Pro-Israel and Even a Little Reality

Thursday was a good day. I had some great conversations and did some good work.

Like a mullet, I was business on top, party on the bottom. See, I was wearing my business suit. With fishnet-ish tights... And flowered doc martens for most of the day. I wore the suit for the AIPAC benefit, and the Docs because it was too cold to wear rain boots and I knew it would be icy getting to work in NJ. It was good that I wore the docs because the sheirut* driver...

Sheirut? Yes, and here's why:

1. It's a small, white van.
2. Nobody speaks English.
3. They drive like crazy people.

...ignored my request for a stop, and after arguing with him, he dropped me off somewhere else. Somewhere else that was not a 5-minute walk to my office, with the ice-encrusted grassy knoll that had previously muddied up my pants and busted my fragile, still-healing tush. Somewhere else that involved me ice skating to work. And jumping across a creek. And walking across train tracks that may or may not be used anymore. And ice skating in my boots.

After NJ I went to job #2 and did some good work there. I love all of my jobs! Yay!

And then...it was a quick change into plain black shoes (gotta look respectable to network) and a quick walk to the Times Square Marriott for the AIPAC benefit. where I was invited to sit with my good friends at their parents' table. Happily, this was table #208 of 208 tables, so we were right by the door, right by the bathroom, and right by the dessert.

Highlights of the AIPAC dinner:
1. Ran into a very good friend's sister and met her lovely new husband.
2. Got asked if I was an actress. When I said no, the woman said, well, you're very beautiful.
3. Met a congressman. It was awkward, as I had nothing to say to him. My friend likes to start awkward conversations with congresspeople. This is how he met Barack Obama years ago, and started a conversation in Swahili with Obama. True story. I love my friends.
4. Loved the shmorg! Kosher sushi means no fear of death from rogue shellfish attacks!
5. Appreciated Bloomberg's sense of humor.
6. Appreciated that while most of the speeches were pro-Israel-all-the-way there was some talk of working for peace and making difficult decisions. I love Israel, too, AIPAC, and I do think that there are difficult decisions that have to be made for there to be peace and security. Usually AIPAC is a little too right-wing for me, so I was pleased about this.
7. When Bloomberg started talking about visiting Sderot and going into bomb shelters, I wanted to call out and tell him to visit Israel for an extended period of time, and not to just go to Sderot and on solidarity missions, hoping to go to bomb shelters so he can talk about it later at big old benefits.
8. Dessert was excellent. AND, the table came with a three-tier holder of little desserts before dinner even started! Linzer tarts!
9. They did a motzi after an hour and a half of shmorg. How very symbolic.
10. We took the flower centerpieces home.

AIPAC Bridesmaids
Elana, me, Sarit and Bella -- the AIPAC Orchid Brigade! So long, and thanks for all the flowers!