אדריכלות ישראלית - גיליון 122

walking to caesarea Whenever I think of my grandpa, my grandma made a floor rag out of him knowing he loved her and would never stop choosing her - I recall him saying: “you think it’s so smart to do what you want? It’s smarter to do what she wants!” This sentence puzzled me for many years, until last week when the Feast of Sacrifice, the Feast of Destruction and the Feast of Protest came together for the last supper in Rabin Square. Then I remembered the (true) story about the sheep and the lion who were walking together in the forest when they were noticed by an astonished wolf: “hey guys, where are you going? “To lunch”, answered the sheep. The sacrifice probably refers to Lord Balfour (forgive me, Jewish homeland), the destruction is the lesson we haven’t learnt, and the protest I dedicate to President Rivlin who, in 6 years, hasn’t managed to take the initiative and shriek that the Lord is naked. Naked, tired, his genitals exposed to the whole world, while the whole world is only a very narrow bridge and we are all about to fall off this cliché of a stretcher since all of us are wounded and there isn’t a single stretcher in the world that can carry us all. And how did Begin put it… “we are all Jews! All brothers! All fighters! (it’s hard for me to say we are all family, since in Italian it’s known as – familia, and even my objectivity has its limits). Honorable President, words of comfort won’t do. You have authority, use it. Destruction reminds us that buildings are destructible (forgive me, architects), and swords are unsheathed in wars, and we, as you well know, are in a war of existence! As the son of a convoy escort who, twice a day during the Independence War, drove his private car in front of trucks bringing food and water to besieged Jerusalem, in order to attract ambush fire and enable Palmach units to fight them off, I allow myself to remind you that in Section 11 of the Basic Law which defines the roles and powers of the State President, it is written, black on beige, that you are supposed to sign laws legislated by the Knesset; appoint functionaries, such as – the Prime Minister, or State Comptroller, whose job is to “examine the legality of actions, ethics, proper management and the efficiency of various state bodies.” You have one more year, sir, until the “bought” appointment enters your Residence. A year in which, according to the Basic Law of Human Dignity (forgive me, all other organisms), you must show the victim, the destroyed and the comfort of my people that you are not only a smiling symbol, but also an honorable Likudnik with balls! Release the “sacrificed”, and release us from the accusation of stitching up his files and suits. We – all of us – left, right and center – demand our country back, a country taken from us on a “silver platter” (forgive me, Alterman), since we are left with no hope of being a free nation in our country, a country of Zion, Jerusalem - unless you take action. I dedicate the moving song “Walking to Caesarea” (forgive me, Hannah Senesh) to “come on Sara’leh, we’re going”, hoping that the sand and the sea, the murmur of water, shining sky and human prayer, will never end. Architect Dr. Ami Ran Ran editorial