Capoeira

Yesterday, I had some errands to run in an adjacent town. It was getting dark and I hurried to catch the bus back home. Suddenly, I stopped walking as  I came upon a  kids' capoeira performance.

I was attracted by the rhytmical music, the brazilian-portuguese language of the instructor, the special percussion drum, and of course, the versatile  performance of the small group.  It was a mixture of  acrobatics and  apparent fighting moves. 

They  were obviously enjoying every bit of it: the dynamics, the interraction with the others, the physical challenge, the rhytm.  It started with them standing in a circle, then two entering to play simulating a fight without touching the opponent.

That brought back memories of a conversation I once had with an adult capoeira  fan. Both he and his wife participated in adults' capoeira events, as well as in their kids' capoeira performances. He said that it was family strenghtening, that it helped kids to do well as part of a team and as individuals, and that it was one of the best extra curricular activity options.

I would also add as  side benefit that ....it takes them away from the screens:)

group preparing to leave ;  instructor's orders

White Plastic Cover Sheets

Passover is over, and so, we return to our daily routine of habits and activities.  
Holiday Breaks usually make me reflect a lot on the addictions in our life. Everyone is  addicted to something; the question is whether we can control the addiction or it controls us.  I'm glad to say: Yes, I  Can. 

Tradition, religion, culture - all give us  a fair opportunity to test the extent and severity of our addictions , and try to improve things (especially, in the area of the lighter addictions, to food and shopping). 

In judaism, the most holly day is the Atonement Day (Yom Kippur).We are supposed to fast on that day to repent for our sins, ask forgiveness,  and pray to be sealed in the book of life.
Regardless of the religious aspect,  I know I would despise myself for not  fasting on that one day, as the Fast helps  prove to myself that I'm more than just an animal looking for food. 

During  Passover(Pesach) week, it is forbidden to eat bread. I'm a great lover of bread as are many other people. And yet, unlike some other people, I wouldn't dream of making "bread provisions" for this short period of time. 

popular felafel booth- before Pesach

the same booth - closed for Pesach

Sometimes. it's hard to believe what people would do, to avoid the one day fasting and the eight day of abstinence from bread eating!
(For the oriental jews, with roots in North Africa and the Middle East,  life is much easier during Passover, as they're allowed by their rabbis to eat grains , seeds, legumes such as rice, corn, beans. I belong to the Ashkenazi jews with roots in Europe and their Passover has strict rules that don't allow the above). 

Anyway, I say : once a year -  fasting for one day and not eating bread for a week - see it as a chance you're given to test yourself, free yourself of bad habits, improve yourself. Take it, and make the best of it! Being able to control the smaller addictions will help you in your struggle with the heavier ones (if and when they come) like smoking, drugs, gambling.

at the supermarket (before Pesach) : pita bread, bread, cakes, cookies

 Pesach -  leavened food shelf covered with white plastic sheets

It's interesting to note that  white is the color of preferrence during both holidays:  white clothes on Yom Kippur,  white garment for the jew leading the Seder meal on Pesach,  and...at supermarkets, white cover sheets for 'chametz' (leavened food),  just before Pesach.

April's Major Events

Heads of the electoral parties - from "Haaretz" newspaper

On the 9th of April we had the General Elections;  on the 19th we will be  celebrating Passover (Pesach).. Both April  events are a bit of a madness thing.

the polling station in my neighborhood

'blue evil eye'  poster on the wall, in the entrance hall 

There were 47(!!) registered political groups  (including the regular parties) participating in the elections. That hardly looks to me like democracy,  more like anarchy.
I went "to do my duty" as a law-abiding citizen, in the evening hours, when  it's quieter, with less people waiting in line to enter the polling room.  

inside the booth with the ballots

election workers;  the blue box where we cast the ballot

 voter handing in his ID and after check, getting an envelope

After the elections, forming a coalition is not an easy task. The largest parties rarely get more than 30-35 seats each (61 is needed for a government). so negotiations start, and this is a real circus or nightmare - depends on the beholder.

I'm rather indifferent to all this  'more of the same' show. 
Politicians see only the votes that will assure them a seat in Parliament, with all the power that comes with it; they don't care about the people, or the country.

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Passover (Pesach), commemorates the journey from slavery to freedom. What sort of freedom?! We are slaves to cleaning, scrubbing, burning , spending, cooking - before, during, and after the holiday.

Plate for the symbolic essentials (egg, horseraddish, charoset etc)

Moreover, during Passover, we, the people in the land of the glorious Pita bread, have to abstain from bread made with raising flour, and from grains and their derivates (beer). We are said to eat  unleavened bread, called  'matza'. One gets used to that, but it's not the greatest of eating pleasures. 

Matza, near the green bottle

The weather is fine and drags people out to trips and picnics.
Kids have vacation during the Passover week ; many adults also take the days off, so places are crowded, traffic is congested.
And yet, we don't stay at home. As long as we can stand on our feet, we are all out and about.