Sallah Shabati Page #2

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and I don't have a house.

We don't need snakes here.

We need a note for a house,

not snakes.

Mr. Shabaty, you don't

understand me.

We must become friends,

musn't we?

We should get to know

one another, no?

That's true. What is the lady's

name? -I' m Bat-Sheva.

Bat-Sheva, are you married?

-Single.

Where do you work? -With

the cows. -Cows? -Yes.

One moment Miss.

I' II write it down.

Cow-shed.

Salleh, Salleh.

Wait, I must think.

The lady works every day

and gets 60 lira a year.

Yes, that's our budget.

I can't even afford to buy

a nice dress in town.

Never mind, never mind.

Where do you live?

In a hut! -Like this one?

-More or less.

Only the married couples

get a house.

The single girls

sleep 3 in room -3?

Yes, 3 girls in one room.

We don't have any money.

We never will.

You shouldn't talk like that

Miss. -Yes. -You shouldn't.

So you are in a difficult

sociological situation?

But, with the Lord's help

it will be better.

When Bat-Sheva was small,

was she bitten by a snake?

No, of course not.

That's Neuman. I have to go.

Goodbye, Mr. Shabaty.

Nothing bad happened. Don't

despair Miss Bat-Sheva.

The government does what it

can, good people help.

But Mr. Shabaty, I came to

help you. Neuman, Neuman.

You should be well,

Miss Bat-Sheva.

If you troubles in your heart,

I' m always here for you.

You never disturb me.

What a sociological girl that is.

Forestry!

Next! -Yes. -Name?

Miki Raveh.

T rade? -Dental Technician.

-Forestry.

Is that why I studied

for six years?

I don't care, I also studied

and worked on the roads.

Forestry. Next.

Name? -Kalman Binstock.

Work? -Administration.

-Forestry. -Excuse me.

Nothing. Your like all the other

new people here. Next!

It's your turn Dad. -I don't

want to. I' m scared of him.

Dad, it's for our new home.

Alright, but stay with me,

I won't go alone.

We' re here Dad. -Next!

Salleh Shabaty. -Trade?

Shoemaker. -Forestry.

Thank you very much.

That is excellent, forestry.

No forestry. When I arrived,

I took any work I was given.

I ate grass and slept in the

fields, my friend.

But I want. -I don't care what

you want. Forestry. -Forestry.

These new immigrants are

poor human material.

Right, it's very simple.

As you saw, I dug a hole

about 30 cms deep.

This is the plant, shake and

remove thus, you see?

Put it in the hole, and cover.

Now, press it down and

dig a saucer around it

Smile a little, can't you!

And with that, lets go to work.

Are there any questions?

Yes, what's this for?

We are turning this place

into a forest!

God makes forests.

-Yes, but we help him.

He doesn't need help.

-Comrade, enough. To work.

Is that enough? -Comrade,

no time for frivolity now.

Very nice. -So perhaps

you' II do some now?

Yes, please, this has

to be shaken.

It's all wild. It doesn't want

to be a forest.

Hold it please.

-What are you doing?

You' re hitting it like a

shoemaker. -That's true.

The old man doesn't like

working, does he? -What?

He'd run away if he could.

Do you know him?

Yes. He's my father.

Yes, my Dad also...

So, 30 cms as we said,

and cover the plant.

Please Sir, what is that for?

I' m preparing a sign for the

man who gave the money

for this forest, my friend.

Here's the happy donor.

How do you do?

-How do you do?

Mr. And Mrs. Birnbaum,

this is your forest.

After me please. -Thank you.

No, no...

Go, go on.

What's up?

What do you with me, Sir?

What's going on?

He won't let me go past him.

Simon! -I' m coming.

Where is that driver?

I love working in the garden.

You know, my dream is a

small house and garden.

I' m also learning

to be a cantor.

Comrade, they' re hooting at

you. -I' m not deaf. I know

One day, I' II show you how

I work in my garden.

Comrade, they' re hooting

again. -Be seeing you.

See you. -Goodbye.

"In Jumlat the

old Messiah lives

"alone in a house, without..."

What's going on over there?

What's he doing there?

What's that Sir? Another one?

It's the tourist season.

Everyone wants a plaque.

But that's not nice Sir.

It's like a lie.

How do you do? -How do

you do? -Follow me, please.

Mr. And Mrs. Zimmershein,

This is your forest.

What the hell's going on here?

Hey, stop that,

d'you hear me?

Stop that! Stop that.

What are you doing here?

It's Mr. Birnbaum's forest.

For them, you have to plant

a new forest.

You, you' re fired.

Me? -Yes you.

-Blessed be his name.

Salleh, you' re the first guy to

be fired from relief work.

There's a lot of people there.

I need some relief myself.

You haven't learned the rules

of the game yet.

It's a new game.

Goldstein, where did you get

so much money from?

I've got a bit left from

the last elections.

Elections? Is that hard work?

No. You get paid

for voting political.

You put a letter in an envelope

and you' re off free.

Which letter?

-The one they tell you.

Goldstein, looks like for once

there's some easy work

though I can't work at it.

-Why?

I don't recognize

the letters so well.

It doesn't matter. It's

secret and no one sees.

So how do they know what

you put in? -They don't.

That's democracy.

"The evening breeze,

Sings in the trees

"To whom does it sing?

To you and to me.

'The two of us here...

Hush. It's late.

I must go home.

Can't we walk a little?

That's how things are here,

not like in the kibbutz.

Who says? Maybe I should

ask if I can date you?

Is this a date? -Of course.

In a minute.

Habuba! Habuba!

To hell with it.

Habuba, Habuba,

Home.

What's the matter Salleh?

I don't like that counselor

from the kibbutz.

He's turning Habuba's head.

-Habuba's a good girl.

Did I say she was bad?

Only in the evening,

I want her in the house.

House? This is a house?

Can anyone see a house?

Sits in his hotel all day long,

doing nothing, like a king,

and says, house, he says.

Don't start with me woman.

Give Paula some milk.

Backgammon, backgammon all day

playing with that Goldstein.

He's not ashamed. An

Ashkenazi playing backgammon.

We' re all Jews.

There's no difference.

How long do we have to stay

here, with the little ones

playing in the dirt and the big

ones running around like...

Is it my fault? -Did Ben Gurion

make my children?

Go to work so we can get

a house. -What can I do?

They said they'd give us

a house and they don't.

Everybody else gets,

except me. What can I do?

Good evening.

Where's the money? -Money?

-From the work in the forest.

He took all the money

Shimon earned as well.

He went to drink in

the coffee shop.

Drunkard! Drunkard!

Give me the money.

Lord of the universe, this is

Salech Shabaty talking to you.

You, who brought us out

of Egypt, look at me,

How do I look? How?

The wife is right. There's no

work or house, nothing.

All day long backgammon.

The house is not a house.

It's a children's store,

that's all.

Lord of the Universe,

help me.

Everything is awful. Please

Lord, do something for me.

Help me Lord! Help me!

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