclusion already. I wouldn't entirely put it past him though. 

However, seeing that his main objective is to stay alive and in power, it seems obvious that starting a fight with Israel would be the worst idea possible if he's looking to keep things that way. You can bet that any attempt to target Israeli population centers or sensitive government or military sites by the Assad regime would be the casus belli for us to take him and his cohorts out of the game entirely. 

Rothschild and Allenby St, Tel Aviv

Greetings From Asbury Park, NJ

I try my best to keep my feelings of nostalgia in check each summer, but this is the exact time when it just becomes impossible not to allow them to take over. Even with the spectacular beaches and turquoise sea in Israel, in my biased opinion, there's still nothing that can compare to the overall atmosphere of summertime back in New York. Of course, I can't pretend to be partisan. I'm sure if you ask a native Israeli, they'll likely tell you the opposite. From my standpoint though, it's all a moot point. From riding the A-Train down to Rockaway Beach, to day trips out to Coney Island, and most infamously, weekends at the Jersey Shore. It really doesn't get any better, and I can't wait to be back next year.

NY Habitat. Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY.

Here is one of my favorite photo exhibitions from The New Yorker. It serves as just another indication to remind me that summers here in Israel don't have anything on those back home. Forgetting the fact that I wasn't even born when any of these pics seem to have been taken, I think the point is pretty obvious.

Seaside Heights, New Jersey. 1980. The New Yorker

“It felt like you were inside a Bruce Springsteen song,"

Palace Amusements, Asbury Park, New Jersey. 1980.

Taliban in Jerusalem

If you think that the Burqa is an exclusive phenomenon unique solely to ultra conservative sectors in Islamic societies in places like Afghanistan, think again. The rumors of Taliban style women being sighted in Jerusalem and in particular, Beit Shemesh have been commonplace for a few years now. It's only been recently though that the extent of this extreme interpretation of Jewish law is finally being given the proper spotlight.

The Taliban of Israel.Wikipedia.

As much as I love Jerusalem, and this country as a whole, I find it so hard to come to terms with what's been happening lately. The ever increasing cultural shift towards conservatism among Israelis, both Jewish and Arab truly makes me worry about the future of Israel and what will be. I don't see how Israel can fashion itself as "A light unto the nations" while at the same time enabling and supporting the most intolerable among us. For all the problems facing Yair Lapid, I'm thankful at the very least, he recognizes that the status quo of Haredi freeloading, with the explicit support from the state, is something that is untenable, and surely cannot continue.

Haredi Jewish women in their most extreme form

In a related story, I am extremely proud to see a British judge stand up for Western values and just as important, common sense, and declare that a Muslim defendant must remove her Burqa in court. Freedom of religion is something that shouldn't ever be compromised or taken for granted, but common sense and logic must always come play into account, and I'm thankful in this case, common sense prevailed.

The People of Forever Are Not Afraid

I hate to be the one to write a bad review. Unfortunately though, certain books leave the kind of lasting impression where silence after the fact would be an injustice. It pains me in this particular case especially, because I did in fact have high hopes for this latest novel I picked up recently. The People of Forever Are Not Afraid by Shani Boianjiu doesn't fall into the standard category of titles by former Israeli soldiers. Unlike most books written by former IDF personnel about their experiences in the army, this is not a memoir, but a fictional coming of age story about three young Israeli girls and their own trials and tribulations. They undergo a familiar process that all Israeli teens go through as they're forced to transition from their lives as high school students, dealing with issues about boys and their social lives to newly conscripted soldiers in a far different environment. They come to learn that not all is different in the military however, as matters such as crushes and relationships are now intertwined in a new and more precarious setting.

