Sports

There are a couple of things that I really miss from living in the states. The most obvious are my friends and family. I am in regular contact with my loved ones (maybe even more so than if I lived in the US), but nevertheless it is still difficult to be so far away. Putting that more important group aside, it is easy for me to identify what I miss the second most: Sports!

Pretty much every day I wake up and read about what happened during the night with my hometown (Atlanta) teams. The upstart Atlanta Falcons are a surprising 8-4 this year, thriving under a new coach, rookie quarterback, powerful running back, and receivers who are able to make great plays. Today they will go for their ninth win againts the New Orleans Saints and are very much alive in the playoff hunt. Go Falcons!

The Hawks are fun to follow as well and I always enjoy reading about the Braves offseason aquistions and trades. Yep, I definitely miss following my professional sports teams! 

However, that is not to say that there are no sports here in Israel. Soccer and basketball rule the country and both are in full swing now. It's taken me a little longer to get into the soccer scene, but it's steadily growing on me and I'm understanding the game more and more (yes, it's more complicated than kicking the ball from one side to the other and scoring goals). There are things all about defenses and offenses, positions, substitutions, etc. Lots to learn and a slow interest gaining ground.

Yesterday, I went with a friend to watch a minor league soccer game and it was fun to see how excited people get over the team. We lost the game 4-1, but it was still a cool experience. 

Next time I go to a game, I'll have to remember my video camera for the blog:-)

Thanksgiving 2008

Once again I celebrated Thanksgiving here in Israel with my friends. While I missed being with my family who are all gathered in NC for Harlan and Paula's feast, I still had a great time being with my family and friends here. Nothing like 3 turkeys (2 deep fried), homemade stuffing, cranberry sauce, cornbread and more to get you in the Thanksgiving spirit. A BIG thank you goes out to Lawrence and Maytal Badzin for being such great hosts. Enjoy the video!

Al-Jazeera, Ha'aretz, Bank Hapoalim, what's next?

Since I've gotten to Israel I've been pretty lucky and have had a few chances for my 15 minutes (ok, 3 seconds) of fame. First, I was in Al-Jazeera for a focus piece on Aliyah for Israel's 60th anniversary. Then, I got to be in a Ha'aretz article about the American elections (still glowing about Obama and the exciting path that the US has decided to follow). 

This morning, though, I think takes the cake. This past Saturday my friends and I ran in a 5k and afterwards there was part of a film crew looking for extras for a project this week. Being recently unemployed (and my friends having the time as well) we took them up on it... and I'm so glad I did. 

I've never been part of a production set before and this was definitely a production. For a simple bank commercial, they had recreated an entire city block set complete with a cafe, bank (duh), fruit stand, secondhand clothes shop and apartment buildings above. For anyone who thinks you're watching a real life scene in a commercial, odds are you're not. They had all of the smallest details down also; halfway through our part they decided the fake sidewalk didn't look authentic enough, so they first splashed all kinds of stuff on it (coffee color, oil color, etc), added some dead leaves to the mix and then when that wasn't enough painted it blue and white instead of red and white!

Anyway, getting back to the point of the story... so we dressed up as runners for the commercial (hence the crew looking for extras at the end of a race). About 25 times we ran for about 5 seconds as part of the end of the commercial. The director does yell "cut" and "action" as many times as they do in movies... pretty cool. 

Certainly it'll be tough to distinguish me from the other runners since our part of the production is probably 2 seconds out of 30, but I'm still looking forward to seeing it on TV!

Profile pix and online dating

Hello to my loyal blog readers-

So, time for me to come out and say it: "I'm on jdate!" 

Yep, after hearing so many good stories and knowing many couples that have met their spouse through the site (including three cousins), I decided to give it a shot myself. 

The primary difference between jdate in the states and jdate in Israel, is that here almost everyone is Jewish, thus rendering the need to find a Jewish partner to more of just finding a partner. I guess it's the Israeli equivalent of match.com or another site that is generic online dating. 

I digress. So I've been on there for about a month and a half now and have not had that much luck. I don't know if it's because there is the language barrier (I write simple sentences in Hebrew), the fact that some of the girls probably get lots of messages making it hard to filter, or another factor. Today, I changed my profile pix in hopes that it would make a difference (one of the recommendations from the jdate gurus) so we'll see if that works...

I've met three girls for dates so far and one for a second date, but nothing's really panned out. I'm going to give it until the end of this month's subscription and then I'll probably drop it unless I see better results. 

Lastly, a blog shout-out to my sister, Paula, who sponsored my second month in hopes that I'd meet someone. Thanks for the Chanukah present, P!

I voted twice :-)

Shhhh, don't tell, but I voted twice. Did I trick the system? Nope!

