Ephraim Kishon, RIP

The Jerusalem Post reports that Ephraim Kishon died yesterday. Unconfirmed reports indicate that he found a long queue outside the Pearly Gates, but the redhead with the key was nowhere to be found. He was last seen trying to round up some demonstrators to chant 'we don't want Heaven; we demand to go to Hell'. The family is eagerly awaiting the National Gift Box of Chocolates, which last visited their home on the occasion of the grandson's bar mitzvah.

As a kid I loved reading his columns, first in English translation, and later in the Hebrew original. Three years ago, on a visit to Israel, not only couldn't I find any of his books, but the younger shop assistants had never heard of him. A year later he had won the Israel Prize, and a few of of his collections were reprinted. I think I'll put Salah Shabati in the VCR tonight, have a drink, and say a blessing for his soul.