Lunatics running the asylum

The two weeks leading up to the Jewish holiday of Purim are always fun to watch.

During this festive fortnight of pre-holiday preparation, Israeli schoolkids, who on the best of days are somewhat less than deferential towards their teachers, drop the last pretense of decorum and let it all hang out!

In my kid's school, this period is celebrated with skits and songs lampooning teachers and school administrators (just imagine how far the kids go when on normal days they call the teachers by their first names!)... strange and creative modes of dress... and of course a complete moratorium on the assigning or completing of homework. 

In addition, many of the teachers have instituted special 'rules' to capture what little remains of their charges attention.  For instance, my daughter's teacher promised to buy a cake for the class each time her cell phone rang this week during class.  Needless to say, many parents were recruited to place a well-timed call... resulting in a cake a week for the foreseeable future!

Every free moment during the children's day seems to be spent breathlessly discussing costumes and Purim plans with their friends... and the community e-mail list has been abuzz with panicked requests for an incredible array of odd accessories needed to complete purim costumes (e.g. light saber, bunny ears, fedora hat, clown shoes, wedding gown, tiara... you get the idea).

Even the folks at work have gotten into the spirit.  Today, as I briefed a military attache from a medium-sized Asian country, my secretary served Oznei Haman (Hamentashen) cookies with the coffee. 

Somewhere along the line this officer had been told a little about the upcoming holiday and he asked a question about the cookies.  This prompted a lively discussion about a political struggle in ancient Persia... with an Asian attache... who had come to be briefed on a piece of Israeli military technology.

Yes, on many levels the lunatics really seem to be running the asylum.

[crossblogged on Isreality]