lizrael update

Today's word is brought to you by Amnon, a cheeky classmate (translated from Hebrew).

Me: Were you in class this morning?

Amnon: You could say that.

Me: Did she say anything about the paper?

Amnon: She said a lot of things about the paper. You want to know what we need to do?

Me: Yeah, thanks.

Amnon: It should be 15-20 pages.

Me: Ok...

Amnon: You have to take a text - and by text she means a full book I think...

Me: Ok...

Amnon: And then choose 2 or 6 points to discuss.

Me: Ok...

Amnon: Take 6 of the philosophers we studied this year and write what they would say to each point...

Me: Oh, man...

Amnon: And that's what we Hebrew-speakers call, kora'at b'tachat.

I once wrote about the difference between Americans and Israelis when it comes to putting out office fires. Now I have the chance to write about Americans and Israelis in the situation of a roadside car fire.

I know, right? 

On the way home from the North, I was jolted out of my sleep on the back of the 962 (Tveria - Jerusalem) when the bus stopped and I realized that a few meters ahead of us was a van on fire. The van's contents, a religious family with two small kids, were standing on the side of the road along with a couple of cars who had stopped to help, or at least sympathize. There wasn't much to do except wait for the firefighters to come and put it out. 

Or was there? Our bus driver thought differently and grabbed one of the bus's dinky fire extinguishers and ran towards the flaming van, which was getting worse. After one didn't work, he came for the second. Other bus drivers and their passengers who had stopped behind us were using their dinky extinguishers as well. That clearly wasn't working when the fire exploded towards the back of the van, eating its insides and leaving only frame.

We soon drove off, but not before a lot of spraying on the part of the bus driver, running around on the part of the soldiers and staring on the part of the passengers. The van's family had found a ride with some random people. No one was hurt when we left, and they were still waiting for a fire truck or even a cop to arrive. 

So, what would have been different in the States? Cars and buses would have passed right by, but not without slowing to stare at the scene. But on the bright side, fire trucks and cops would have been there a lot faster. 

I should have posted this earlier so you could have done it too - but - an Anglo from Efrat started placing orders for challot from Sderot bakers to help support the city's abandoned economy. His social action project - a part of his bigger organization, Standing Together - grew over the weeks, and challot, rugelach, plants and other goods are being ordered to Jerusalem, Beit Shemesh, Chashmoni'im, Maale Adumim and Gush Etzion.

They look really good; they're the soft white type. A package can include white challot, whole wheat challot, rugelach and rolls.  

To get Sderot challot (and more) for next week, place an order. You can also donate food packages for Sderot families-in-need; if you're out of the area, perhaps you could mail a check. 

It's nearly a year since our wedding, and we still get the same reaction when the topic comes up around friends or family:

Your wedding was really something - everyone danced together, it was so fun. Everyone was just so happy, for the same reason, and dancing all together. It really was something.

While I'm sure there are a thousand other things Knesset could be busy with (apparently something like 70% of their passed laws are not implemented or enforced), here's a change...

Import of animal-tested cosmetics to be banned

My brother works for an office of the... let's just say Israeli persuasion. Here he expresses what so many of us Anglo olim think everyday.

Preach it, brother:

“This office needs to stop thinking Israeli. Literally everyday we have conversations about how we need to change the office, but we never do. It’s all patchwork and we need complete revision.

I talk to everyone about it. Right now I’m trying to start a revolution in the programs department… I’m drafting a letter to send to the US offices just so that we can be in touch. Getting in touch with Israel is hard enough. I wanna organize a conference call across all the US offices just to talk about current programs and events to open up lines of communication.

Cuz we have to be organized if we ever want to change the Israel office for the better.

And this is only the program center. I can’t even imagine how messed up aliyah is…