Today, I exercised my right to vote for the first time as an Israeli citizen. It was for the municipal elections (which I only slightly care about) and I cast my vote for mayor for the man who seeks lower rent for Tel Aviv's residents (doubt that promise will happen). Also, voting here is a much simpler process than in the states. You get two envelopes, one for mayor and one for the party that you want to make up the city council. They are color coded and it's very difficult to make a mistake (unlike on the ballots in American elections).

So, last week I voted in the American election and my candidate emerged victorious and today I voted in my first Israeli election. It's good to be a dual-citizen:-)

YES WE CAN

Anything is possible. Today is a new beginning in the history of the world and one that our generation will forever be grateful for. I have never been more proud to be an American citizen. Hope is a real thing, change is not something to be simply talked about.

The hour is upon us and not only yes we can, but yes we DID!

As President-elect Obama noted himself, however, "this victory tonight is not the change we seek, it is only the chance to make that change." It's time to come together, shed the political rhetoric and work to make the US and the world a better place!

On the road again...

Well, it's that time again. That time when things aren't settled and I say to myself "Go get yo-self a new place to live." Hehehehehehe

Ok, not quite like that, but I am on to apartment #4 in Tel Aviv and I am very excited. My last apartment was by far the best (I've been staying in good friends Leora and Ariel's apartment for seven months while they were traveling for their honeymoon). However, now they're back so I was off in search of a new place... and guess where I ended up?

If you answered "a 30 second walk from the beach," then you are right! I'm moving into a newish building (only 20 years old compared to most buildings here which are well in the 60+ range) with two roommates and a short walk to the schuk (open-air market). I'm looking forward to getting fresh fruit and veggies once a week from there and as previously mentioned, I'm a 30 SECOND walk from the beach:-) Also, a close friend of mine, Shai, lives across the street from the new place so it will be great to be nearby. One other thing, did I forget to say how close I am to the beach?

Look forward to posting more soon. We just got through the very long and wonderful holiday season here in Israel, so a hearty Chag Sameach to all!
חג שמח
אוון

קרמבו Krembo

You know it's winter in Israel when Krembo pops up in the stores.

What is Krembo? Krembo is a delicious cookie, marshmallow, chocolate combination conveniently wrapped in blue foil and ready for immediate consumption. Krembo season is very short (only 4 months) but nevertheless 50 million are sold each year in Israel (Wikipedia article above).

I can't help but get one most times I go to the grocery store. They are just too gooey, yummy and fun to pass up. For only 2 shekels, you can give yourself a quick sugar boost and a smile. It reminds me somewhat of a smore, but without the bonfire and hot marshmallow. Next time you're in Israel in the winter, definitely pick one up!

Shana tova!!

Happy New Year to all!!! Here's a video of cousins Roey, Adi, Noa and me!
Lots of love from the promised land,
evan

Regular posting

Hello there my loyal blog readers to whom I neglect far too often:-) Now I at least have a good excuse because I was out of the country back in the states for my best friend's wedding and to celebrate my parents' 30th anniversary.

Anywho, I'm going to keep this one short and add that I'll be having a new feature on my blog thanks to a great 26th birthday present! A Flip video camera! Wahoo!!!

Here's the first of many videos to come:

Bad blogger

I'm posting to admit that I'm a bad blogger. I don't know... I guess I just feel that if I don't have something worth saying, what's the point of writing? 

Sorry to those that read this with any regularity. I'll try and think of something to write about...

Ok, here's something that I've been thinking about lately: I miss being in the heat of the politics back in the states. I'm following the elections from over here, but I know I'm missing a lot. I follow the Israeli politics, but this does not help my Hebrew as I read it all in English :-(

Update on Hebrew: Um, it's slowly improving but I'm not pushing myself as much to study it at night. Shame on me! 

Oh, shocking news, I'll be moving once again. My sublet is up (on the bright side I'll have Leora and Ariel back in Israel with me!) and I'm searching for a new place once again. Hey, 4 apartments in 15 months isn't too bad, right? Blah. Anyway, look forward to a positive update on this front in the next month or so...

Wow! I managed to string together a few sentences about my life... nothing too exciting. I'll have to get some more material:-) Hope everyone is well in their respective parts of the globe!

Summer Visitors

This summer I've been really lucky to have so many friends and family come to visit. I'll try and remember everyone who's come:-)

First off, there was my cousin, Erica (see post below), who spent the better part of 2.5 months here hanging out in Tel Aviv.

