Just Ask Yourself

Better than the real show?

Time to Let Loose

It might be a little late, but I couldn't let Yair Lapid's out of touch and ignorant remarks against Israeli emigrants, in particular young Israelis in Berlin go without a response. Last checked it's no longer 1960, in today's day and age, in 2013, people here are simply not buying this type of bullshit anymore. The classic smears of labeling those who choose to leave this country in search of a better life as "Yordim" are just as detached now as they've ever been.

The bottom line is, life in Israel is hard. And it's true for the overwhelming majority of Israeli citizens, whether they're from down south in Be'er Sheva or up north in Haifa or Tel Aviv. No matter where you go and who you talk to, people will tell you the same things. The cost of living in Israel has become astronomical. Plainly speaking, salaries and earnings are not commensurate with the incredibly high cost of housing, as well as everything else ranging from food to essential common goods. To sum it up in a nut shell, it's like paying Northern European prices for Southern European standards of living. Ok, that's actually being too generous. Let's call it more appropriately what it is, Middle Eastern standards. Anyone who has hunted for apartments in Tel Aviv knows exactly what I mean.

Tel Aviv

More than that though, it's about dignity. Amir Mizroch's excellent and eye opening rebuttal to our current finance minister is the best piece I've read so far, and details the sentiments of so many of us. Who can really blame Israelis for wanting to challenge the status quo of oligarchical rule and see what's out there when they're given practically no chance to succeed at home? I certainly don't.

Berlin. Ick Pix FB.

And lastly, I'd be remiss not to point out that it's not only the effects of struggling to make ends meet in Israel that spurs many Israelis to seek out greener pastures in search of a more peaceful and prosperous existence. It can't be blamed on a lack of Zionism either. The overwhelming majority of Israelis who find themselves living and studying in cities like Berlin are all army grads, secular in their make up and educated, people who've given everything asked of them by their country. All they want is the chance to be able to succeed and live with dignity. Not be forced to live on their knees.

Equally as relevant and note worthy, among many Israelis, especially secular Ashkenazim, there exists a certain desire for a culture and mentality that is far different from that of the mindset in Middle East. The longing for a place where religion takes a back seat, and where violence and aggression are not considered the primary means to an end. Based on the make up of a city like Berlin and what it represents, it's easy to see why its appeal is so striking.

Former defense secretary Gates warns against lure of drone warfare

Washington Post

By Greg Jaffe

Former defense secretary Robert M. Gates warned Wednesday that the seductive power and precision of armed drones had led many in the White House and Congress to view war as a “bloodless, painless and odorless” affair.

“Remarkable advances in precision munitions, sensors, information and satellite technology and more can make us overly enamored with the ability of technology to transform the traditional laws and limits of war,” Gates said in a speech to a group of current and former soldiers, according to a copy of his prepared remarks. “A button is pushed in Nevada and seconds later a pickup truck explodes in Kandahar.”

Too often, Gates said, U.S. defense experts have come to view war as a “kind of video game or action movie. . . . In reality, war is inevitably tragic, inefficient and uncertain.”

The former defense secretary, speaking at the Association of the U.S. Army’s annual conference in Washington, suggested that the infatuation with technology had led some politicians and defense experts to believe that the military’s budget can be cut deeply with little harm. He called on Republicans and Democrats to put aside partisan fighting to solve the budget crisis and reverse plans to reduce defense spending by almost $1 trillion over the next decade.

Gates was especially harsh in his critique of the political climate, saying that “the biggest threat to U.S. national security is the political dysfunction within two square miles of Washington, D.C.”

“My hope — and it is a faint hope — is that the remaining adults in the two political parties will make the compromises necessary to put this country’s finances back in order, end the sequestration of military dollars, and protect military capabilities that are as necessary today as they have been through the last century,” he said.

Gates’s remarks were certain to be warmly received in the Army, which faces the deepest cuts of all the military services. Leaders in both Congress and the White House have spoken of the need to reduce ground troops and shift the focus to Asia, where air and sea power are thought to be more important.

The former defense secretary also called on the military to hold on to the hard lessons it had learned during the long stretch of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, especially lessons involving how to fight low-tech, guerrilla wars. “It is too easy to forget that there are still tens of thousands of soldiers serving in Afghanistan; too easy to forget the tremendous sacrifices that led to the security progress of recent years,” he said.

Split Set

This is what I imagine things to look like when worlds collide, think Tahanat Merkazit meets Shoreditch. Of course, I'm pulled in. It could also be her hair.

The Next Generation

"From the moment I decided to enlist, I saw myself only as a combat soldier. I knew that I had a lot to give."

Congrats to all of the new officers earning their commissions!

T E D E R T L V

It might sound crazy, but despite it already being deep into October, the festive vibes of summer are only just beginning to wind down now. Believe me when I say this also, I'll never get used to this feeling. That being said though, as the seasons finally begin to change, and what Israelis refer to "winter" starts to set in, it only really means one thing if you're a Tel Avivi, and that's the official end to the season for Teder FM. And I can already say with confidence that summer 2013 at the Teder might have been one of the best yet. From Gilles Peterson to a host of other international guests tearing it up each night, the new location on Derekh Yafo proved to be intimate, energetic and full of excitement. Judging by how things have been, I can only predict that next year will be just as stellar, if not, even more.

