On Passover's Liberty - Cherut and Elections - Bechirot
At the endpoint account of our darling 5 years old grandson Leo our entire family plans to fly out to California, for Passover got intercepted and aborted.
.The serology test which was difficult to obtain, resulted for the boy, as Negative,
That meant, that Leo didn't develop any immunity, no Corona antibodies, nor was he infected. Thus, he would have needed to be quarantined, as would his parents of course, upon returning back to the country , should he had flown out, with all of us.
His parent couldn't afford taking this 2 additional extra vacation time from work.
So many hardships piled up leading to this travel plans, which all were overcome , excluding this last one, that couldn't be ratified...
First it was discovered, 3 weeks prior to the flight departure's date, and after plaine's tickets were already, bought for all, that the boy's 2 passports expired at the age of 5 and needed to be renewed.
Amazingly both the Israeli Interior Office and the American embassy managed to issue the needed travel papers, in a speedy timely response.
Then we were notified, that our original United direct flight from TLV to SFO scheduled initially, for March 20th/2021 got canceled.
In a way that saved us from a predicament, in which David and I could have departed, on this earlier date, while the kids who were booked on a March 25th flight, could have been held back,. Would that had happened it would have meant for our family not spending the holiday together, as David and I, would have arrived in CA , and they would have stayed in Israel
The next direct flight was only scheduled for March 25 (just 2 days prior to Passover).
It was tight, but still manageable
The 2 girls and grands managed to get seats on that date, but initially we didn't, because all the upper cabin seats (36 of them) got sold out earlier, to some travel group.
Eventually, first only I got an upper level seat on the 25th, to fly together with the girls, while David was put on a stop-over flight via Newark, on the same date but different route, Later he too was put on the direct flight with us all, so it seems it would be a go..
However, the fact that the child's never contracted Corona and lacked antibodies which made him a target for being contaminated or a carrier, smashed the rest of the elaborate travel plans.
The upside of this bellicose, was that we were here to cast our vote at this Israeli 4th round (in 2 years) election. And that Passover is celebrated, this year here, in Israel at my mom's place in Haifa where we stay and celebrate all together, this important night.
The downside had to do with the Hametz major clean up, that the Holiday's tradition prescribes, not only of the in-houses stench , but that also of the nausea and disgust evoked, this year, by the nasty, another round of Election.
As was predicted, after 4 cycles of very restrictive lock-downs and closures, even
that of the airports, the Gov, finally, coinciding with the 4th upcoming Israeli elections (March 23rd), for the 24th Kenest, had relaxed edicts. related to limitations on movements, and assemble, and the country. opened up.
The country was re-awakened back to semi-normal course, which was also facilitated by the massive vaccination of the public, and by fantastic warm -hot spring weather..
The streets begun swelling up with crowds. Shops,Cafes, Pubs and Restaurants started servicing the "hungry" who were deprived, for too long, of their indulgences.
The education systems, re-opened its gates, and thus rescued the "lost generation" off the streets, the video screens, from the inflicted existential boredom, as well as from their desperate, parents, on the verge of their wits-end
Grand-parents could finally reunite with their grand-kids, whom they were denied physical contact for an entire year, and other family and friends became much less fearful to visit with each other, although face covering, and not yet hugging, is still the common practice.
Even some movie theaters attracted the brave to the "land of dreams" screenings.
On March 22nd David and I saw this fabulous Argentinian film
El Amor Menos Pensado - "Unexpected love" (2018)
at a real movie theater - the TLV cinematheque, after a year of not stepping a foot in any theater buildings, which were all closed, all this long time.
Live theater performances will be open to the public in April.
The theater was half empty, but those brave who did attend, had a terrific time.
There is nothing more elevating, than seeing a fantastic film on a large screen, being in a crowd synchronized in laughter, and sharing an ambiance voicing a good time spent together.
On March 23rd Election day, in early morning, before 10am when we frequented the voting booths, on Rothschild St. not even 15% of the eligible,had cast their vote
for the 14 political competing parties , which fiercely and dirtily, had scrambled for every supportive vote..
By 2:00pm in the afternoon, not even 35% of the qualified, showed up at the voting stands. And by the evening , the number hardly increased to 51.5%.
It will take hours if not days before the finale results will be broadcasted.
15 Millard NIS combined, later, wasted on 4 elections rounds produced the lowest voting numbers, ever, in this round, when compared to the previous rounds.
There were hardly any people waiting on the lines at the voting facility we were assigned. Election fatigue plague had contaminated almost half of the country..
People were feeling hopeless, about their voting ability to bring about change.
.They either abstained from casting their vote, yet, overwhelmed the shopping malls.
Or they took off to vacation spots, in the country's parks and beaches (over 100,000)
as well as flew abroad, giving up,on their voting civil duty Instead, they exercised their individual freedom rights, which were suppressed and denied, for too long.
The animosity between Pro Bibi and against Bibi blocks, which this elections is all about, rose to a "Gog and Magog" fateful level battle.
The force of light against the dark one is a struggle on the core essence of the state.
It will determinate if a liberal, democratic, justice-perusing Gov, that serves all its citizens will be formed. Or a messianic, most religiously, far right nationalistic racist entity, will be established, which will tramp over, the justice system and its representatives.
Will this Passover assure freedom and liberties for all ?
Or will it "enslave" the state to dark regressive forces and chain the people, whose future is being robbed, by a ruthless leadership whims???
We will need to drink extra wine than usual ,at this year Seder, either to celebrate the the joy of having the forces of light win,
Or as to drown in sorrow, which may be brought about, by a darken future.if loosing.
Wishing you, your loved ones, and us all a digestive Passover
The Gefilte fish Story (See Film)