Towards the end of June my first friends (my age) from the ATL came visit. Lauren, a very close friend from high school, and her boyfriend, Chris, decided to stop in Israel for a week and pay me a visit. Lauren and Chris (see pix on right) are currently on a tour-de-force around the world, starting in the Middle East, winding their way up through Europe and then heading to the Far East to visit about 300 different countries (only slight exageration). Their visit to Israel couldn't have come at a more opportune time as my girlfriend and I had just broken up. It was great to have such familiar faces to help me have fun that first weekend afterward. We pretty much hung out, soaked up the sun at the beach, hit up the bars and ate good food. I was very sad to see them go but look forward to visiting their new home one day out in San Francisco.

Next up, my second set of parents came by for a visit. Joyce and Ramie Tritt have now been to Israel three times since I made aliyah, because Ramie's mother lives in Tel Aviv. Every time they have come we have lots of fun getting together, going out to eat and being with my otherfamily. I am looking forward to their next visit! (Although I'll see them in three weeks when I'm back in Atlanta for their son's wedding). That's right, my best friend is getting married. Wow!

My friend, Noah, also stopped in for a visit in July. This was his first trip to Israel (he came as part of the Birthright Israel program) and afterward extended his ticket to chill with me in Tel Aviv. Again, I was forced to show my guest to a fun week of going to the beach, visiting the bars and exploring the city (he felt obliged to bury me in the sand). Rough life! As an added bonus with Noah, he got to experience a very fun Israeli wedding when my friend, Lawrence, got married.

As you can see, this list is getting long... I also got to visit briefly with my cousin, Micah Hart, when he dropped in to lead a group of teenagers from the US on a tour of Israel. We didn't get to spend that much time together, but it's always great to hang out with him, reminisce and catch up on all the happenings in our lives. I'm very excited for him and his wife, Joanna, who just moved to Philadelphia where Joanna will be doing her residency. Congrats! (Also, they'll get to hang out more with cousin Annsley who insists on writing me e-mails describing the delicious food she makes:-)

To rap it up, there were three more friends from college who I got to see briefly. First, I had lunch with Ian in Jerusalem. Then, I got to meet up with Sharai at the port in Tel Aviv and on Sunday night I will be seeing Annie on her free night during her Birthright trip.

I'm sure that I've managed to forget a very important visitor or two in this update, but I will add a note in the next post when I remember:-)

Hope everyone is doing well in your respective parts of the globe!
Much love,
Evan
p.s. Just remembered important visitors: Leora and Ariel were back in Israel for a week to go to weddings and see family. So much fun to have my adopted brother and sister back here with me even if it were only for a quick visit.

YouLicense update

Well, well, well.... it's been a little while since I updated my ever-growing readership (at least 5 regulars... hahahaa) about my job.

For those of you that don't know, I'm working as the Professional Services Manager at YouLicense (www.youlicense.com). I have several job responsibilities, but mainly they come down to this:

• Working with the record labels and publishers to manage their accounts
• Uploading content (music) from clients onto the site
• Interacting with the users on the site

Work has really increased over the last few months, but I'm still enjoying it. We moved into new offices about 3 months ago and things are going really well. Just this past week, I celebrated my one year anniversary with the team and they bought me a cake in honor of the occasion.

We've been getting some good press lately, so please check it out:
TechCrunch
ciol.com

If I had to sum up what we do, it would be this: YouLicense is the online music licensing marketplace. We have a non-exclusive marketplace where artists can be heard on an equal playing field and present their music for licensing across the globe. We have a huge variety of sounds from local Indie artists to famous bands. This is the future of online music licensing and I'm excited to be a part of it!

Getting to know the other E. Wertheim

"If I had to choose something that made me happy, it would pretty much be football on the beach." -E. Wertheim

Most people that know me well, when reading the above quote, would surely think that it came from my lips. Well, au contraire, it's from the lips of the other E. Wertheim, my cousin, Erica, from New York. Cousin Erica has been here all summer long, first as a participant on Birthright and then afterwards as a resident of Tel Aviv.

To me Erica was always my little cousin, a cool kid but one whom I did not know that well because of the difference in age (she's 19). After a summer together, I can now say that I know her quite well and she's AWESOME! She's fun, caring, smart, interesting and just an overall great person. We've had many fun moments together and I've really enjoyed getting to know her as an adult (ok, who am I kidding, neither of us are adults:-)

We're both regular beachgoers and have fun breaking out the שש בש (backgammon) and soaking up the rays as well as chucking the football (she throws the ball better than any girl I've ever met). We've spent many ice cream dinners together, gone out to the bars, seen a cool concert, walked all over Tel Aviv and much more. I'm very sad to see her go, but excited because she's planning on coming back next summer.

I would also just like to add that she's had a full summer at the beach and I only have one or two days there each week and my tan is still darker than hers:-) Love ya, cuz!

Tel Aviv - The Modern City

This was a very busy week for me!

The whole YouLicense Team was assembled in Tel Aviv (including our London and US team), so work was more stressful than usual (though we did also have our first-ever company bar-b-q). Also, I had the pleasure of going to see two fun performances.

