There's no place like Castro, there's no place like Castro, there's no place...

Hey everybody [Abu (form "the Simpson's") style]
It's been a while - but it's feels good to be back :)
"Labor day weekend" 2007 (my second) is all most over, not that you care so much - but we (well I) need some kind of a reference for the time and space.

[A short preview; I got back to the States on Jul.31. I spend a night in Malibu and 2 night at a conference out side of LA. I Got back to SF on Aug.1st - I was homeless for about 3 weeks, but it wasn't bad at all. I Moved in to my new Apt. (which you will hear more about very soon) on Aug. 25. Exactly a week and 2 days ago. It took me a month to settle down and to realize that: I AM BACK!!!]

It has been a great long weekend, we (SFHillel) had our 1st. Shabbat dinner and it was fun, after words I went to a "frat house style" party (with Asaf and many others USF students) it was very interesting - God help those American kids (I guess he should help Israeli kids too) but that party was something else...
I had to listen to some drunk 18 or 19 y/o explaining me why "if you can't fight your friends, you can't fight anyone", this kid watched "fight club" one time too many. I (naively) asked "why to fight, anyway?" but his answer was nonsense, like his previous statement...
At least I could joke on his behalf with the Syrian guy from the grocery store near by.
After trying (too hard) to "save" the night, at another "house (wanbe) party" I finally took a cab home.

Home - this is another great story - are you ready?
So my Home (Dori's current definition is: "the place where you feel comfortable at, and where most of your underwear are) is in The Castro District (literally 90 sec. from Castro st.)
[in case you do not know what "The Castro" stand for, you can read it's Wikipedia page]
Which make every thing in my life now - much more interesting.
I define this area as "Gender-Identity Challenging" meaning that now (and every time- after telling someone where I live) I feel like I need to say "No, I'm not gay"- stating my straitness (if you will). I find that fact\feeling fascinating.
Because sometime or to some people I don't want\like to say that. I rather say - "I'm a gay guy who does not find men attractive". Some people would say that this is a "deep stage of denial" so to them I will answer: "I'm trans-gender" or "queer" and that is so much fun here - that gender discourse...
It's just that I see "strait" as more than just "heterosexual", It's more than just a preference of sexual orientation. And as I became a very "semantic" person (thanks the Academy), I can say that in some aspect of life I don't think I have a strait line-of-thought. Hence the fun word-definitions games.
People here love it, and everyone mix those gender-terms everywhere. I think that most of them do not know or understand what they mean, I don't know either, that's why, it is so much fun. And that's what I mean by "Gender-Identity challenging".
I hope I made my self clear - so you understand what I meant.
If that's not the case, but you are my friend (meaning - you know me) than at least you're not surprised :) Love you!

Anyhow, I was saying - getting back home, post alcohol selling hour (2am in most of SF) was very interesting.
I did spend some time in The Castro night scene before (with some gay friend) but I never came here that late, and I never saw that scene in a "going back home to sleep, after a stupid drinking night" mode.
And in this mode the Castro night scene is amazing - I'll say: "En Makom Kaze" (there is no such place, anywhere).
You hear and watch all those drunk-loud-flaming gay guys (off course you only notice the loud ones) and it is "something else"...
You do not see that anywhere in the city and I guess that neither in most of the world.
It's NOT because ALL of San-Francisco is full of gay people that hung around Castro st. at night.
[A very critic-gay-friend of main once told me that, there are more gay men in Tel-Aviv, percentage wise (according to the gay-networking-sites), than here in SF].
So my explanation is that it's because this is AMERICA, where every thing is about the "IMAGE" (logos, Icons, Trade-Marks and etc.).
Here, in The Castro, is where you'll find the biggest Rainbow flag hanging, all year long (except during Folsom st. fair, than you'll find a more special flag).
The same goes to the Jewish communities here (you did not think I will forget about that did you?). Here, in America, the J-Community will make sure that the "Menura" (Hanukia) will be placed near the Christmas tree all the time (even when Christmas is not exactly parallel to Hanuka). Here, my students will ware an IDF shirts and will risk them self with getting into an argument (sometime even hostile) but won't saw up of my programs\speakers - dealing with the IDF.
I guess I'm frustrated about that. it's not new to me - we all think we know that about the US but it's different when you experience that. I find it absurd sometime.
Tell me - since when a camel is such an important Israeli's symbol - because that what Hillel int. and next week Dori (SF Hillel) will use to promote and recruit students for Birthright (at least it's a pink camel). And during the tip the kids loved it - and every one is taking pictures on a camel. COME ON this is what Israel is to you... It's not like I have idea about better symbols - I ask Who said we need symbol any anyway? (you know my answer. AME...).
I don't want to sound like I think that the American culture is the source of all the problems, (most of our enemy says that - so it's isn't fun to repeat JK) I just say that this culture is FASCINATING from it's drunk-loud-flaming gay guys to the American Jewish community.

Another great thing that happened this weekend - on Sunday I went with friends for the 40th anniversary of Summer of Love. Apparently exactly 40 years ago, here in San-Francisco in Golden Gate park the peace-and-love movement had a HUGE celebration (of Love...)
It was amazing to see and be part of.
But some part of it was pathetic in some aspect - specially when some old guys was "lecturing" the crowd with some 60's slogans with funny adaptation to our times (meaning Vietnam=Iraq and so on) he might be right - but I doubt it - that what been said 40 years ago is still valid today. specially when the crowd is full with young "Britney-Spears-girls" (dresses as "J'lo") jumping around exited to see people smoking weed. And when on Haight-Ashbury (famous cross-roads), where "everything" started ("Grateful Dead" and all) you can buy souvenir of that "time" - meaning the Peace-and-Love movement-symbols "FOR SALE" and here I go again AMERI...



Well I guess that enough for tonight.
I just wanted to share some thoughts and experiences with you - my dear friends and family.
I hope (and plan on) that next time I'll post a post here will be soon - and shorter.
Keep in touch,
Love you all!