Israel at 63

Independence Day - with a wide mixture of reactions. While most of the country is on holiday, there are also dissenting voices among Israeli ranks  http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/what-kind-of-independence-is-this-1.360641  / http://www.haaretz.com/blogs/a-special-place-in-hell/israel-at-63-what-part-of-shut-up-do-you-not-understand-1.360754 and of course anger among the Palestinians. While the "Nakbar Law" has been enforced, it will not stop the Palestinians from organising demonstrations on Nakbar Day in 5 days time.

Anyway families are out in the parks and beaches, barbecuing.  http://www.jpost.com/NationalNews/Article.aspx?id=219931  The parade was impressive by the coast. Fighter planes flew overhead in formation, the navy sailed past. Even El Al flew 3 carriers at low altitude. Smaller aircraft also flew past in formation ... so close (less than 40 metres) that I could see the pilot who waved at me and I waved back. http://www.jpost.com/NationalNews/Article.aspx?id=219948

Meantime there's quite some attention about a Jewish Orthodox newspaper that doctored and removed the picture of Hilary Clinton because women should not be seen. http://www.haaretz.com/jewish-world/u-s-orthodox-newspaper-apologizes-for-altering-white-house-photo-1.360824  Democracy? Israel is politically 63 years old; Judaism is thousands of years old. How can democracy pretend to guide Judaic society?