The first one was a very modern dance show. My friend, Mara (who is making aliyah in 2 weeks... yay!), had an extra ticket so I joined her and her group at the show. This wasn't just a show, but rather an experience. Never before had I been to a show where you stand up and watch the performance from beneath the stage! Yes, that's right, you enter and are given a stool according to your height and then you stand up on that stool and push your head through the stage into these metal protectors. Then, you watch the whole performance while the dancers move all around you in erotic, exotic and unique ways. It was crazy! To really grasp what it was like, you must check out this link to the performance.

The second show I saw was a group called Mayumana and the very famous Israeli musician, David Broza. On a recommendation by cousins Anat and Brian Granath, cousin Erica (post coming soon on her) and I went to the show after work on Thursday night. What a show! Here is a quick YouTube link I found, but it's not nearly as good as the show itself. The group, Mayumana, is similar to Stomp in the US. They use all kinds of ordinary items (trash cans, oil drums, PVC pipe and more) to make awesome music compilations. Not only do they play music, but they dance around, have comedy fused into the show and in general just put on a great performance. As an added bonus, David Broza plays guitar and sings throughout the show. It's a fusion of Israeli and Latino rhythms and is a must see for anyone visiting Israel.

Also, I'd like to give a shout-out to Miss Jessica Rogers. It appears that I actually have a dedicated blog reader who is not a member of my family... hehehehe. Also, congratulations to Jessica for starting college this fall at Syracuse University! Buena suerte!!!

I'll be blogging some more very soon.... p, I'm not doing too bad, hehheheehhee ;)

The Adult Bat Mitzvah Girl

Ok, before I begin this latest post, I thought I'd share a couple of things that I love about my life in Tel Aviv. I love walking everywhere! I have two new pairs of very comfortable walking shoes, so that makes life more enjoyable as well (I highly recommend investing in a pair of Naot or Teva, I've been wearing them for years). Also, I'm drinking a fresh juice that I just got on the street, mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!

So, when I was back home in the ATL a month ago, I also got to attend the Bat Mitzvah of my Mom. When I'd tell people here in Israel that I was going to my Mom's Bat Mitzvah, I'd often get a look of puzzlement on their faces. They'd say, "Why would she do a thing like that?" Most people I interact with here in Israel are secular Jews and it's difficult for them to understand the fulfillment that comes with learning how to read Hebrew, studying Torah and attaining this rite of passage in Jewish life.

Anyway, back to my Mom. I was so proud to see her up there on the bima, chanting her Torah portion flawlessly and following the text with the yad (special pointer that you read Torah with). Growing up as a Reform Jew in Montgomery, Alabama, it was not common for girls or boys to perform the Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremony. About ten years ago my Mom's brother, Uncle Julian, also did an adult Bar Mitzvah and I guess my Mom realized that her time had come to be called to the Torah as well. Better late than never, the saying goes. In less than one year's time, Mom learned how to read a new alphabet and chant Torah. Also, the event was extra special because Mom was able to share it with a lifelong friend, Marlene Reeves, who did an amazing job as well.

I feel so lucky that I was able to be with my family for this occasion. Mazel tov Ema! The picture is of us outside the temple before services.

Back in the ATL - Paula's wedding

Alllllllllllllll-righty then (nothing like a good Jim Carrey line to start off the post:)

Since I officially have been reduced to one blog reader (ok, maybe 2 or 3), I am going to write a special piece for that reader. Big sis P, this one's for you!

A little over a month ago I had the fortune of attending the best wedding I've ever been to when Paula Miriam Wertheim married Harlan Luxenberg. Now they are the Paula and Harlan Luxenberg family. What made this the best wedding you ask? Simply put it was a weekend extravaganza that wasn't over the top filled with relaxing scenery, lots of family and friends, time to chill out, an amazing ceremony, a talent show, scrumptious food and soooo much more. Check out their website to see the weekend line-up for yourself: http://harlanandpaula.com/

Since there is a great plenty that I could write about the weekend, I'll start off with my favorite part, the ceremony. It was a classic Reform Jewish ceremony, but had its share of touches that made it unique for Paula and Harlan. For starters, the backdrop of the wedding was a lake and the ceremony was performed under a very special chuppah (ritual Jewish wedding tent).

For me, the ceremony represented two aspects that are very important to Paula and Harlan: family and sustainability.

