ISRAELI POETS AS CHANGE AGENTS

Congregation Beit Simchat Torah Lehrhaus Judaica Fall 2020

RABBI REUVEN GREENVALD ([email protected])

WEEK ONE: THE NEW MIZRACHI POETS

ADI KEISSAR Adi Keissar (b. 1980) grew up in the Gilo neighborhood of to a family on Yeminite origin. She is an award-winning poet and the founder of Ars Poetica, a monthly evening of poetry reading that begin 2013 to showcase the new Mizrachi wave in Hebrew poetry. The name, ars poetica is play on words between the Latin, ars) which is derogatory term for Jews from Middle Eastern and North) סרע ,Art of Poetry,” and the Israeli slang“ African countries. The term derives from an Arabic word meaning, shepherd. It’s a put-down saying someone looks we can hear her giving ( נא י תיחרזמ ) ”or acts like a pimp. In this excerpt from her poem, “I am a Mizrachi woman voice to the how she understands her identity in Israeli society:

ֲאנִי ַה ִמּ ְז ָר ִחית I am the Mizrahi woman ֶשׁ ַא ֶתּם א ַמ ִכּי ִרים that you don’t know ֲאנִי ַה ִמּ ְז ָר ִחית I am the Mizrahi that you don’t mention ֶשׁ ַא ֶתּם א ַמ ְז ִכּי ִרים who knows how to read aloud ֶשׁיּוֹ ַד ַעת ְל ַד ְק ֵלם all the songs of Zohar Argov ֶאת ָכּל ַה ִשּׁי ִרים and reads Albert Camus ַ ֶשׁל ז ֹהר ראַ ְ גּ וֹ ב …and Bulgakov וְקוֹ ֵראת אַ ְל ֶבּר ָקא ִמי

וְבּוּ ְל ָגּקוֹב ... Because on TV there are only commercials ִכּי ַבּ ֶט ֶלוִי ְזיָה יֵשׁ ַרק ִפּ ְרסוֹמוֹת with all types of blondes ֶשׁל ָכּל ִמינֵי ְבּלוֹנְ ִדּינִיּוֹת maybe that's why they called me at school אוּ ַלי ִבּ ְג ַלל ֶזה ָק ְראוּ ִלי ַבּ ֵבּית ֵס ֶפר a Black girl during recess כּוּ ִשׁית ַבּ ַה ְפ ָסקוֹת I'm in the middle ֲאנִי ָבּ ֶא ְמ ַצע not here nor there א ְל ָכאן וְא ְל ָכאן if I had to choose ִאם ָהיִי ִתי ְצ ִרי ָכה ִל ְבחֹר I would choose ָהיִי ִתי בּוֹ ֶח ֶרת …Afro אַ ְפרוֹ ֵתּי ָמן . .. in Black on Black (Hebrew), 2014 -

She has published three books of poetry, and her poetry appears in many anthologies, journals, and news publications. Her poetry has been translated into many languages. She earned her a MFA (with distinction) in screenwriting from . She has published three poetry collections, which are in a protracted (2016 , ומ ז הקי ההובג ) Loud Music ,(2014 , חש ו ר ע ל ג ב י חש ו ר ) process of getting published in English: Black on Black .(2018 , רבד י ה י מ י ם ) and Chronicles