Nights on Derekh Yafo. Teder FM. Tel Aviv.

From year to year, it only gets better. Teder FM FB.

Direct Hit

Still the best show I've been to in the past few years while out here.

A Rush and a Push and..

It's finally here. At first, I truly thought all of the talk of Morrissey's autobiography being published as a Penguin Classic was nothing more than a clever joke poking fun at a very appropriate subject. Apparently though, I've been proven wrong! My steadfast refusal to believe that even the most absurd notions can in fact become a reality indeed got the best of me this time. Alongside Tolstoy, James Joyce, Homer, Alexandre Dumas and all of the greatest literary minds, we can now add Steven Patrick Morrissey to that list. I can't even believe this is the current state of affairs, but it is, and I guess it shouldn't actually be all that surprising.

Free Style

I guess tradition never goes out of style, because nothing says it more than old school Ashkenazi women. I found this piece quite interesting though. You really get the impression of what this city is all about. Even though the focus is just centered around the up and coming scene in Yafo that has become quite gentrified over the past few years, it does a great job of highlighting the distinct mix of cultures that exists in Tel Aviv. It's fair to say that there is no place like it in the Middle East.

Frontline

Just to show how entrenched Jabhat al-Nusra fighters are in Syria right now, as well as the current situation in Northern Iraq with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant taking hold, look no further. Here is how things are shaping up on the ground in Aleppo and Azaz at this very moment, and along the Iraq-Syria border.

Central Asian foreign fighters in Azaz.

Welcome to the neighborhood

ISIS

כיפור

Here is a pretty stunning clip that was just released by the IDF Spokesperson's office detailing the announcement to the public of the Arab invasion signaling the beginning of the Yom Kippur War. Unfortunately, this is still the reality we have to prepare for each day.

Gazing at the Moon

Another weekend, another New York Giants loss. This can only mean many more long nights ahead. Might as well try and make them as enjoyable as possible.

Good Riddance

It's been a long time coming, but finally I can now say good riddance once and for all to the vile and disgraceful figure that was Rav Ovadia Yosef. You really need to look no further than to him to see the large cultural schisms that exist in Israeli society. The man, who proclaimed that "The sole purpose of non-Jews is to serve Jews" happens to be revered as a demigod by millions of Mizrahim and Jews of North African descent. In addition to many others who've come to see him as their true spiritual leader and authority on almost all matters, be it religious or political. While on the other end of the spectrum, people like myself and large segments of secular Ashkenazi Israelis consider him to be nothing more than a Jewish Mullah, a backwards hatemonger responsible for spreading his racist and misogynistic views and values across Israeli society. You really need to look no further than through the list of his associates also. As they saying goes, "You are the company you keep". In this case, surrounding oneself with Shas henchmen and convicted criminals such as Aryeh Deri and Eli Yishai only reinforces and justifies all my feelings.

Reuters

I can only hope that with his passing, a new future will begin to open up. Israel as a modern nation state was founded not only on principles of Jewish culture, but on enlightenment as well. To think that Prime Minister Netanyahu and nearly the entire Knesset and Israeli mainstream has already been outpouring with praise and support for such a man like Yosef, just shows me that Israeli society is as far from the core, mainly Western values this country was founded on as it's seemingly ever been.

Times of Israel

This might not be politically correct to say in today's day and age, but I have no problem speaking up in support of the Ashkenazi pioneers who built and fought for this country, and contributed so much to making it so dynamic and special. And in my view, it is going to be Israelis who adhere to the same founding values of secularism and humanism who are going to be the ones to save us and prevent us from becoming just like some of our neighbors here in the Middle East.

S'13

I'm not afraid to go on the record and say that Israel Hayom is far from one of my favorite publications. Incessant cheerleading for Bibi and the settler movement will do that. However, as a free newspaper that happens to be the most circulated paper in Israel, which is handed out at every single bus and train station and business district, it's quite hard to escape. Of course, I stumbled upon a copy of the weekend supplement recently and did manage to find exactly the type of feature that's made Israel Hayom so popular with people all across the country. For what it's worth, I do recognize the entertainment value to this whole type of thing, and given that the IDF is still the center stone of Israeli society, it's not surprising that they manage to do these features quite well.

Here is Shayetet 13, the elite Israeli naval commando unit equivalent to the US Navy Seals operating outside of their standard maritime environment right in the heart of central Tel Aviv.

Shayetet 13. Azrieli Towers in the background. Israel Hayom.

Shayetet 13. Kiryat Hamemshala. Israel Hayom.

Shayetet 13. Israel Hayom.

Buda and Pest

It's already early October, yet here in the Middle East that means it still practically feels like summer. If there's anything I miss more than true authentic seasons, especially winter, it's probably only pizza and football. And I say this as serious as possible. That places it pretty high on the priority scale, and can only mean that a real winter get away is definitely in order soon.

Budapest. Wikipedia.

Launch

One more from the Barby.