Family: There were many aspects of the ceremony that were conducted by the families of the bride and groom. The chuppah was made by Cousin Bill Gordon (8 or 9 Hart cousins have been married under it). The cover of the chuppah was woven by Harlan's mom and was beautiful. My Mom sewed the talit (prayer shawl) that Harlan wore as well as all the kipot (head coverings) that all the men wore. Paula wore the veil (though this time as a shawl) that was used by numerous women at their weddings (the first being Honey's mother, my great-grandmother). Each of the siblings and parents read a translation of one of the seven blessings during the ceremony. Their kittubah (wedding contract) was a gift from our grandmother, Honey. The flowers were put together by Harlan's sister. There were kiddush cups that had been in the family for a long time. Cousins Micah and Carlyn provided the music. I am sure there are other family details that I'm forgetting also (sorry P:-)

Sustainability: Everyone who had a part in the ceremony wore a dress or clothes that can be used again. All the literature was printed on recycled paper. The outdoor setting represented the green life that Harlan and Paula lead. They describe it much better on their wedding "sustainability" page, so check it out here.

They wrote their kittubah and it is a beautiful document that was created on an original piece of artwork. It will hang in their home and be a constant reminder of their commitment to each other and their values.

Ok, this post has gotten really long and so I must end it. There is so much more to say, but I think if you check out the pictures you'll get a great feel for just how special the weekend was from start to finish.

Older sis and new brother have definitely set a family precedent for great weddings!

p.s. One other thing: Honey (my 83 year-old grandmother) beat me in Ping Pong! wtf??????

One busy summer...

Boy oh boy, where do I even begin?

There is nothing like the summer. There have been visitors galore, a trip back to the US, work picking up steam and numerous other exciting events and activities.

Here are some of the highlights (which will all be upcoming blog posts):

• Trip back to the ATL - Paula's wedding
• Trip back to the ATL - Mom's Bat Mitzvah
• Hanging out with the other ewertheim (Cousin Erica comes for the summer)
• Chris and Lauren make a stop in Israel
  
• YouLicense update
• Summer visitors
• And more...

My little sister, Robin, is currently touring Central America with her boyfriend, Jerry. Please check out her blog and live the trip vicariously: http://robinthelatina.blogspot.com/

My older sister, Paula, and my Mom are my regular two readers and they want me to start writing more, so I will try and post more often.

For now, it's off to the gym, then work and then.... the WEEKEND! Yep, weekends start on Thursday night here and I am more than ready for this one to begin:-)

Yom Hazikaron - Israel's Memorial Day

Tonight I went to Kikar Rabin, the central square in Tel Aviv, and watched the annual Yom Hazikaron (Memorial Day) ceremony. It was quite moving.

I'd heard for years about the sirens and how they're played only three times a year: Holocaust Day, the night before Memorial Day and the morning of Memorial Day. As the sirens wail the country comes to a complete standstill and everyone is quiet for a minute. In a land that never stops and people that don't have patience for anything, witnessing 100,000 people shutting up and stopping is very meaningful and illustrates the importance of the moment.

The ceremony itself was beautiful. The army and deaths caused by defending the country are a constant part of life here (this is something that I will one day write a much longer piece about) and everyone knows someone personally or knows someone who knows someone that was killed in a war or in a terror attack. The ceremony was a mix of videos, speeches and live music. I appreciated the videos the most. Each video was of a surviving family member of someone that was killed defending the country in the many wars over the last 60 years. The one that touched me the most was a mother talking about her son who was killed on March 1, 2008. That's only two months ago and serves as a reminder of the situation we're in here and how defending our country is always on the mind.

On Thursday, Israel will celebrate its 60th birthday and I plan to take part fully in the celebrations all weekend long:-)

Trouble learning Hebrew in the Holy Land

Here I am 10 months after I made aliyah and my Hebrew is only kacha-kacha (so-so). Before I came to Israel I established that my number one goal was to learn the language. If I had to give myself a grade on my progress with the language, it'd be a C-.

If learning the language is so important to me then why is it so hard to do? There are many factors that contribute to this, although I still feel like I'm simply making excuses. Israel is a Hebrew based culture, but has a very strong English component to its nature. Having met people from all over the world throughout my life, I'd say Israelis rank as one of the highest levels as a collective group with English as a second language, behind the Dutch and on par with the Germans. Israelis learn English from age 8 (used to be 10) and must pass a somewhat difficult language exam in order to graduate from high school.

Also, English is everywhere! Half the television ads are in English, many written ones are as well. Products are marketed and branded with English tag lines, just the same as stores. The big Israeli clothing stores are named Golf, Zara, Fox and Castro, just to name a few. People relish tv series from the US and Israelis are accustomed to reading their tv via subtitles and listening to the English programming. (side note: I've met dozens of Israeli girls who have a decent grasp of Spanish simply from watching the telenovelas, Spanish soap operas!) As has been popular for decades, English music and movies are everywhere.

So, basically, you can live here without speaking the language. The problem I'm forced to confront is that pretty much everyone my age speaks my native tongue far better than I speak theirs. Also, many people want to practice their language skills with you and try only to speak English.

