Monday, June 20, 2005

Welcome home, NN

The girl who shares the Youngest Teen's school desk is finally home after 36 days in jail for blocking a road during a sit-down protest and for not agreeing to be freed under unfair conditions. According to Haaretz, a Justice Ministry spokesperson said

The prosecution has agreed to be lenient, changing the girls' original conditions, due to concern, given the circumstances in this special case, first and foremost for the best interests of the minors and out of a sensitive and just approach with regards to the girls, who have spent a long time under harsh prison conditions

Well, glad to see they're admitting the prison conditions are harsh. (NN was once quoted in the news as saying she cried into her pillow every night of incarceration. "A lie," she told her classmates by cellphone from the jail. "We didn't cry, and they never gave us any pillows.") But lenient in changing the conditions? Uh, hello--the original conditions were house arrest until the case is settled. Which is how long--2 months? 2 years? 2 decades? In Israel, as anywhere else, the wheel of justice turn very slowly when The Powers That Be have no interest in speeding things up.

I'm proud of the Youngest Teen's class. Though they went to support demonstrations at the jail and the courthouse, they did not go today the demonstration to greet their classmate on her return. They all got together, discussed matters, and decided that since NN wasn't exactly the class queen before her arrest, it would just be hypocracy to make her the star of the show now, simply because she showed her strength two months before their 8th grade graduation. They will make a small party for her tomorrow in the classroom, and though NN will have no part in the graduation play (it's next week, and she hasn't exactly been there for auditions and rehearsals) she'll be one of the stars of the night. I wish a lot of adults could be as level headed as these 13 year olds.

Today's victim of peace:Yvgeny Reider. May G-d avenge his soul and send comfort to his family and loved ones.

My knitting to-do list for the month of June
  1. Finish sleeves of Fiona, block and sew sweater.

  2. Finish the Middle Teen's blue Trekking XL socks

  3. Finish my Magic Stripes socks

  4. Finish at least 1 Sockotta sock

  5. Finish the Industrial Monkey

  6. Do at least one pattern repeat of the Mystery Stole

  7. Finish spinning roving for the Middle Teen's sweater

  8. Work 40 hour weeks, plus get in an additional 20 hours

  9. Go to the Youngest Teen's 8th grade graduation

  10. Go to a Bar Mitzvah party

  11. Go to The Spouse's Torah dedication weekend

What do you mean, I only have 10 days left????
Pictures tomorrow, if I can find my camera. Or my brain.

1 comment:

Creative Genius? said...

Ok, i have to be honest here... I chuckle when I read your posts ... within one post you can speak of so much that is happening in the land of Israel- to it's people and the land... and then finish it up with "and in knitting news..." just like that!

I love it! Your posts speak to why I love Israel so much - all that happens and life still goes on!

Thanks for keeping the rest of us up to date on what's going on - on and and off your needles!

:-) AL