I have to commend Ms. Boianjiu on this though, as a native Hebrew speaker whose mother tongue is not English, the fact that she decided to write her first novel in English is impressive enough. I remember reading Beaufort by Ron Leshem and coming away completely unimpressed, not just from the stale and unappealing characters in his book, but also due to the fact that the Hebrew to English translation just did not flow. At the very least, Boianjiu takes a bold risk and ends up succeeding in a few areas. The main frame being the instant appeal to a more international audience. The fact that The Guardian has already written her praise speaks volumes. Nonetheless, too often over the course of the book, I found Bouianjiu going off on endless ramblings, the type that did not connect to her story whatsoever or to the characters themselves either. And most importantly, in my opinion, just did not come off as good writing. Of the majority of the characters, I found it hard to be pulled in and intrigued by them, and in general just found them to be uninteresting. As much as I tried to get into the story and find some kind of sympathy with the characters or something to relate to, eventually I hit the wall, and by the time I was done, I was unable to find many endearing aspects to come away with.

Despite what the premise of the novel may lead one to suspect, this is not a war story in the slightest. More than anything, the plot line centers around the mundane routine of military life, where in the novel each of the main characters find themselves either as weapons instructors or as a guard at some far flung checkpoint. The often humdrum and monotonous life depicted for the girls as soldiers is certainly true to life.

It shouldn't be surprising that actual combat exists at entirely a bare minimum. Very few female soldiers in the IDF do in fact serve in combat oriented capacities. The Caracal Battalion being one of the few that are designated as such. Not to put down Caracal either, but since its inception as a unisex unit given "combat" status, they have had very few actual high risk assignments, and their pedigree as combat soldiers questioned even by the upper brass of the IDF. It didn't help their case when just last year one of their soldiers was found to be hiding behind a bush during a cross border attack near Sinai. In this sense, it's apparent that the general perception and mythology attached to Israeli female soldiers was played up quite a bit.

Shani Boianjiu.

It seems obvious that Boianjiu is banking off some serious overly romanticized notions and myths that exist in her book. Almost everyone is aware that the IDF is one of the few armed forces in the world to conscript women into its ranks. Most aren't aware though that only about fifty percent of all Israelis called to serve actually do, and the number for total women who end up serving out of the total population is less than one quarter. And even within the IDF, the percentage of women throughout all branches stands at just about 33%. While in the service also, the majority of females are placed in administrative positions, far from the front lines of conflict and even farther from any form of combat, unlike what is perceived in the book. Despite being a pseudo-progressive tale of the contemporary military experience for women, Boianjiu, still makes her allegiance clear, she is a proud Zionist, and not ashamed. She states that, for women, there are many ways to get out of serving in today's climate, yet she still feels to obligation to serve her country. I won't argue with that.

Altogether, with the amount of cliches filled in over the course of the story though, I simply found it hard to take seriously. Having called many of these soldiers my colleagues, I'm fully aware of the difficulties faced by any 18 or 19 year old joining the army, which I certainly won't discredit. I remember serving with them, and sensing nearly all the time the difference in mindset and mentality. As someone who was a 25 year old, along with many of my friends who came from Michve Alon, it was definitely an adjustment to be made when it came to interacting and dealing with our younger Israeli peers. Most significantly, of course, on a maturity level. Given the circumstances in spite of everything, of an active duty army nearly comprised entirely of kids straight out of high school and in their late teens and early twenties, I'm still impressed how successfully we're able to properly operate, even if it sometimes seems as if things are done while hanging by a thread.

All in all however, The People of Forever Are Not Afraid is not lost beyond hope. It does have its redeeming points to it, and I can see how it can appeal if you're interested in this certain niche or understanding the mentality of young soldiers dealing with real issues day in and day out. I just happened to find it falling short in too many areas, and unfortunately to be a package filled with more style than substance, and more promise than delivery.

Our Neighbors

Just some peaceful Hamas supporters in East Jerusalem protesting on the Temple Mount last Friday in support of the Muslim Brotherhood's struggle in Egypt

ערוץ 7

The sign reads: "Hitler killed the Jews for his people, el-Sisi kills his people for the Jews"

So you have all in one swing, support for Hitler, classic antisemitic conspiracy theories and Islamic fundamentalism. And these are the enemies we're supposed to show restraint towards?