There is only one way for me to thrive in learning Hebrew and that is to insist to speak only Hebrew and by putting myself in situations where I can listen to Hebrew. I am trying to watch more Israeli tv now and involve myself in activities where I speak or listen to Hebrew. Working all day in English does not help with this process, but I've got a great job so I'm not complaining.

I have a new goal for myself and that is to be fully fluent in a year's time. I think it is an achievable goal and one that I will have to devise some sort of reward/punishment for my progress (or lack thereof). For now, I fool people with my accent (it's better than my vocabulary) and they think that I speak more than I do :-) I do realize, however, if I don't master the language, I'm only fooling myself and I'm determined not to let this happen. Learning Hebrew is a greater challenge than I originally thought it would be, but it's time to say "Bring it on!"

Hiking in the Judean Desert

This past week I decided to take a day off of work (my first since Mom and Dad came to visit) and go on a tiyul (trip/hike) to the Judean Desert. This trip was organized by the local Reform synagogue and I felt like I needed to go as the last trip I went on with them was such a success (I met my girlfriend, Avigail, on the last trip). I am so glad that I went! We had an awesome hike and stunning views.

A few of the highlights: We hiked down mountain trails and stopped at many places along the way to learn about the history of the area and the local fauna. Also, as this hike happened during Pesach (Passover) we were taught about the wandering of the Jews thousands of years ago as they were led by Moses out of Egypt and their experience in this very same desert. Pretty cool to be walking where our biblical ancestors walked. During the trip we also made our own pita/matzah. I was in charge of keeping the fire going, which included putting lots of dry dung on the fire. You can see my role in this photo and the apparatus we used to make the delicious food.

23 days 'til I get on a plane back to the US for Paula's wedding. Wahoo! So excited to see my family and friends... it's been too long. Get ready for lots of Braves games and Chick-fil-a:)

Floating in the Dead Sea

As anyone who's been to Israel can attest, no trip here is complete without a visit to the Dead Sea. A little background on the Dead Sea (or Sea of Salt as it's known in Hebrew):

• It is the lowest place on earth, some 420 meters (1,378 feet) below sea level.
• At its deepest, the Dead Sea is more than 300 meters deep.
  
• The salt content is almost one-third of the water.
• Mounds of dry salt can often be seen around the edges of the sea.
• Almost nothing can survive the high level of salt.
• To read more click here.

A couple of weeks back I visited the Dead Sea for the first time since making Aliyah (immigrating to Israel) some nine months ago. This was my third visit to the sea and each time it still feels so weird to enter the water. When you first enter the water it doesn't feel any different. However, after walking out 10 meters or so, you quickly discover how buoyant you become and how you automatically float. It is impossible to sink to the bottom of the sea. You can literally read the newspaper while floating there.

Also, there are lots of rich mineral mud deposits all around the water. It is common to rub the mud all over your body and then afterwards have very soft skin. The salty water also has healing effects that help to clear up blemishes; this is why the beauty products from the area are so popular around the world. At left you can see a picture of my friend Rafi and I (pre-mud:)

Wow, second post in one week. I'm getting better:)

A Happy Pesach to all!

Return of the long lost blogposter

Ok, ok. I have no excuse for how long it's taken me to post. Many, many things have been going on in my life, but I should do a better job of keeping my 8 blog readers more informed on the happenings here in Israel:-)

Where to begin? Well, I up and moved, again. Good friends Leora and Ariel took off to explore the East (starting in Thailand, check out their adventures here) and needed someone to look after their apartment while they were gone. I loved my studio on Dizengoff Street, but when you compare the two apartments, it's not even close. My old place was 215 square feet, new place = 1,100 square feet. I now have a huge kitchen (Israeli huge) with lots of counter space, table and more. My new home is fully furnished, three balconies and a big screen tv... life ain't bad:) Also, I've got a great new roommate named Shira and she's helping me practice Hebrew (which is very slowly improving). As an added bonus, there's a juice machine, so most mornings I enjoy a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice.

My girlfriend, Avigail, lives in Jerusalem so I've been spending a lot of time traveling back and forth there as well. Here's a picture of us. Over the last few months we've gone on a few small trips together, from hiking in central Israel to a weekend trip up to the city of Haifa to visit friends. We've been dating now for more than 3 months and things are going really well. She's in medical school so she's quite busy this month with tests, but we're planning another getaway for the beginning of May; should be lots of fun!

There is a lot more to report, but I want to get some pictures together before I post again. Stay tuned for these exciting posts: Trouble learning Hebrew in the Holy Land, Wednesday night poker, ATL here I come, Floating in the Dead Sea and hopefully at least one or two more in the next six weeks. Why six weeks? Because in six weeks I'll be back in the States for sister Paula's wedding (check out wedding site here). I am really excited for this trip... it'll have been almost 11 months since I left...

