Now that the half inch snowstorms" are almost behind us, Israelis are no longer in a panic and are beginning to return to their favorite pasttime - politics in an election period.
There are so many juicy stories to choose from but I think the biggest jolt came not from a major party or politician, but from a party that is hardly ever mentioned in the mainstream media and attracts almost no Jewish attention.
I refer to "Chadash", the Israeli Communist party.
From its inception it was one of those many Communist parties around the world, branches of the Soviet Union and Stalin's glee club. The Communist dictator could not be too ruthless, kill enough Jews and others or help Israel's Arab enemies enough for the Israeli communist to mumble a word of protest. Just praise - always praise and adulation.
Traditionally the party's leader was a Jew, for many years Meir Wilner, the quintessential east European Jew raised under the light of the "Sun of the Nations", Comrade Stalin. He was his master's voice in the Knesset.
Though Wilner led the party, it was not a place where many other Jews met. It was in fact one of the Arab parties competing for a place in the hearts of the internal Arab opposition to the Jewish state.
With Wilner's passing and that of the Worker's Paradise, Chadash no longer is led by a Jewish Stalinist. They still claim that they are "Communist" but have only one token Jew, Dov Chanin, not their leader, and not necessarily a plus for them as they compete for the anti-Jewish, Arab vote in Israel.
Now for the story of the week.
Former head of the Jewish Agency, former head of the Israel Labor Party and son of the late iconic head of the National Religious party, Dr. Joseph Burg, announced this past Sabbath at a Chadash gathering that he is joining their ranks.
(Still) wearing a kippa, he explained that he violated the Sabbath to attend the meeting in Nazareth because of "pekuach nefesh" - meaning it was a matter of life and death...(pekuach nefesh is a halakhic principle that mandates violating Sabbath laws to save a human life, Ed.)
What shall we hear next from this "independent", "avant garde" thinker?
Perhaps he will convert to Islam?
Maybe he will join ISIS?
The Talmud tells us that in the time of redemption, good will be called bad and bad will be called good. They further tell us that "chutzpa" will reign.
We live a time when Biblical prophesy is being fulfilled all around us. Maybe this is part of it.
Nu. Are Israeli politics not "interesting"?