Morning T and Slicers,

Up at 4:15, jet lag still hanging in there, so I’m  watching Rachel Maddow  from last night and freaking out.  The FBI, Jeff Sessions, reports that have been leaked making Trump’s immigration ban and his extreme vetting absurd.  Studies have found that immigrants don’t arrive here radicalized. The process happens here and what seems to work is community work in immigrant communities and guess what, Trump is slashing budgets in these budgets as he also tries to  slash State Department funds. We are in so much trouble, but we need to keep watching and stay active.

Now here’s some comic relief:

Gett Taxi  Israel’s version of Uber, use real taxis with small GETT signs and  I used it to my heart’s content now that I had access to the fare and could watch my car arriving.    Here’s my two favorites:

I was traveling back from Rehovot, an old  university town very close to Tel Aviv after a wonderful lunch with Ricky, a good friend, that you left for me, Tuvia as  part of my inheritance.  We sat together for 4 hours and we could have stayed longer.  I do wish we lived closer.  But as I arrived back in Tel Aviv by 4:30, like here the traffic was just beginning to build.  When I clicked Gett Taxi it took a few minutes to get a  driver and when Noah responded to my call I could see he would need 10+ minutes to arrive.  I could be very patient, the air was fresh and just to feel the afternoon energy  around this busy station was exhilarating.

Finally,  Noah arrived. A  big grin, a welcome, an apology for arriving late, I took my seat in the back, ready!  ” So what do you think about Trump?”  and we were off…

” He’s an unbalanced, asshole!”

He turned to me, still grinning… “We are so afraid…”

“We are too!!!”

And yes, my heart was welling up.  ” It’s so frustrating.  The world thinks we are all religious fanatics, supporting Bibi and against the Palestinians.

“Well, I don’t”.

Another grin and finally a conversation in an Israeli cab I could embrace. Tuvia, you would have loved him. I was hoping that this guy would extend the ride.  I think he felt the same.  A moment to freeze.

“Yes, Noah it’s a shame that I can’t take you home and have you share your point of view.   I wish I remembered more of the specifics of our conversation. We were both in this spectacular moment.

Gett Taxi, YES!!!

Driver #2: Moshe

Moshe picked me up at Ami’s house in Neve Tzedek, a very high end neighborhood and delivered me to my brother’s apartment, another high end area of Tel Aviv.   I share this information because from the minute I slipped into my seat, this guy did not let up on me, trying to get me to go out with him.

I give him this, he was very enthusiastic  and as a engaged as Noah was, but I was totally uninterested and I tried hard not to be too stay calm and diplomatic, given that he was at the controls.  This trip took forever. Even as the car stopped and I was prepared to bound out, he was still calling out… “Please. give me a chance…

Yeah, right.

50%  is not bad, right?

Bonnie S.