1

יֵרְבִדּ םיִמָיַּה Chronicles

בֹרֵמ ִתְּבַהאֶָשׁ י הָיְרוֹטְסיִה ןוֹכיִתַּבּ Because I love history so much in high school זִבּ ןַמְ םָלֻכֶּשׁ וּסִּנ when everyone was trying קֵמַּחְתִהְל רֶמֹחַהֵמ רְגַבַּל תוֹיֻּ to avoid the material for matriculation exams1 יִתְּבַדַּנְתִה םֵכַּסְל I volunteered to summarize תֶא לָכּ שֵׁמֲח ִלֲעָה תוֹיּ . .all five of the immigration waves2 רָפְסַּבּ םיִ םיִבָעֶה םֵהָה In those very thick books יִשֹׁקַּבּ זֻמ רָכְּ hardly mentioned was אָבַּס אָבַּר ִלֶּשׁ י םוֹלָשׁ ראָסַּכּ my great-grandfather Shalom Kassar גִּהֶשׁ ִ ַעי ןָמיֵתִּמ ִל יַלָשׁוּרי םִ who arrived from Yemen to Jerusalem ףֶלֶאְבּ הֶנוֹמְשׁ תוֹאֵמ ִנוֹמְשׁ םי שׁוּ ְ ַ תּ י ִ ם in eighteen hundred and eighty-two דַמָעְו תַלֲחַנְבּ הָעְבִשׁ and he stood in Nachalat Shiva3 אָרָקְו רֶפֵסִּמ רוֹתּ ָ ה and read from a Torah scroll יֵדְכּ ֶשׁ יּ ְכַ נ ִ וּסי וֹתוֹא יַבְל תִ ַבּ םוֹיּ יִשִּׁשׁ so that someone would invite him into a home on ֵנְפִל י ִנְכּ תַסי תָבַּשׁ Friday אֹלְו וּדֲחְפִי אוּהֶשׁ יִבְרַע . before the start of the Sabbath יִתְמַכִּס יִתְמַכִּסְו תֶא רֶמֹחַה and so that they wouldn’t be afraid that he is an תוֹרָשֲׂע םיִדוּמַּע .Arab לַע ִבּ לי "וּ לַעְו םיִצוּלָחֶה םיִצוּבִּקַּהְו I summarized and summarized the material ִלְבּ י תַעַדָל לָכְבֶּשׁ וּשׁ ַ ר ת םוּכִּס ִלֶּשׁ י tens of pages ִנֲא י חוֹמ ֶ ֶ ק ת תֶא אָבַּס about the Bilu4 and the Pioneers5 and the Kibbutzim חוֹמ ֶ ֶ ק ת תֶא הָחָפְּשִׁמַּה without knowing that with every line of my חוֹמ ֶ ֶ ק ת וּשׁ ָ ר ה רַחֲא וּשׁ ָ ר ה summary רֶפֵסִּמ רוֹתּ ָ ה I erase my grandfather קִהֶשׁ רְ איִ ִבּ ַלָשׁוּרי י םִ erase my family ףֶלֶאְבּ הֶנוֹמְשׁ תוֹאֵמ ִנוֹמְשׁ םי שׁוּ ְ ַ תּ י ִ ם . erase line after line from the Torah scroll that he read aloud in Jerusalem in eighteen hundred and eighty-two.

- In Chronicles (Hebrew), 2018 Translated by Reuven Greenvald

1 Known in Hebrew as the Bagrut. 2 That is aliyot, the waves of immigration to pre-state : 1882-1903, 1904-14, 1919-23, 1924-29, 1929-39. 3 The third Jewish courtyard neighborhood established outside of the Old City and built in 1869. Now in center city of west Jerusalem, with much of the architecture preserved. 4 Bilu - a movement whose goal was to establish agricultural settlement in the land of Israel, beginning in 1882. Bilu is an Beit Ya'akov Lekhu Venelkha ("House of " תיב בקעי וכל ו הכלנ " (acronym based on a verse from the Book of Isaiah (2:5 Jacob, let us go [up]. 5 Known in Hebrew as Halutzim.