Young Turks

From a friend:

"It's funny how you can come to a country like Turkey— that's 99% Muslim— and walk around cities like Istanbul, Izmir or Antalya, and see such liberal-minded Muslims dressed just like anyone else in Europe or America, who complain that their visas to Europe or the United States were rejected. And then you go to the London or Berkeley and see these fully veiled monstrosities covered head to toe chanting "death to America" or "Islam will win"

It kind of makes you wonder if the problem is religious extremism (a minority in many Muslim countries) or our sadomasochistic State Department that seems to have a hard-on for letting in the worst the Middle East has to offer."

No Love for Erdogan. Istanbul. Animal NY.

I can't say that I agree 100% with these thoughts. I will fall on one side though and say that Turkey is certainly a unique example, both in terms of politics and culture. You'd be hard pressed to find any Muslim majority country that encompasses secularism as much as the modern Turkish Republic. Prime Minister Erdogan and his set have done their best however in recent years to shake up the foundations and impose their own form of Islamic governance within the Turkish political sphere. Saying these steps have been controversial would be an understatement. Despite having significant popular support from traditional elements of society, mostly in rural areas in the Turkish heartland, Prime Minister Erdogan cannot still contend with some of Turkey's strongest sectors. The military in particular and its upper brass, as the guardians of the ethos of modern Turkey and secular culture, will not under any circumstance allow an Islamist take over of their country, and will be there to ensure the founding values of Ataturk stay in place.

The Future of Turkey. Young and Secular. NY Mag.

More profoundly, it's the younger generation, the youth, who represent the future of Turkey. It's clear they have now stepped up to the forefront, and are making their voices heard in a way that's unprecedented. The fearless attitude they carry, and willingness to stand up for themselves and their secular values places them in perhaps the most compelling position.

They won't let the powers in government and their supporters silence them. And as the core voice of the Gezi Park protests and a free Istanbul, these students decided that they won't be suppressed and that their future in no way, shape or form will be dictated by those who oppose their rights and values

Gezi Park, Istanbul. Summer 2013. NY Mag.

Always Ready

Even for someone like myself who considers themselves fairly middle of the road when it comes to the conflict, every time I see something like this, it only reinforces what I feel deep down. And that is, the omnipresent need to meet and defeat our enemies wherever they present themselves, and to continue to stand up for justice and what's right. As was famously said, those who do not want to share the world with us, should not expect to enjoy the privilege either.

For the Sake of Sleaze

First off, let me preface by just saying that the following does not in any way stand as an endorsement, nor does it fit my own personal taste in music in the slightest. However, given my somewhat embarrassing propensity to still be fascinated by certain elements of senseless pop culture, I do still find things like this kind of interesting.

Borgore (born Asaf Borger) is an Israeli dubstep DJ, who has somehow managed to gain quite a strong international following. He fills dance floors and pushes the limits when it comes to misogyny, and marketing and selling ultimate hedonism and porn oriented sex for the youthful party crowd. I remember seeing him once a few years back when he was still up and coming on the local scene in Tel Aviv, and can mostly recall to the best of my memory leaving with quite a bit of a headache, which I'd attribute to cranked up dubstep in any setting. That's not to say that some of it wasn't fun.

Only a few months removed from his breakout single 'Decisions', that featured none other than Miley Cyrus. A sure stamp of success these days. Now he's pushing new boundaries with his latest video. He recruited fellow Israeli and Mizrahi crooner Dudu Tassa for a remake of the classic Egyptian love song 'Wayak'. As you can see, it's quite the departure from the original. And in all truth, actually a pretty entertaining scene to behold. For better or worse, Borgore is definitely putting Tel Aviv on the map.

Semper Fi

Given the "special relationship" between the United States and Israel, it's a bit surprising that military exercises between the two countries don't occur as often as one would suspect. For the US though, and its vast NATO and global priorities, it's in fact understandable. Last week however, the one and only US Marines made it to Israel and were welcomed by the IDF for a joint exercise at the Tze'elim base's Urban Warfare Training Center, the largest of its kind in the world.

