What’s really important

With police, soldiers and rioters potentially headed for yet another confrontation on Israel’s newest front lines - the orange border in Gaza and the Arab north - all eyes are turning to these locations, and we are waiting with breathless anticipation for the potential and, some would say sought for, clashes.

And yet, while these are important issues (in Israel, it always seems as if these issues are always debated in CAPITAL LETTERS with EXCLAMATION POINTS!!! - The Future of Religious Zionism; Will Our Democracy Survive?, Will There Be Civil War?, Our Relationship With Arab Israelis), they aren’t the only things on our minds, the same way terrorism and “piguim” (terror attacks) weren’t the only things we worried about in the bad old days of the last few years.

It’s summer, and our kids are in camp (or bugging us when they’re booorrrred); some of us are on vacation, and we haven’t yet turned our eyes to the beginning of the school year in four weeks.

But sometimes it’s even more quotidian than that - and I have proof. I am only an occasional reader and user of the “Janglo” (Jerusalem Anglo Protexia) group on Yahoo, but whenever I dip into it, I am amazed and amused by what really concerns people here.

Janglo is composed of nearly 8,000 Israeli “Anglos” (reminder for a future column topic: the irony of American Jews being called “Anglo Saxons” - isn’t that what we left America to get away from???). The very active users of this list (moderator and co-founder Zev Stub recently noted that July brought 4,000 posts) are always looking for something, or looking to get rid of something.

Herewith, a few of the items. “All dialogue verbatim,” as Stan Mack used to say in his “Real Life Funnies” comic strip in the Village Voice. I had planned on making comments about these postings, but in the end decided they speak for themselves:

Wanted tenor sax

I would like to buy a used tenor saxophone.

Seeking big plastic bins

I knew I should have brought those Rubbermaid plastic crates over here (I think they were 6.99 on sale at Home Depot), but alas didn’t and now sorely miss them. Do you have any big plastic crates (half a trunk size) with lids and you’re in central Yerushalim or the Gush? Please let me know via email. Thank you!

Anyone like bowling?

I’m wondering if there are any people on this group who might be interested in joining a Bowling League.

The present

Jerusalem league used to meet on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, but the Wednesday group has petered out and they want to put us both together on Tuesdays.

However, I’d still prefer Wednesdays. We’d need quite a few bowlers who are willing to show up every week from 18:15 and bowl three games. We also need people who can bowl an average of 120!

Spa help

Does anyone know the name of that spa in the north, in the Carmel? There’s a spa in the Carmel - natural juices and stuff, you’re supposed to walk around in your bathrobe, there’s a reading room....

Does anyone know the name of this Shangri-la? Or does anyone have a good recommendation along these lines?

Graphology books

I’m looking for recommendations on graphology books - analysis and graphotherapy - and also for ideas of where to find books on the subject in Israel (preferably in the Jerusalem area).

Buttons

I lost a button from my (standard American) blue blazer. It was brass, not pewter. Does anyone know of a place in Jerusalem that carries those kinds of buttons?

Please do not reply about places you think should have them; I’ve probably tried most of those already. I really would like a place where you have actually seen them.

Now, don’t you feel just a little more relaxed? If someone is worried about a button, isn’t he really all right? And won’t all of us be?