2

נא י אל י תעדו אירקהל הריש I don’t know how to recite poetry

יִתְּכַלָה עוּרֵאְל הָריִשּ I went to a poetry reading דַמָע םָש דָחֶא one man stood up איִרְקִהּ תֶא ִלִּמַּה םי and recited the words ןוֹטְב ִצְ ר ִני י in a serious tone יֵדְכ ִנֲאֶשׁ י עַדֵא ִלִּמַּהֶש םי וֹלֶּשׁ תוֹבוּשֲח אַ ַחר ָכּךְ ָעלְ ָתה אַ ַחת so that I would know that his words are האָיִרְקִה תֶא ִלִּמַּה םי .important ןוֹטְב הֶגוּנ After that a woman got up יֵדְכּ ִנֲאֶשׁ י עַדֵא ִלִּמַּהֶש םי הָּלֶש תוֹשְׁגַּרְמ . and recited the words אַ ַחר ָכךְ ָעלָה ֶא ָחד - in a melancholy tone איִרְקִה תֶא ִלִּמַּה םי so that I would know that her words are ןוֹטְב לֶש הָגָצַּה .emotional יֵדְכּ ִנֲאֶשׁ י עַדֵא אוּהֶש עֵדוֹי After that a man got up אוּה י דוֹ ֵ ע and recited the words איִרְקַהְל הָריִשׁ . in a performance tone לָכְו הָמ יִתיצָרֶש הָיָה so that I would know that he knows םֵהֶש י קַ רְ וּאיִ לִּאְכּ וּ he knows םֵה םיִחְקוֹל יִתוֹא הָחוּרֲאַל .how to recite poetry תיִתְּחַפְשִמּ לֶצֵא םיִרוֹהַה םֶהָלֶּשׁ And all that I wanted was בוּ ָ ֶא ְ מ ַצ ע םָלֻכֶּש כוֹא ְ ל ִ םי that they would recite as if וּמיִרָי תֶא they are taking me to a family הָפַּמַּה ןָחְלֻשַּהֵמ dinner at their parents וּפיִעָיְו הָּתוֹא הָכָכּ and in the middle of all of them eating וֲאָבּ ִ רי they’d lift םִע לָכּ ִלֵּכַה םי . the tablecloth and toss like this ִכּ י הָמ הֶז איִרְקַהְל הָריִשׁ םִא אֹל into the air חֹתְפִלּ ַלְגַ ר םִי .with all the dishes רַחְל ֵבְּ ן עַצְמֶאְב רָה בוֹחְ לִּ ְצע ֹק ַעל ִמּי ֶשהוּ ֶשעוֹ ֵקף אוֹ ְתךָ ַבּתּוֹר For what is it to recite poetry if not דיִמֲּעַהְל םיִרּיִסּ לַע זָגַה ו ףֹרְשִלְּ תֶא לֶכֹאָה to open one’s legs דוּצָל םיִעָגְ ר ִנַּטְק םי לֶש רֶשֹׁא and shit in the middle of the street לוּ ְ צּוֹה ִ אי תוֹא ָ ם רוֹהַל גֵ רָכִּכְבּ ָ ה ִע רי to yell at someone who cuts you off in line לֵצְלַצְל רָפְּסִמְל יִאָרְקאַ to place pots on the stove and burn the food שִלּ ֹא ל : אֵצוֹי םֶכָל יַּמ םִ רֶבַהֵמ זֶ ? to hunt for small moments of happiness ֵכּ ן and to bring them to the public square to be הָמ םֶתְבַשֲח , יֶש אֵצֵ םֶכָל הָלוֹק ? executed לוּ ְ נ ַ קֵ ת to make a random call לְ ַה ְש ִתּין לְתוֹךְ ֶה ָע ִצּיץ ֶשלְךָ

3 לְ ַחיֵךְ ִּחיוּךְ ֲענָק ְכּ ֶשׁ ֵאין לְךָ ִשּנַיִּם and ask: Is water coming out of your שֵׁקַּבְל וּהֶשיִמִּמּ שֹׂרְפִל תֶא יַה דָ לַע ןָחְלֻשׁ ?faucet ףינָהְל תֶא ִכַּסה ןי yes ִלְּו ץֹעְנ תוּריִהְמִבּ ןיֵבּ לָכ תוֹעָבְּצֶאָה ?did you think it would be Coca-Cola חאַ ַ ת םִיַּתְש ָ ש ל שוֹ and hang up זַהְל ןיִמְּ םיִשָּנֲא יַבַּה הָתְ הֶפָקְל to piss in your houseplant םיִשָׂל םֶהָל חַלֶמ הֶפָקַּבּ to smile a giant smile when you have no ִגַּהְל די רַמְגִנּ ִל י בָלָחֶה teeth ִגַּהְל די םֶהָל to ask someone to spread their hand on a וּפוּעָתּ תִיַבַּהֵמ ִלֶּשׁ י table ִנֲא י אֹל ִכַּמ רי םֶכְתֶא . and wave the knife sticking it rapidly between all the fingers one two three to invite people over for coffee and put salt in the coffee and tell them I’ve run out of milk and tell them get out of my house I don’t know you.