The Tze'elim Military Base in Southern Israel

The Urban Warfare Training Center at Tze'elim represents the most detailed training environment simulating contemporary conflict in the Middle East. Where better than the heart of the region itself. It was built entirely by the US Army Corps of Engineers and financed to a large degree by a portion of the US's annual military aid to Israel. It's proven to be an unparalleled asset to both countries in helping train and prepare soldiers for the theater of conflict facing them. Among its facilities is a complete full scale mock Arab village included with multiple mosques, as well as high rise buildings, a hospital, a school, and even an area designated as a soccer stadium. And in addition, a PA system simulating every type of sound imaginable that one might hear on the ground, from the Muslim call to prayer, to gun shots and the sound of explosions. It truly is an unmatched resource. I've never had the chance to get to train there, but from what I've heard from friends of mine, it's a facility bar none that can't be compared to anywhere else. 

'Afghanistan, this is here" "The best warriors in the world, the Marines, arrived at Tze'elim for a special training exercise with Palsar Givati"

Glory Days

Polo Grounds. New York, NY. 1963. Sports Illustrated

1913 World Series. Polo Grounds. New York, NY.

New York Giants vs. Brooklyn Dodgers. Polo Grounds. New York, NY. 1954.

Live from Syria

Everyday, as soon as I turn on the news, it seems as if things are just getting worse and worse all across the Middle East. Nowhere more so than Syria, where all red lines seemingly have been crossed a long time ago. In spite of all the grim headlines, it often spurs me to delve deeper and seek out the reality of what's really going on just so close to our northern border.

It's no secret that Russia is one of the key power players propping up the Assad regime in Syria. Up until recently, the city of Tartus on the Syrian coastline was home to the only overseas contingent of Russian troops outside of Russia. It is still manned by Russian civilian contractors and exists as an additional installation of the Russian Navy. More significantly, it's been the first stop of weapons shipments from Russia to Syria, enabling President Bashar al-Assad to continue his assault in order to reclaim Syria from the rebel opposition.

Not surprisingly, with the direct political and military support led by President Putin, the Russian presence in Syria is well felt, and overt ties between the two respective governments as strong as ever. I discovered just recently some interesting videos on YouTube of a young Russian journalist who has been making a name for herself by reporting from the absolute front lines of the Syrian civil war while being embedded with Syrian government forces. Her name is Anastasia Popova,  and for better or worse, you won't find anyone else as close to the heart of the conflict than her. Judging by her apparent lack of armor while in the midst of intense firefights, it's clear this isn't the same Western style of on the ground reporting we're used to.

The Patriots' Club

It happens too many times than I can recall. A simple stop through the Shuk or the Tahanat Merkazit in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem will almost always yield the sight of IDF soldiers in transit, going to and from their bases. M-16's and Micro Tavors slung on their shoulders, backpacks and kit bags in hand.

And on certain occasions, more often than not, you'll have the chance to overhear distinct, American accented voices speaking English or Hebrew, bellowing into cellphones or talking with friends. They are a specific breed of soldier unique to the IDF. For better or worse, a category that I myself fall into. Preferably in the former tier, I hope.

It's a small and particular sub-culture of Americans who've served in the Israeli military. All of them crazy enough to have made Aliyah in the first place. Even more so, within this unique fraternity exists additional groups as well. I realized the extent of this my first day in the army when I reported to the Bakum, the IDF processing center for new recruits at the sprawling Tel Hashomer base outside Tel Aviv.

From the younger, collective, kibbutz living Garin Tzabar recruits, many of whom are the children of Israelis, to the Mahal volunteers, serving as non-citizens, and the individual new immigrant Lone Soldiers like myself, who made the move out of conviction or like others due to circumstance or even thrills. You can identify and break down each niche. 18 year old girls straight out of high school from California to the 25 year old graduate Oleh from New York. Each with their own story, yet sharing the same purpose, to serve and defend the only Jewish state in the world. The State of Israel.

זרוע היבשה

Despite all the diversity, even within the demographic that makes up Americans serving in the IDF. The main schism remains the same, just as it does among regular Israelis. That being, the division between secular and religious soldiers.

