March 12, 2012, Updated December 14, 2014

It’s certainly an absurd, surreal existence we have here – living a modern life in one of the most progressive, advanced societies in the world, and at the same time engaging in life-threatening battle with an elusive enemy.

On Saturday night, when most of the South was hunkered down in their homes or in shelters, I was out and about in Jerusalem – attending the opening of my son’s senior year art exhibition, replete with wine and cheese and student jazz band accompanying the magnificent art work and proud parents.

Right after that, my soldier daughter – home from the Egyptian border – and I drove around the corner to the Zappa Jerusalem nightspot for an all-acoustic show by Assaf Avidan, likely Israel’s most talented singer/songwriter. The spacious and beautifully designed club was packed with mostly young Jerusalemites out for a good time – and Avidan provided it in spades.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGPFyfamPwU[/youtube]

The situation in the South wasn’t mentioned by either the performer or the members of the audience – as if by ignoring what was happening only a couple hours away and insisting on whooping it up, he and they were sending a big FU to the Palestinian heavies wreaking the havoc.

My daughter and joined in the celebration, but we were also slightly cautious. That’s because the next morning at 7 am, she was headed back down to the also hot-as-fire Egyptian border. In Israel, every party has its price.