-in Black on Black (Hebrew), 2014

Translated by Reuven Greenvald

4

םתבתכו לע וזמ ז תו ךתיב And Inscribe Them on the Doorposts of Your“ House”6

הָתַּא רֵמוֹא You say הֶז תִיַבַּה יִלֶּשׁ this is my home הָרְקִתַּה גַגַּה the ceiling the roof וֲאָה ריִ םֶהיֵניֵבֶּשׁ the air between them הָתַּא קֵﬠוֹצ you shout הֶז תִיַבַּה יִלֶּשׁ this is my home תוֹנוֹלַּחַה תוֹריִקַּהְ ו the windows and the walls הָתַּא יַּאְמ םֵ you threaten הֶז תִיַבַּה יִלֶּשׁ this is my home לֵﬠוֹנְו תֶא תֶלֶדַּה and you lock the door רֵגוֹסְו תֶא תוֹנוֹלַּחַה and shut the windows מוּ סֵ טיִ תֶ א וַּ ה ִ תוֹנוֹלי and draw the curtains חוֹפוּ דֵ מֶּשׁ וּהֶשׁיִ פִ י רְ ץֹ נְ פּ ִ מי הָ and you are afraid that someone will break in חוֹפוּ דֵ צָ ל תאֵ צוּחַ ה הָ and you are afraid to go out חוֹפּ ֵ ד ְו י דוֹ ﬠֵ ַ afraid and knowing בֵלְל דֵחוֹפּ for a fearful heart ףַא םַﬠַפּ this will never אֹל הִ י יְ הֶ be יַבּ .תִ .a home

- In Chronicles (Hebrew), 2018

Translated by Reuven Greenvald

6 From the first paragraph of the Shma, Deuteronomy 6:9.

5

ROY HASAN born 9 April 1983, in Hadera, Israel) is an Israeli contemporary Hebrew poet. He is a) ( יעור סח ן :Roy Hasan (Hebrew principal member of the Ars poetica literary movement. In 2015 Hasan was awarded the 2015 Bernstein Prize.Hasan grew up in a Mizrahi family in a lower-class neighborhood in a development town, and worked as a cook during his mandatory military service and in civilian life afterwards. His work was not intended from the outset as a rebellion against the elitist Ashkenazi, left wing political and literary establishment, but recognized as such by the media, such as the cultural supplements of newspapers like Ha’aretz. Hasan himself has said on blogs and in interviews that he writes for his father and his neighbors, not for poetry lovers or academia. He says his inspiration comes from New York hiphop like the Wu Tan Clan, jazz and the films of Jarmusch and Pasolini, as well as the Israeli Mizrachi singer Ofer Levi. He received the Bernstein Prize for young writers for his first poetry collection The Dogs That Barked In Our Childhood Were Muzzled (2014). He says he has learned from American hiphop to impose on his texts the “jagged beats and fragments of audio from records from the 50s to the 90s and בהז ) sounds from the environment where they and I grew up.” His second poetry collection, The Gold of Lions was published in 2017 and his first book of short stories (drawing from his own experience), No Other ( רא י ו תויר .came out in 2018 ( יא ן ז ורכי ן רחא ) Memory

ךכ םיקחומ This is how they erase

םַגּ הָנָשַּׁה םוֹיְבּ ןוֹרָכִּזַּה Also this year on Memorial Day ֹל א י מְשַׁ ִ וּעי זוּמ ִ קי הָ They won’t play sad זִמ רְ תיִחָ הָבוּצֲע Mizrachi music תוֹנֲחַתְבּ רָה וֹיְדַ On the radio stations םיִסָקְטַּבּ יִּתְּכַלְמַמַּה ִ םי At state ceremonies אֹלְו יֵתָּבְבּ רֶפֵס . .And not in schools

םַגּ הָנָשַּׁה םוֹיְבּ ִזַּה ןוֹרָכּ Also this year on Memorial Day וּמְלַּעְתִי ִפָלֲאֵמ םי םיִבַּ ר they will disregard many thousands זִמ רְ םיִחָ וּרְבְּקִנֶּשׁ Of mizrachim who were buried יִמְדִבּ י םֶהיֵמְ םיִשׁוּבְל םיִדַּמ in their youth wearing a uniform הָתְּמֻכְו הָטוּמְשׁ . .and a tilted beret

רֹכְּזִנ םָתוֹא We will remember them ַבּ ֶדּ ֶרךְ ַה ֻמּ ְכ ֶתּ ֶבת לָנוּ in the way prescribed for us זִל רֹכְּ to remember אֹלְו יִפְכּ וּניִיָהֶשׁ םיִצוֹר and not according to how we would want and need to remember. צוּ ְ ִ ר כי ִ םי רֹכְּזִל .