I promise to post again before Pesach (Passover).
Lots of love to all my friends and fam,
e

Israel in need of its own Obama

It's funny. I sit here in Israel and I watch the news and witness the political fervor and fever that is sweeping across America. Many of my friends who in the past couldn't care less about politics have been taken in by Obama's message of hope and change. I, too, have been taken in, albeit from afar. I've never witnessed anything like this, a wave of momentum so strong that only time will tell how much history will be altered. We shall see, but for now, one can't help but be optimistic that Obama will do as much for the world as MLK and JFK did in their own time. I am cautious though and know that he is a long way from winning the Presidency (and even his own party's nomination).

However, that's not the point of this post. No, I want to go into the situation in Israel now. It's not pretty. I'm not even talking about the situation that the world is always concerned with (the Palestinian conflict, daily bombings from Gaza, and more). No, I'm referring to the complete lack of interest in politics here in the Jewish state and the disillusionment that is felt by so many of its citizens. The Winograd Report ripped apart the status of the army and the debacle of the Second Lebanon War. Morale here is very low and almost no one seems to have trust in the elected officials. Corruption permeates the government on a large scale and it seems to only be getting worse.

For Israel to continue to thrive, we are in need of a new generation of leadership. We need someone who can bring the young together with the old and inspire a new wave of optimism and hope. Where will such a leader come from? I don't know... I, like so many others here, am very pessimistic about Israeli politics and it's hard to know who to have faith in. In the meantime, I do know that we need someone. We need a person to rally around and feel good about. We need someone who hasn't been on the scene forever (Ehud Barak, Benjamin Netanyahu, amongst others) and who can unite Israel. I hope in the next election that there is someone who the Israelis can have as much faith in as Obama is inspiring now in the US.

What else can we do?

I have avoided being political in my posts. I like to share the daily happenings of my life and the new experiences I am having. However, I can no longer ignore the reality of the political situation here by omitting it from my blog. While I anticipate sticking to a lighter tone in the future with my blog, I feel compelled to write about what is going on in the Gaza Strip and the surrounding Israeli towns.

First, I would like to give a brief recent history of Gaza. In August 2005, Israel unilaterally pulled all of its troops out of the Gaza Strip. In June 2006, Gilad Shalit, an IDF soldier, was taken hostage and has been held by Palestinian militants ever since. In June 2007, Hamas forcefully took over the Gaza Strip in a bloody coup. For more than a year there have been relentless rocket attacks on the southern Israeli city of Sderot and the surrounding area.

These attacks by terrorists are without provocation. There are no more settlements in Gaza. The IDF and the Israeli public want nothing to do with this piece of land. However, the rockets keep raining down, striking fear into the residents in the south, causing much structural damage and the most frightening, sometimes wounding and killing Israeli citizens. Again, these are baseless attacks. There are no Israeli soldiers in Gaza, no more Jewish settlers either.

So what can we do? This is the subject of great debate amongst Israeli media, politicians and everyday people. We all remember what happened in the summer of 2006 when we went to war against Hezbollah and do not want the same thing repeated. However, we cannot sit back while Israeli citizens are killed without reason and do nothing. Hamas leaves us with little alternative other than to fight back and enter Gaza again.

We have no choice. Just this past week, dozens of rockets fell on Ashkelon and an Israeli was killed. I often take the Ashkelon bound train out to visit my family. Ashkelon is 3 stops after Rehovot.

Even for people who crave peace, the Hamas led terrorists in the Gaza Strip leave us with no choice but to respond. As I write this, clashes are already underway and the IDF is doing its best to prevent further attacks. Already 2 soldiers have been killed and many Gazans have died. Undoubtedly the fighting will continue and maybe there will eventually be an end to the rocket attacks that were the sole reason for our soldiers to get involved in the first place.

No country in the world would put up with bombs being fired on its citizens and neither will we.

Valentine's Day Blackout

This year I decided to celebrate Valentine's Day in the dark.

A couple of posts ago I wrote about my experience at Dialogue in the Dark, a tour where the lights are turned out and you wander through a host of daily activities as if you were blind. I really enjoyed that tour and when I heard about the restaurant, Blackout, I quickly got the information and waited for the special occasion to go.

Well, I just so happen to be dating a very wonderful girl now named Avigail (pronounced ah-vee-guy-eel, but you run the last two syllables together). We've been seeing each other for six weeks or so and Valentine's Day presented itself with the perfect opportunity to take her to a nice restaurant. So, together with good friends Leora and Ariel, we went to eat in the dark.

