So here’s the scene:

Terrorists? Yes. Children's toothpaste? No way.

A woman is at the airport with several small children. At least one is crying and one needs a change. She puts all the carry-ons on the conveyor belt and fumbles for a collection of boarding passes and passports. Several drop on the floor, and she attempts to pick them up while holding one barefoot child and trying to keep track of the rest. (All their shoes have been placed into bins that seem to have disappeared completely.)

“Just a second lady,” says the uniformed TSA official. Another one appears with a  frown and holds up a tube of Tom and Jerry toothpaste. “We found this.”

Read the rest of this entry »

We can wait

I acknowledge ahead of time that many of my neighbors will disagree with me. But the fact is, public opinion among “settlers” is not and has never been represented by one or two shrill voices. So while many are gearing up to fight the settlement freeze temporary lull in initiating certain residential construction, I think the energy could be put to better use.

I don’t feel this way because I think that a slight delay in building Jewish homes is either just or will bring about peace. No, it is clear to everyone (except maybe the White House) that the lack of peace in the Middle East has nothing to do with settlements and everything to do with Arab intransigence. And that’s the point.

Read the rest of this entry »