But does our desire matter לָבֲא הָמ הֶנַּשְׁמ ֵנוֹצְ ר וּנ and do the thousands of mothers מוּ ַ ה ַשְׁ מ תוֹנּ ֵפְלאַ י ִ א ָמּ תוֹה

6 תוֹבאְָו וּלְכָשֶּׂשׁ תֶא םֶהיֵנְבּ and fathers bereaved of their sons בוּ ְ נ תוֹ ֵ הי ֶ ם and daughters matter הַמ הֶנַּשְׁמֶּשׁ הֶ ז תוֹלַּגְל ִלוֹס תוֹיִּרָדי what matters is it to show solidarity לוּ ְ י ַ ֵ שּׁ ר ַ ק ו to fall in line םִע הָיְרוֹטְסיִהַה לֶשׁ תַניִדְמ לֵאָרְשִׂי הָנָבְלַּה with the White history of the State of Israel ֹלֶּשׁ א תֶנֶתִּנ בוּתְּכִשְׁל תֶרֶמוֹאְו that doesn’t make way for revision and says רַבָדּ דָחֶא one thing ֵאֶשׁ וֹני ַעֵמַּתְּשִׁמ that can’t be understood יֵתְּשִׁל ִנָפּ םי : :in two ways רְזִמַּה םיִחָ לֵאָרְשִׂיְבּ םֵה גוּס ב ' Mizrachim in Israel are second class יַּחְבּ ֵ םֶהי in their lives בוּ ְ תוֹמ ָ ם . .And in their deaths