It was so cool! The restaurant is part of a larger center called Nalaga'at, meaning 'Do Touch'. You can read all about the Nalaga'at Center here. When you first arrive you deposit your jackets and anything that makes light (telephones, pagers, key chains, etc) into lockers to preserve the total darkness that you experience once you enter the restaurant. Also, upon arrival you are given the menu or the option to have your food be a surprise. We all opted for the surprise, though in retrospect it's probably better to pick out stuff you know you'll like. I'm sure I'll be back at some point, so that's what I'll do next time. Anyway, I digress...

So when you enter the actual restaurant you do so by placing your hands on the shoulders of the person in front of you and you are led to your table by a blind (or severely visually impaired) waiter/waitress. After making our way to the table we had to acquaint ourselves with everything that is there. In the beginning there is just the place setting; a knife, fork, cup and napkin. After that, the meal proceeds just like any other. First come the drinks (I opted for a glass of soda water with a lid that I could reseal, though I never came close to knocking it over). That's followed by a basket of bread, then the appetizers, main course and finally dessert.

I'd like to sit here and tell you that I ate it all with a fork and knife, but that's not the case. After trying to eat with a fork most of the time, I finally gave in and just went at it with my fingers. Though I couldn't see to verify, Ariel and Leora seemed to be doing the same. Only Avigail managed to eat principally with her cutlery. Before we went into the restaurant I noticed that there were a few blind people there who had come with their families to eat as well. I couldn't help but think how this must be for them. This restaurant, while completely foreign to most of its customers, was the same thing that a blind person experiences every time he/she goes out for a meal. They don't eat with their hands, but expertly use a fork, knife or spoon. It gave me an even greater appreciation for how the things we take for granted get that much more difficult when you turn out the lights.

This isn't something that I'd recommend everyone to do. People who have trouble in the dark definitely shouldn't, but it was an experience worth having. Through experiencing the way others see (or don't see) the world, we're given a better understanding of how unique each person's perspective is on the every day details we take for granted.

Lastly, I'll leave you with the funniest Valentine's Day clip I saw this year:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=sO_KILnJdHw

Hope all five of my blog readers are doing well:-) I'll be back in the states in just over 3 months to visit and for Paula's wedding. Really looking forward to it!!

To Vote or Not to Vote: Am I really asking that question?

I grew up in a house dedicated to appreciating the government and taught to always play an active role in electing our leaders by going to the polls for every election. I have voted in six general elections, two presidential elections and several local contests. The right to vote is what democracy is based on, empowering us to know that our vote will make a difference and that we have a direct voice in who will manage the affairs of the country. Why then do I feel so removed from this election season? Besides the obvious (that I am living on the other side of the world), there are two main reasons why I am far more ambivalent than at any time in the past: pessimism and confusion.

Today is Super Tuesday in the states, the day when there may (or may not) become a clear front-runner for the Democratic and Republican presidential nominations. Anyone who knows me or any member of my family, knows that we bleed Democrat blue. Dad is out stumping for Obama in SC and is convinced that he will make the next great President. Paula and Mom are also supporting Obama while Robin (when I last spoke to her) was undecided. Where do I stand? Confused.

First, let me explore my pessimism. I am somewhat convinced that no matter who wins the Democratic nomination, this person will lose to the Republicans. It looks like John McCain is going to get his party's nomination and somehow the Republicans will very effectively scare much of the country into thinking that the Democrats are weak on matters of national security. He will run on a centrist platform that will swing the election the Republicans' way. Let's ignore the fact that our country is far worse off today than it was when Bush took over in January of 2001. Somehow the Republican machine will put out its message and the Democrats will lose. (Full disclosure: the only American news channel that I get here is Fox News and it scares me every time I watch it... the O'Reilly Factor is terrifying... this probably accounts for much of my pessimism, knowing that this is the most popular news channel in the states. How it can be categorized as a 'fair and balanced' news channel is way beyond me.)

Now to the confusion. I simply don't know who I want to win for the Democrats. I'd very happily support Hillary or Obama. For my absentee ballot, I will have no problem marking either of their names to be the next President and hopefully turn the US around. For the primary though, I'm just not sure. I'm probably leaning towards Obama simply because I want to see a new name in the White House. For two decades someone named Bush or Clinton has occupied 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and it's time to have another family lead the world. The Constitution wasn't written for monarchies or lords or ruling families, so it's time to put an end to it. If lil' brother Jeb ever intends on running, I hope he'll remember that the world will be better off with him staying in Florida.

So my wandering/wondering piece will now come to this conclusion: On Thursday (I am voting as part of the national Democratic primary so it doesn't matter that I didn't vote absentee in GA) I will be going to vote for Obama and also registering absentee to vote in the general elections in November. Sorry that it has taken me so long to post again in my blog... I will try and do better:)