By Amit Epstein | 07/01/2010
I gave a chance to a few "Weihnukah" parties (Weihnachten is the German name for Christmas- where the second half of the oxymoron comes from you can guess) but the clash is too big – we talk about light with fire and they about jingle bells, we talk about protest and they of conformism; everyone agrees there has been a miracle but the true miracle is if we'll find a song we all could sing together. Then again, if I refuse to compromise on something like that and stay home, those are the moments I regret not to have celebrated Pesach in April or Rosh Ha'shana in September, even if just for the entertainment without the traditional values – sometimes the songs, the food specialties and the decorations have an effect on its own. Hope I'll keep it in mind for the coming year. By the way 2010, how many years would pass before they understand that, as usual, we are a step a head and our year has started a few months ago? Never mind, after all getting 2 chances for a fresh new start each year is actually a plus, so better not complain (not complain?! I can hear my grandma's sigh of disappointment over seas) but the fact is that all of those people who sat around tables and ate and ate till they dropped dead are now back home full of aggressions (intensive family gathering, what do you expect?) and now their mission is to 1.visit each and every party in the city just in order to leave it and go to a better one, again and again 2.explode more fire works harder and faster then last time. Fun, ha? Regarding nr.1 I guess it's an issue in every metropolis – that feeling that staying in one place necessarily means missing on a better option – but nr.2 I believe is a phenomenon of Berlin: economical individuals literally burn their money into the freezing air, environmental concerned activist create more damage in one night then all of their yearly accomplishments and responsible adults become bullies. Berlin is in a bad flashback to war-time at the beginning of every year and one has to wonder why…