- in the The Dogs That Barked In Our Childhood Were Muzzled (Hebrew), 2017

Translated by Reuven Greenvald

7 לכ םיסרעה ואובי all the arsim will come

ִנֲא י תֵמ לַע הֶלֵּא I just love those צוֹס ְ י ָ לא ִ סי ְ ִט םי נוֹשֶּׂ שׁ ְ ִא םי ִלָטיִפָּק זי םְ socialists who hate capitalism הָרוּצְבּ תֶנֶצְחֻמ , ִלֲעוֹנ םי ֵלְדְּנַס י רֹשׁ שֶׁ so ostentatiously, wear ugly sandals םיִשְׁבוֹלְו הָצְלֻח הָעוּרְק , םיִטוֹע לַע םָמְצַע and torn t-shirts, wrapping themselves in a homeless look ַמ הֶאְר לֶשׁ םיִסֶלְמוֹה , יִלְבּ רֵפַּסְל ףאְַל דָחֶא without telling a soul about grandma’s לַע רְיַּה הָשֻּׁ לֶשׁ אָתְּבַסַּה םיִסָכְנַּהְו לֶשׁ אָבּאַָה inheritance or dad’s real estate ( גֶּשׁ םַ נ רִ ִאְ םי וֹמְכּ ִסֶלְמוֹה םי ) (they look homeless too) רְקַּבְמוּ םיִ ְ בּ תוּטוֹב תֶ א רַ תּ תוּבְּ שַּׁ ה ֶ ַפ ע and criticize the culture of affluence with וּלִּאְכּ וּיָה יֵאיִבְנ הָחֵכוֹתּ םִע ןֶטֶבּ ֶקְרַקְמ תֶר . bombast ִנֲא י תֵמ לַע הֶלֵּא as if they were prophets of vengeance with ִלֲחאְַמַּה םי םֶהיֵחֲאַל םיִבָרֲעָה .gurgling stomachs ןאָדַמַר םיִרַכּ םיִמְתוֹחְו לַע הָמוּצֲע תַריִכְמִל ץֵמָח I just love those חַסֶפְבּ . who wish their Arab brothers ִנֲא י תֵמ לַע הֶלֵּא Ramadan Kareem and sign petitions legalizing נַּעְתִמֶּשׁ ְ ִג םי לַע רְ ק תאַיִ ִזּאַוּמַּה ןי the sale of hametz during Passover. םיִאוֹרְו תֶא טיִזְנַרְטַּה לֶשׁ םיִבָלְסַרְבַּה וֹא ַ ה ַח ַבּ םיִקיִנְד תוֹנוּכְשַּׁבּ I just love those וֹמְכּ ִלְשׁ יֵחי ןָטָשַּׂה לַע ִלַּגְּלַגּ םי . who relish in the muazzin’s call ִנֲא י תֵמ לַע הֶלֵּא and see the Chabad or Breslav ִאְרוֹקֶּשׁ םי ִלֲחַנְתִמַּל םי ִחיִשְׁמ יּ ִ םי truck in the neighborhood ִיוּזֲה םי לַע םֵהֶשׁ ִניִמֲאַמ םי ץֶראָָבּ תאֹזַּה .as the devil’s wheeled messengers ףֶקֹתִּמ ַצ ו יִהֹלֱא םיִקֲעוֹזְו תֶא בֵאְכַּה יִניִטְסַלָפַה I just love those לַע נֶּשׁ וּלְשֻּׁ ץֶראָָהֵמ ֹזַּה תא who call the settlers messianic םֵהֶשׁ ִמֲאַמ ִני םי ִהֶשׁ אי םֶהָלֶּשׁ and crazy because they believe in this land ףֶקֹתִּמ ַצ ו יִהֹלֱא by some godly decree and cry the pain of the Palestinians ( גּאַ ַ ב , דְבּ קוּיִּ וֹתוֹא וַצ לֶשׁ וֹתוֹא ֹלֱא ִה םי .) for having been expelled from this land ִנֲא י תֵמ לַע הֶלֵּא which they believe to be theirs רוֹדּ ִלְשׁ יִשׁי דוֹשְׁל דְ ֵ י ָ ה ֲא ָ ד תוֹמ ַ בּ ִ קּ צוּבּ ִ םי by some godly decree רְחַמֶּשׁ ִמיִ םי תֶא ֻלֲחַנְתִהַה וֹיּ ת ,the very same decree from the very same god) ִכּ י דֹשׁ תוֹמָדֲא ו שׁוּבִּכְ .(by the way ( ִנֲא י םֵלוֹח םוֹי דָחֶא ְהִתֶּשׁ י הֶ ִל י רְפַּה ְגֶליִביִ הָי ,I just love those רְחַהְל םיִ יֵעוּרֵא תוּבְּרַתּ םיִצוּבִּקְבּ third generation to the טְקאְַכּ ִלוֹפּ יִטי , םִיַתְניֵבּ ,plunder of lands by the kibbutzim קֵפַּתְּסִמ תוֹבְּגִלְבּ םֶהֵמ רֲעַתּ ףיִ who boycott the settlements תָבַּשׁ סוּלְפּ גַח ִבּ ֵמי י ֹח ל .) because Occupation and stolen land ִנֲא י תֵמ ַע ל ֵ א לּ ֶ ה (I dream one day םיִדוּהְי םיִשׁיִגְר םיִניִגְּפַמֶּשׁ דֶגֶנ שׁוּבִּכַּה to have the privilege םיִרְזוֹחְו תִיַבַּל

8 יִבָרֲעָה םֶהָלֶּשׁ וֹפָיְבּ of boycotting cultural events on kibbutzim םֵהֶשׁ ִאְרוֹק םי הָּל י אַפאָ as a political act, in the meantime ַניֵעְבּ י םִ תוֹגוּנ לֶשׁ תוּפָתֻּשׁ I suffice with charging them weekend rates רוֹגּ לָ , ַ ע ל תַחַלַּצ סוּמוּח .(on weekdays לֶצֵא וּבּאַ וּהֶשַּׁמ I just love those םיִקְקַּלְמ יַתָפְשׂ םִ םִע לָכּ בוּגִּנ sensitive Jews who demonstrate against the ִלְמְלַמְמ םי יַדּ שׁוּבִּכַּל ו םיִמְלוֹחְ Occupation ֵתְּשׁ י דְמ תוֹניִ נְשִׁל ֵ י ִמַּע םי and go home to their ִכּ י ו הָלְלאַ Arab house in Yaffo ( םֵה םיִטְטַהַלְמ תיִבָרֲעַבּ ) which they call Yaffa שׁוּבִּכּ שׁוּבִּכּ with a melancholy glance of ( וֹא הָבְּכַּנ הָבְּכַּנ ) shared fate over hummus םָדִּצְל לָבֲא אֹל םָתִּא , at Abu something-or-other לָכְבּ תאֹז , רֲע םיִבָ . licking their lips with every רֵבָח רֲע יִבָ רַמאָ ִל י ֵלֲע םֶהי םַעַפּ — הֶלֵּא יַּחַבּ ִ םי wipe of the pita and murmuring about ending the Occupation, ֹל א י ַ וּשֲׂ ע םוֹלָשׁ , dreaming of two states for two nations ִכּ י םִא הֶיְהִי םוֹלָשׁ because – walla – לָכּ רַעָה םיִסְ וּאוֹבָי . (they fumble for the Arabic) Occupation Occupation (or nakba nakba): next to them but not with them, they’re Arabs after all.

