SevenQuestions: Robert Rosenberg, weaver of Ariga

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Seven Questions

Robert Rosenberg is an America-born mystery writer and editor of www.ariga.com, a zine about Israeli literature, culture, news and politics. Rosenberg takes his politics seriously but he has a lighter side, which no doubt came in handy when Saddam rained Scuds on his hometown of Tel Aviv. 8 August 1998

1 Who would win a wrestling match between Netanyahu and Arafat? Back to the 7Q index

Bibi's got a weight advantage and the brawn, but Arafat's got the experience, so I think it would be a toss-up. In any case, it wouldn't be a pretty sight, if it was Greco-Roman Olympic style. If it was WWF style, and they wore costumes, that might be different.

2 What was the first thing that made you question whether moving to Israel was such a great idea?

I never thought of it as a great idea. I just ended up here as a '60s refugee from the States who couldn't bear to see Nixon reinaugurated and from my Zionist mother always had the promise of a one-way ticket to Israel. I thought I was coming for three months but ended up staying, God, 25 years.

But I have to admit when Netanyahu won the election I felt sick to my stomach for quite a while. Lately I've been saying that if he's re-elected we'll move, maybe to Sicily, where I'm not emotionally involved with the local strife... With a phone connection and a laptop, I'll still be able to keep Ariga going...

3 Who's the most likable among Mideast dictators?

Hmm, King Hussein of Jordan takes that hands down, except for the Sultan of Oman, the world's richest man, who has definitely got the best beard around. Assad is the most intriguing, because he says so little and from people I've met who met him I hear he has a very dry wit.

4 Where were you when the Scuds hit?

In our rented fourth-floor, roof-top apartment in downtown Tel Aviv for the first one, which went right over the apartment.

By the time the third one came in, I tended to go out on the roof to watch them. And at the time I was filing news stories for a batch of American papers (who were mostly interested in finding people from local home towns in Israel during the war) so I'd run off to the scene of where one of them fell to get some color before filing.

We made our daughter's bedroom the "safe room" where we were supposed to huddle with our gas masks on and our radios playing news of what was happening outside the sealed room. But it didn't take very long to realize that the "safe room" was no safer than the roof. And the view of the missiles and the Patriots going up to greet them was better than any fireworks I've ever seen. It looked like God himself was tossing thunderbolts.

5 What's one thing a sane Israeli would never do in the presence of a Palestinian?

Offer him a ham sandwich (it's not kosher for Muslims, which just goes to show that they are a lot like Jews.)

6 What's one distinctly Arab custom that Israelis practice every day?

Some would say smoking cigarettes, others might say farting in public, and after discussing this with a couple of friends here, I think drinking water on the side with their coffee is definitely Arab, and practiced by many Israelis. Daily washing of floors, eating olives for breakfast, and saying "Morning Light" instead of "Good morning" is a translation from Arabic that many Israelis unknowingly use.

7 Where did you go on your last vacation?

I've never really understood the vacation concept. As a writer, I'm always working, in the sense that I'm always on the lookout for things that I can write about, even if it's later.

Officially, the last vacation I had from a place that paid me a salary was in 1987, a three-month sabbatical which I used to write my first book. Basically, ever since I've either been on vacation or struggling to make a living, depending on one's point of view.

I follow Armand Hammer's dictum for a long life -- eat only when you're hungry and sleep only when you're tired. I've adapted it to include only work at jobs you find interesting, and for me, living in the Mediterranean means spending at least one hour a day in an outdoor cafe, whether reading the papers, talking with friends or just girlwatching (except when my (second) wife of 18 years is with me. Then I watch her).

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Copyright 1998, Thomas L. Mangan >Back to new SevenQuestions
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Robert Rosenberg is an America-born mystery writer and editor of www.ariga.com, a zine about Israeli literature, culture, news and politics. Rosenberg takes his politics seriously but he has a lighter side, which no doubt came in handy when Saddam rained Scuds on his hometown of Tel Aviv.		8 August 1998
1	Who would win a wrestling match between Netanyahu and Arafat?	Back to the 7Q index
	Bibi's got a weight advantage and the brawn, but Arafat's got the experience, so I think it would be a toss-up. In any case, it wouldn't be a pretty sight, if it was Greco-Roman Olympic style. If it was WWF style, and they wore costumes, that might be different.
2	What was the first thing that made you question whether moving to Israel was such a great idea?
	I never thought of it as a great idea. I just ended up here as a '60s refugee from the States who couldn't bear to see Nixon reinaugurated and from my Zionist mother always had the promise of a one-way ticket to Israel. I thought I was coming for three months but ended up staying, God, 25 years. But I have to admit when Netanyahu won the election I felt sick to my stomach for quite a while. Lately I've been saying that if he's re-elected we'll move, maybe to Sicily, where I'm not emotionally involved with the local strife... With a phone connection and a laptop, I'll still be able to keep Ariga going...
3	Who's the most likable among Mideast dictators?
	Hmm, King Hussein of Jordan takes that hands down, except for the Sultan of Oman, the world's richest man, who has definitely got the best beard around. Assad is the most intriguing, because he says so little and from people I've met who met him I hear he has a very dry wit.
4	Where were you when the Scuds hit?
	In our rented fourth-floor, roof-top apartment in downtown Tel Aviv for the first one, which went right over the apartment. By the time the third one came in, I tended to go out on the roof to watch them. And at the time I was filing news stories for a batch of American papers (who were mostly interested in finding people from local home towns in Israel during the war) so I'd run off to the scene of where one of them fell to get some color before filing. We made our daughter's bedroom the "safe room" where we were supposed to huddle with our gas masks on and our radios playing news of what was happening outside the sealed room. But it didn't take very long to realize that the "safe room" was no safer than the roof. And the view of the missiles and the Patriots going up to greet them was better than any fireworks I've ever seen. It looked like God himself was tossing thunderbolts.
5	What's one thing a sane Israeli would never do in the presence of a Palestinian?
	Offer him a ham sandwich (it's not kosher for Muslims, which just goes to show that they are a lot like Jews.)
6	What's one distinctly Arab custom that Israelis practice every day?
	Some would say smoking cigarettes, others might say farting in public, and after discussing this with a couple of friends here, I think drinking water on the side with their coffee is definitely Arab, and practiced by many Israelis. Daily washing of floors, eating olives for breakfast, and saying "Morning Light" instead of "Good morning" is a translation from Arabic that many Israelis unknowingly use.
7	Where did you go on your last vacation?
	I've never really understood the vacation concept. As a writer, I'm always working, in the sense that I'm always on the lookout for things that I can write about, even if it's later. Officially, the last vacation I had from a place that paid me a salary was in 1987, a three-month sabbatical which I used to write my first book. Basically, ever since I've either been on vacation or struggling to make a living, depending on one's point of view. I follow Armand Hammer's dictum for a long life -- eat only when you're hungry and sleep only when you're tired. I've adapted it to include only work at jobs you find interesting, and for me, living in the Mediterranean means spending at least one hour a day in an outdoor cafe, whether reading the papers, talking with friends or just girlwatching (except when my (second) wife of 18 years is with me. Then I watch her).
Back to SQ index Copyright 1998, Thomas L. Mangan		>Back to new SevenQuestions main page