Tel Aviv skyline in reflection – March 2010

It’ may seem difficult to avoid the feeling that the dreadful terror attack in Tel Aviv on Wednesday night threatens to overwhelm the ordinary day-to-day joy of life in Israel. Difficult, but not impossible. Difficult, but the people of Israel have done it before, and may have to do it again. So we defeat the terror by going on with our lives as normal, and the terrorists can go to hell. We fight the good fight, peacefully. And we celebrate Shabbat (and on Saturday evening we will celebrate Shavuoth) and birthdays, and anniversaries, and births, and weddings, and engagements, and whatever. We always have done, and we always will.  And, all the time, we keep a small silent space in our hearts (and our collective memory) for the victims and their loved ones. May they be spared sorrow for many years to come.

I didn’t enjoy writing that paragraph. Reading it was no less painful. But it had to be done before I would be able to return to the regular beat. And that means, the regular weekly selection of links. Here they are:

• ADL adds (((echo))) symbol to hate list
• Israeli anthropologist murdered in #TelAvivAttack, as American Anthro Assoc censures Israel for security measures
• “Let’s face it, we Arabs are a violent people”
• Trump son-in-law emerges as quiet force
• U.S. Museums Trying to Keep Jewish Artwork Stolen By Nazis

Bonus

This is one of my favorite youtube videos, and a cracking Shabbat melody to enjoy. Have a good one.

Shabbat Shalom!