Not sure if this counts as a joke, but it's a story with a punchline which could qualify as a joke.
Last night I participated in an almost 2 hour Zoom discussing the changes in my general neighborhood in Tel Aviv due to the work on the Light Rail (above ground subway/metro/tram system) which will affect our life when they will soon close down much of Allenby Street, a major thoroughfare in the city. First, I have to tell you that unofficial Tel Aviv poet laureate Natan Alterman once wrote a poem following a discussion in 1937 (!) of the Tel Aviv municipal council that "resolved" to build a subway. He ended the poem with a line about his doubts whether the resolution will be carried out.
So here we are in 2023, and the city is a mess of construction chaos, which drives all the taxi drivers crazy. Every morning I go for coffee at MarcCafe (run by French socialist Marc who came to Israel with his family when he was 13) on Ben-Yehuda Street, another major thoroughfare affected by all the construction. There are a group of regulars there, sort of what's called around here a "mini-parliament" and one of them quipped, "Instead of wishing people ad meah v'esrim (till 120), we should wish them "ad she harakevet hakalah t'gamer" ( until the work on the Light Rail is completed). That will guarantee a much longer life!" 😃
Not sure if this counts as a joke, but it's a story with a punchline which could qualify as a joke.
Last night I participated in an almost 2 hour Zoom discussing the changes in my general neighborhood in Tel Aviv due to the work on the Light Rail (above ground subway/metro/tram system) which will affect our life when they will soon close down much of Allenby Street, a major thoroughfare in the city. First, I have to tell you that unofficial Tel Aviv poet laureate Natan Alterman once wrote a poem following a discussion in 1937 (!) of the Tel Aviv municipal council that "resolved" to build a subway. He ended the poem with a line about his doubts whether the resolution will be carried out.
So here we are in 2023, and the city is a mess of construction chaos, which drives all the taxi drivers crazy. Every morning I go for coffee at MarcCafe (run by French socialist Marc who came to Israel with his family when he was 13) on Ben-Yehuda Street, another major thoroughfare affected by all the construction. There are a group of regulars there, sort of what's called around here a "mini-parliament" and one of them quipped, "Instead of wishing people ad meah v'esrim (till 120), we should wish them "ad she harakevet hakalah t'gamer" ( until the work on the Light Rail is completed). That will guarantee a much longer life!" 😃
a good story Hillel. Thanks for telling us x