Immediately upon arrival at Bakum, the factional breakdown was apparent. Recruits in knitted Kippot instantly flocked to one another, while the rest of us casually exchanged greetings and got on, while taking in our new surroundings. I do my best to try not to knock on religious soldiers too much given their contributions, however, something has to be said about the comparative inclusiveness between those of us who are secular in contrast to our religious counterparts. While plenty of the religious guys I served with were top notch, the collective and judgmental mentality of so many of them was more than off-putting. It was a disgrace. To my friends and I, it didn't matter where you came from or what your background was, all we cared about were the same qualities we valued in everyday life, that of integrity, loyalty and a solid sense of being down to earth. I recall a couple of religious guys even going so far as to ask why secular Jews would make Aliyah to Israel. I had to emphatically remind them they don't hold a monopoly on Zionism and that if it wasn't for secular Jews like ourselves and Israeli pioneers of the same ilk who built this country, there wouldn't be a Jewish State to call our own and they wouldn't be where they are today.

במחנה

While I recognize the contribution of Religious Zionists to the army and Israeli society as a whole, many factors jump out as troubling to me. In the past 15- 20 years, they have been disproportionately represented as combat soldiers and across the ranks of junior officers in the IDF, and increasingly into the upper echelon of senior ranks as well. Their dedication and sacrifice is something to be applauded. Whether this is a good thing however in terms of the effectiveness of the military going forward remains to be seen though. In my personal opinion, I think it's a dangerous precedent that's being set. Rabbis armed with Halakha should not be holding higher authority than commanders in the field. The dangers of this were evident recently when the army succumbed to the will of religious soldiers in its midst and allowed female soldiers to be forcefully separated from males at an official army event. And none more outrageous than the open defiance by a battalion from the Kfir Brigade a few years back, when they disrupted a swearing in ceremony at the Kotel and stated loudly that as Jews they would not participate in the dismantlement of outposts or any evacuation of Jewish settlers from the the West Bank. If that doesn't sound an alarm, I don't know what does.

With the additional planned integration of thousands of Haredim into its ranks, the IDF is at a crisis point in terms of its future identity. Even as an army of the people, an effective military cannot have two separate marching orders. A shared ethos must be restored and the emerging religious influence and character of the IDF reigned in and curtailed.

More Than a Club

If there's anything Israelis love, it's their football. So when a team like Barcelona makes a special two day trip to the Middle East for the purpose of promoting peace and coexistence, even the most pessimistic of Israelis will jump at the first opportunity to get a glimpse of some of their favorite footballers. Barcelona has long been the most preferred international team to pull for among Israelis and Palestinians alike. I haven't pinpointed exactly why, but if you consider the type of uptempo attacking style of football played by Messi and co., it's a little easier to understand. That, and the fact that they're not Real Madrid.

While the quality of Israeli football on the domestic scene is something for most purists to lament, the passion is what counts, and even if the talent level isn't up to par, it's hard not to appreciate the overall devotion and love for the game that exists here. I can't remember an international visit by any dignitary or celebrity, Obama's aside, that compared to the excitement and hysteria of Barca's trip to the Holy Land. The sight of seeing Bibi kicking around footballs in his personalized tracksuit with little kids was quite the view to behold as well. Thankfully, the kids were likely lucky enough not to have had to sit through his press conference, where he was ceremoniously announced as "His excellency Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu". I'm not sure whose idea that was, but I'm almost positive that in the West, democratically elected leaders are not referred to as such. I shouldn't be complaining though, Bibi did his best to put together a commendable speech, full of all the talking points he always hammers home. It sounded quite nice, and if it were to ever actually materialize in real life, it would be quite nice too. However, this trip wasn't about politics, it was about the kids, about building a brighter future and striving for the type of coexistence that is so deserved. Judging by the reactions of people, there couldn't have been a better emissary for that purpose than the players of FC Barcelona.

Waves and Currents

As much as I'm a fan of Stieg Larsson and Jo Nesbo and the recent wave of Scandinavian authors who've made their mark in crime fiction, there really is nothing comparable to the grittiness and authenticity of Mediterranean Noir, which I've become so addicted to lately.

Here is the most definitive documentary I've seen so far about the genre, that makes clear why the Italians do it best.