Irritations, Roommates, and Bombs by Jerry Waxman I never wanted a roommate, not of the same gender at any rate. It’s a small apartment with one bedroom and one living room. I scored a desk a week or so ago, and I was just getting my homelife a little better organized when suddenly I got [...]

The Bukhari; a Lesson in Roots by Jerry Waxman In the early Sabbath morning, I headed out the door, talit (prayer shawl) in hand, to find the Bukhari synagogue, up near the entrance to Sderot. A friend had shown me where it is, but as I am known to chronically misnavigate, I decided to start [...]

If education is waning, could it be that nobody’s awake at the Education Ministry?

Thank You Mr. Kennedy by Jerry Waxman There are some in Israel who take issue with Ted Kennedy because he was “a liberal.” They’re completely missing the plot, the same as those who assume that Barack Obama is antagonistic toward Israel because of his Islamic heritage and/or leftist leanings. Such labels – conservative, liberal, rightist, [...]

Hide and Seek and the Ice Cube Air-Con by Jerry Waxman A few clouds graced the blue desert sky today. Most have left, but a few have stayed to lend the night an essence of aesthetic peacefulness. The moon is still new – only a sliver now – and a reminder that our Islamic neighbors [...]

Jews from Morocco built Sderot.  They came here in the early years of Israel’s statehood.  So it’s no surprise that Moroccan culture is part of living in Sderot. The Karaoke Guy, for example, sings Mizrahi songs with the familiar high pitched nasal quality of North African tastes. In this neighborhood, even when the Karaoke Guy [...]

The Cockroach Wars Part 4 [This is an update report. From part 3, "Then I understood why these filthy creatures were so arrogant. They hadn't been beaten yet."] As issues foment about us; draughts and the threat of Swine Flu, and arguments over where people may and may not live, and peace talks silenced by [...]

even here in Sderot, we’ve heard about the “Beer Summit” while the visit of President Arroyo got no press at all. Your “beer summit” came about after a misunderstanding. As you said, your words about the incident were not calibrated well,

Every night the neighborhood is serenaded by “the karaoke guy.” He practices his favorite Mizrahi tunes for hours on end.