An Arab friend said about them once that they’ll never make peace, because if there’ll be peace all the arsim will come. ars (plural: arsim): Israeli Hebrew slang derived from Arabic. It is a derogatory and racist term almost exclusively directed at and typically used to insinuate low-class taste in music, clothes, jewelry and so on. The term has recently been reclaimed by some young Mizrahi activists and poets.

- Translated from the Hebrew by Ron Makleff. https://www.972mag.com/if-therell-be-peace- all-the-arsim-will-come/. Hebrew is included in in the Gold of Lions (Hebrew), 2017.

9 אל ונאצי רצממ י ם ( יינבל ייתונבו ) We didn’t go out from Egypt

ֹל א י וּנאָצָ רְצִמִּמ םִיַ we didn’t go out from Egypt םיִדָבֲע ִיָה וּני we were slaves םיִדָבֲעַו וּנְראְַשִׁנ and slaves we remain ןיֵאְו םֶחֶל and there isn’t any bread ֹל א יִכּ הִ מ רַ ְ וּנ not because we hurried ִכּ י ןיֵא ףֶסֶכּ because there’s no money תוֹנְקִל תֶלֹכַּמַּבּ to go to the store

רַפּ הֹעְ Pharaoh ִיַדֲע ן יַח לֵשׁוֹמוּ וּנָבּ still lives and he rules over us אוּה רָסְו ויָסיִ ו ִלָשְׁ ויָשׁי he and his courtiers and his officers רָצוֹאָבּ in the Finance Ministry

תוּדְבַעָה ִנְרֶדוֹמ תי the slavery is modern בָעָרָה וֹתוֹא בָעָ ר the hunger is the same hunger

מאָ ַ ְ ר ָ תּ ֹל א הֶיְהִי ע וֹ ד you said that there would never be another לוּבַּמ flood ( יִנֲא תֶמֱאֶבּ ֹל א ִלְצַמ ַחי ןיִבָהְל ל ָ ָמּ ה , ,I really can’t understand why) לוּא ַ י וָשׁ הֶ ל ְ ךָ לִ ְשׁקֹל ֶאת ֶזה perhaps you’d reconsider וּשׁ ב דָחֵמ שָׁ ) זאָ ל ְ ָפ ח תוֹ this) at least דיִעְרַתּ תֶא ץֶראָָה rumble the earth עַרְקִתּ תֶא םָיַּה split the sea

הָשִּׁא י הָנֵשְׁ לַע לָסְפַס a woman sleeps on a bench ַתּ ַחת ָשׁ ֶמיךָ ַמ ֲע ֵשׂי ֶא ְצ ְבּעוֹ ֶתיךָ יָ ֵר ַח under your heavens the work of your hands רֶבֶגּ שֵׂפַּחְמ הָחוּרֲא under a moon וֹמְכּ לוּתָח רֲעַבּ תַמֵ לֶבֶז a man searches for a meal like a cat in a trash pile רָפָע תוֹתַּפְּשׁאְַו ןיֵאְו הָמוּקְתּ dirt and garbage heaps no survival ֹל א י וּנאָצָ רְצִמִּמ םִיַ יִנֲאַו אֹל ןֵוַּכְּתִמ רֵקַּשְׁל we didn’t go out from Egypt ַנָבְל י יַתוֹנְבוּ . and I don’t intend to lie to my sons and daughters.

- In The Dogs That Barked In Our Childhood Were Muzzled (Hebrew), 2017

Translated by Reuven Greenvald

10