The WYSIWYG* Blog

Post BBQ recovery took a little longer than expected. Several long walks and lots of water were involved. Even though I’m an avid carnivore, my consumption of red meat has declined in recent years to the point that when I do eat red meat, my body reacts (and looks) like a boa that has just dined on a wart hog. To put it mildly, I get a bit lethargic. Of course having a couple of glasses of some excellent red wine added to the lethargy just a bit.

For years we have happily attended Independence Day festivies in our little town, walking among the food stalls, craft booths, performance stages and being sprayed with foam by small children whose parents stand on the side talking to their friends while their offspring do their thing. This year being a special celebration we decided to join the festivities in the Big City of Tel Aviv. Since cars are not allowed within a certain distance of the central stage and parking is limited nearby, we parked just outside the city center and walked for 30 minutes to reach the stage. Not quite knowing what to expect crowd- and traffic-wise, we left extra early and were rewarded with being able to sit down in the many, many chairs that had been set up.

By the time the festivities were in full flow, it was shoulder-sitting room only. Besides listening to some of Israel’s top notch performers, the highlight of the evening was the spectacularly loud and wonderful sound and light show over city hall.

We had been expecting to find food stalls nearby, but didn’t take into account the literally thousands of party goers who had the exact same idea at the exact same time. After pushing through a human traffic jam of Tel Aviv rush hour proportions, we found a quiet backwater not too far away and tucked into some great Hungarian soup.

Even though it was starting to get late (for us), we decided to return to Rabin Square and were delighted to see on stage one of our favorite singing groups, the Gevatron, who are also celebrating their 60th year anniversary this year. Several of the original members still sing with the group.

Musically, the Gevatron belongs solidly in what is called, loosely translated, “Little, Beautiful Israel” which is based on folk music and full of nostalgia. None-the-less, there were scores of twenty-somethings bopping along to the beat and singing the tunes.

The entire atmosphere of Independence Day eve was upbeat, positive and optimistic. After all it’s a celebration. Given the facts of daily life here on the ground, having made it to 60 years in spite of everything could be considered an achievement all on its own.

(translation: 60 years of Israel Independence)