FLASH - The economic crisis is over

I have major news for everyone. THE ECONOMIC CRISIS IS OVER!! The world of money is soundly revolving once again. Everything is great. "Happy days are here again, the skies above are clear again, let us sing a song of cheer again, happy days are here again!!!"

How do I know???
Well, there are a few Sharon Katz Economic Indicators that I can report.
1) I went to the supermarket to do my Shabbat Shopping and found that PRICES HAD GONE UP quite a lot. Price after price (that I could remember) were higher. For example...in this particular supermarket, juices went from 4 NIS each to 4.95 NIS. Cottage cheese that was something like 5.25 NIS was now 6.19 NIS. Yogurt was higher. Cereal was higher. Meat was higher. EVERYTHING was higher.
I complained. The store manager, who is very lovely, said, "But we're having a sale."
"Yes,"I said, "You're having a sale so that folks think you're doing them a favor, but you're having a sale from the HIGHER PRICES."
Well, it seemed that I was the only one bothered by the price hikes, because I'm the only one flipping out in the supermarket, so folks must be doing better economically and not mind too much.
2) The price of water has gone up and might well go up again. I was just looking for my recent notes, but I believe the water bill went up 40%. FORTY PER CENT. And I think they're trying for another 18% rise on top of the 40.
Okay, so we'll take one less shower a week (and stay at arm's distance from one another), but besides that, what can we do? All our gardens are dead already. There's nothing to give on the gardening aspect. We can wash our floors as infrequently as possible, but when your shoes start sticking to the kitchen floor, hey, you gotta wash the floor!!
We've got to wash laundry and dishes. We've got to wash "al netilat yadayim." We've got to put water in the soup.
What more can we stop in reference to water?
So, since I seem to be the only one totally hysterical about the new higher cost of water, folks must have all gotten raises and can afford the new astronomical water bills. (Someone please contact my boss.)
3) The Arnona (real estate tax) has gone up. Arnona went up (in my neighborhood, anyway) and although I'm screaming, "You're choking me. You're choking me," I haven't heard anyone else complain. Therefore, I guess all my neighbors are getting cost of living increases or they're the only ones in the universe who have won on the stock market. And...the economy is doing great.
4) Lastly for now, Lord of the Dance performed in Israel these past two weeks. INCREDIBLE riveting performance. I don't have enough superlatives as to the excitement, the breathless precision and the magnificence of this performance. Actually, see for yourself (and this isn't even the best clip, but it was indeed from the show - start watching at 4:49). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebWxsnJSY9k&feature=related
I was sitting in the bleechers, but I heard that ticket prices for Lord of the Dance started at 600 NIS in the orchestra. 600 NIS!!! and the Binyanei HaUma was P-A-C-K-E-D. Not a seat to be had, and I didn't hear anyone sqawking about the price of tickets. Folks came with their entire families and no one said, "They're fabulous, but tickets are 600 NIS!! Oy vey." No. Folks paid the money and were grateful they were able to get in. Then t-shirts sold for 100 NIS. Two color t-shirts. 100 NIS.
So, all these factors and more are SK Indicators that all's right with the world. No one has to worry about the economy any more. We're on solid footing, B"H.

DOING OUR PART IN THOSE TRYING TIMES

Meanwhile, four months ago, VOICES went to a smaller print format and an expanded web format, http://www.voices-magazine.com/ , because we thought that we'd make it more economically viable for advertisers to buy space in our newly formatted magazine and on-line. We didn't realize the economic crunch would be so short-lived. B"H, we're happy for the Israeli economy, and we bless everyone with prosperity and good cheer always.
We are pleasantly surprised that all is so well, and we hope that it will continue.
I thought times were tough. B"H, I guess not. Maybe someone should tell the folks on line at the soup kitchens.
As Hashem provided for the needs of our people in the Wilderness, so may He continue to provide for all the needs of our people today.