Blue and White

 

Monday, March 1, 2021 

Here is some information about Israel that, I believe, has the making of a time bomb, threatening the viability of the state.  "Haredi [Ultra-Orthodox] women give birth to an average of 6.6 children each — the average among secular Israelis is 2.2, and it is even lower in most Western countries — and almost 60 percent of Haredim are under 20, compared with 30 percent of the total population of Israel. . . . [N]early half of Haredi males choose not to work at all, relying on state funding and philanthropic aid to feed them and their families.  About 42 percent of Haredim live under the poverty line, nearly four times as many as other Israelis."

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/25/magazine/how-the-pandemic-nearly-tore-israel-apart.html

. . .

If the information above makes you cross off Israel as a retirement destination, here are supposedly desirable domestic alternatives.  https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/25/realestate/best-and-worst-states-to-retire-2021.html

With New York next to last, it's easy to guess my opinion of the list.  Nevertheless, don't disregard the whirligig of activities offered by North Dakota, Montana and Idaho.

. . .

Can you remember way back to January 2020, the good old days?  Well, for some reason, this January 2021 was much better for existing home sales, 23.7% better, in fact.

https://www.nar.realtor/infographics/existing-home-sales-housing-snapshot

Were people so tired of looking at the same four walls for most of the year that they decided to look at another set for four walls?

. . .

Headline: "Only 68% at CPAC Want to See Trump Run Again"  Does that number strike you as high or low?

Tuesday, March 2, 2021

Upon the occasion of its 125th anniversary, the New York Times publishes a review of its weekly Book Review.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/26/books/new-york-times-book-review-history.html

It's no surprise that it used to be whiter, straighter, more masculine, but do any of us remember the scathing, manic review of  "Conundrum," Jan Morris's memoir of transitioning female, by Rebecca West?  This article, as a whole, is good reading and isn't that what the Book Review is all about?

Wednesday, March 3, 2021

With the temperature at 51° and clear blue skies, today was a perfect day to break new ground and Michael Ratner was available to be a groundbreaker with me.  We headed to Mimi Cheng's, 309 Amsterdam Avenue, a branch of an established downtown joint, opening today.  In fact, we were in a group of half a dozen waiting at 1 P.M. as the doors opened for the very first time.  As was the case with Vanessa's Dumplings, which I visited last week, if the Jews can't get to Chinatown, bring Chinatown to the Jews.

So, why didn't we have lunch at Mimi Cheng's?  It has no outdoor seating and Michael and I continue to practice New York sanity rather than Texas insanity.  An untried alternative was close by -- Jing Fong, 380 Amsterdam Avenue, another uptown version of a downtown favorite.  While I have been to the Jing Fong mother ship at 20 Elizabeth Street, reputedly the largest restaurant in the Holy Land, countless times, I have stayed away from the local version for the several years that it has been open.  Why?  Because I'm stubborn.

There were tables outside, empty, no heaters, no coverings, but sitting in sunlight.  This place operates like an ordinary Chinese restaurant, nothing like the herd of dim sum carts colorfully scooting across the space of a football field downtown.  The food, too, was ordinary, on the whole.

We shared a bowl of Noodle Soup w. Shrimp Wonton ($13), good but overpriced; Har Gow (shrimp dumplings) ($8 for 4) excellent; Peking Duck Dumplings ($8 for 3) tasteless;  Chicken & Mushroom Buns ($7 for 3) good; and, Roast Pork Buns ($8 for 3), good. 

Shortly after I returned home, I found this account of the travails of Jing Fong downtown, unable to pay its bills without the hundreds of customers in and out on a daily basis.  https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/03/02/nyregion/jing-fong-closing.html

Of course, now that Elaine Chao, Mitch McConnell's wife and former Secretary of Transportation under the greatest president ever, is going to be spared a possible jail sentence, although she "repeatedly misused her office to benefit her family and its business interests in China," she could throw a few bucks in the direction of Jing Fong.   https://www.mediaite.com/news/just-in-trump-doj-reportedly-refused-to-pursue-criminal-probe-of-transportation-sec-elaine-chao-despite-igs-recommendation/

In any case, I'm heading back to Mimi Cheng's as soon as I can find a lawn chair.

Thursday, March 4, 2021 

Andrew Cuomo needs only a few more allegations of sexual impropriety to qualify as a presidential candidate.

. . .

 

Careful readers of this blog are well aware that my birthday is in February, but I just learned that my Name Day is January 12th.  My ignorance this time is slightly excusable.  Name Days are primarily found in Christian European countries, because of festivals held for a saint on that day.  Here is a directory of European Name Days.  https://www.behindthename.com/namedays/

Actually, Alan's Name Day is August 14th in the Czech Republic, October 14th in Poland, and March 8th in Slovakia.  However, in the good old U.S.A., where we do things our own way, January 12th is the day for Alan Heim, Alan Silverman, Alan Alda, Alan Arkin, and your humble servant.  http://americannamedaycalendar.com

Friday, March 5, 2021

Yesterday was such a busy day.  I Zoomed into "The Intersection of Jewish and Argentinean Identities" at 11:00 A.M., then "Jews, Race, and Religion" at 1:30 P.M., then "The Judaism of Leonard Bernstein" at 7:30 P.M., which I also moderated.  Do you detect a theme here?

. . .

 

We started with Israeli numbers and we will end with Israeli numbers.  Survey data from late 2019 embedded in this article surprised me, especially the notable political differences between young and old.  https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/elections/EXT-INTERACTIVE-meet-the-generation-that-holds-the-key-to-israel-s-future-1.8608344

 

Exactly the opposite of what I would have predicted, Israeli young people are far more conservative on the critical issue of the future of the Occupied Territories.  29.6% of those 18-24 support a two-state solution, 59% oppose.  In stark contrast, 62.5% of those over 65 support it, 29.5% oppose.  

While I hold little hope for effecting a two-state solution (or any solution, for that matter), it's hard to abandon the concept entirely.  Dreams can shape our behavior, even if they can't predict results.