My Lithuanian blog has become a battleground for a very serious discussion. But unless it escalates more at the international level, I will allow myself some autonomous space to keep writing about urban life and people - here, on my English blog. I have several ideas, so don't be surprised at multiple posts.

Something from yesterday really amused me, and, since posting it on FB, I had some new ideas. So, the temperature dropped to -8 degrees of Celsius, perhaps about 10 degrees lower than last week, and unusually warm November suddenly became icy winter. It caught most of us completely unprepared (clothing-wise), and, I was going out in the evening, I thought to myself, "I really miss Israel in such moments!"

A few hours later I happened to meet some people from Vilnius' small but very interesting American community, together with their local friends. I was introduced to one person I only heard of before. After the usual exchange of names, he asked me if I was from here, to which I answered. Having taken a second to study my face, he then asked, "Are you also from the Tribe?" "The Tribe?" I frowned, puzzled. Other Americans hurried to explain, but I didn't need an explanation. Earlier that evening I saw two other Americans meeting, and in the first five minutes one also asked another if she was Jewish, clinked a bottle of beer against hers, wished her a good Shabbat and left.

Wait wait, I thought I said I missed the 'avir' (weather) of Israel, not the 'avira' (social atmosphere)! But it made me think... Maybe I was too harsh on the Israelis? Maybe it's only us Europeans who are taught it's a no-no to believe that ethnic/etc belonging is key information about people? And maybe too many of us Europeans have read "The Little Prince" and learned from this adorable quote:

"Grown-ups love figures.  When you tell them that you have made a new friend, they never ask you any questions about essential matters.  They never say to you, "What does his voice sound like?  What games does he love best?  Does he collect butterflies?" Instead, they demand:  "How old is he?  How many brothers has he?  How much does he weigh?  How much money does his father make?"  Only from these figures do they think they have learned anything about him."  ~Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince, 1943, translated from French

Reading "The Little Prince" in Hebrew. Still :)