Lee Diamond – A Psalm of Praise to Bezeq
He came an hour late
10-12 became 1 pm
Yet I waited
He arrived!
NO apologies for lateness
Young, Yemenite with long
Kinky payot tucked
Behind his ears
Khakis and a T-shirt
No nonsense guy!
Right to work
“What’s the problem?”
He said.
“No internet”
said I
He’s 23 yo
I’m 77 yo
He: a Yemenite
Me: “Americanite”
Me: clean shaven
He: payot
We both heard HaTikva from the
Local school yard
I stood at attention
He kept working
Do you know HaTikva said I
Yea said he : “Naftali Hertz Imbar”
—But I don’t stand at attention
For his song
To stand at attention is
“Hukkat ha goyim”
A goyishe custom!
Jews say “tehilim” -psalms
That’s our way to show respect
“We praise God
For Israel
Standing up is empty!
It’s an imitation of the “goyim”
But, I understand” said he
“I respect you and your ways”
But Tehilim is my way
Two Jews
Two Israelis
One with a short black beard and payot
One clean shaven and a conservative Rabbi
One a Bezek technician
One able to fix phones like a wiz- kid
One retired Rabbi and Jewish educator with few useful skills.
Fixing phones and discussing the meaning of the State of Israel and Jewish theology.
All part of a normal day in the holy Land.
