Who says there are no seasons?
November 20th, 2006 by elie
Who says there are no seasons in Israel? At least there are enough leaves for this city worker to get paid.
I call it: Guy with rake. Archive for November, 2006
I call it: Guy with rake. Change the channel.
November 19th, 2006 by elie
Irony: Changing the Israeli channel where Nasrallah is preaching and yelling to a Palestinian channel where a soccer match is going on.
Meet my little friend.
November 18th, 2006 by elie
If you know me, you know I’m crazy for dogs - big, chunky, friendly, loyal, happy dogs. Dogs that run up to you when you come home. Dogs that look you in the eye. Dogs that trust you and are trustworthy themselves.
Dogs are magnificent animals.
For the last 24 years, I never had the chance to adopt one. Living under my parents’ roof, I was told that my dad was ‘allergic’ (unwilling in dadspeak); living on campus pets were prohibited; since I made aliyah I didn’t live in one place long enough until last February; since then I was planning a wedding, going on a month-long trip and settling down to ‘real’ life.
Well, here we are, mid-November 2006.
And here she is: Stella, the most chilled out dog (or living thing) in the Middle East.
She is of the Canaan breed; native to Israel (makes sense with a name like ‘Canaan‘).
A little history:
The Canaan Dog began in ancient times as a pariah dog in Israel. This dog is one of the oldest, dating back to biblical times. The Canaan Dog was the guard and herd dog of the ancient Israelites, guarding their camps and flocks. They were plentiful in the region until the dispersion of the Israelites by the Romans in the 2nd Century, CE. As the Hebrew population dropped, the majority of the dogs sought refuge in the Negev Desert, a natural reservoir of Israeli wildlife. Avoiding extinction, they remained undomesticated for the most part, although some lived with the Bedouins and earned their keep by guarding the herds and camps. Some were also guards for the Druze on Mount Carmel.
Israel is niiice!
November 16th, 2006 by elie
Guess who’s coming for a visit?
I come to make the sexy with you (even though you are Jews)…Thanks, Hagshama.
November 16th, 2006 by elie
I needed the number for Minhal Studentim in Tel Aviv. I never would have thought they’d be organized enough to have a website.
Well, they probably don’t, but someone very wonderful found this site when searching for it. It’s a list of useful numbers Hagshama put together, hopefully mostly current.
Addresses to various offices, useful to olim, in Israel.
Aliyah Information Center of the Jewish Agency The Ministry of Absorption Ministry of the Interior The Student Authority (”Minhal Studentim”) National Insurance Vehicle and License Registration Office IDF Draft Board (”Lishkat Hagiyus”) Aliyah Information Center of the Jewish Agency The Ministry of Absorption Ministry of the Interior The Student Authority (”Minhal Studentim”) National Insurance Vehicle and License Registration Office IDF Draft Board (”Lishkat Hagiyus”) Aliyah Information Center of the Jewish Agency The Ministry of Absorption Ministry of the Interior The Student Authority (”Minhal Studentim”) National Insurance Vehicle and License Registration Office IDF Draft Board (”Lishkat Hagiyus”) Aliyah Information Center of the Jewish Agency The Ministry of Absorption Ministry of the Interior The Student Authority (”Minhal Studentim”) National Insurance Vehicle and License Registration Office IDF Draft Board (”Lishkat Hagiyus”) Aliyah Information Center of the Jewish Agency The Ministry of Absorption Ministry of the Interior The Student Authority (”Minhal Studentim”) National Insurance Vehicle and License Registration Office IDF Draft Board (”Lishkat Hagiyus”) Jerusalem
8 Maalot
Tel: 02-563-3195/563-2574/563-2813
15 Rehov Hillel
Tel: 02-624-1121
1 Rehov Shlomtzion HaMalka
Tel: 02-629-0222/0231
15 Rehov Hillel
Tel: 02-624-1121
4 Rehov Shimon Ben-Shatah
Tel: 02-675-5555
Talpiot Industrial Zone
Tel: 02-568-2222
103 Rehov Rashi
Tel: 02-538-9261
Tel Aviv:
6 Rechov Esther HaMalka
Tel: 03-527-4330
6 Rechov Esther HaMalka
Tel: 03-527-0853/0854 03 520 9111
Shalom Tower: 9 Rehcov Ahad Ha-am, 14th Floor
Tel: 03-519-3333
6 Rechov Esther HaMalka
Tel: 03-527-0852 03 520 9155
Ibn Gvirol 62
Tel: 03-697-1234
1 Rechov Halochamim - Holon
Tel: 03-502-7666
Tel HaShomer
Tel: 03-530-6810
Haifa:
131 Rechov Hameginim
Tel: 04-851-0401/851-0351
7 Sderot Palyam
Tel: 04-868-1322
11 Rechov Hassan Shukri
Tel: 04-861-6222
7 Sderot Palyam
Tel: 04-868-1322
47 Sderot Hameginim
Tel: 04-854-4111
Derech Hamifratz
Tel: 04-872-1351
12 Rehov Omar el Kayam
Tel: 04-869-2594
Be’er Sheva
1 Rechov Henrietta Szold
Tel: 07-629-5606
31 Sderot Shazar
Tel: 07-628-0917/0906
Beit Noam: 22 Rechov Shazar
Tel: 07-623-4211
31 Sderot Shazar
Tel: 07-623-0827
6 Rchov Wolfson
Tel: 07-629-5311
23 Sderot Shazar
Tel: 07-640-6111
22 Rehov Yad VaShem
Tel: 07-990-4783 Tiberias
Rechov Hashomer 47 (inside absorption center)
Tel: 06-679-2041/2
Rechov Hashomer 47
Tel: 06-672-2048/679-2041
Rechov El Hadif 23
Tel: 06-679-1724
Rechov Hashomer 47
Tel: 06-672-0399
Rechov Zakiel Gades 1
Tel: 06-673-8111
Rechov Bialik 5
Tel: 06-672-0880
Kiryat Hamemshala: Rechov Hoffein
Tel: 06-651-3427/91
What’s in a name?
November 15th, 2006 by elie
My husband changed my last name at Misrad HaPnim today without totally-fully-100% checking with me. To see that we were doing that whole name changing thing.
I went from one ridiculously Jewish last name to another slightly less ridiculously Jewish last name, but the original reflected so much to me; my priestlyness (ok, my dad’s priestlyness), a bit of Sephardi heritage, the simplicity of Judaism as a tag whenever introductions are made. And I liked my initials.
Eh, what’s in a name, after all?
Offering my wedding wares.
November 14th, 2006 by elie
I was remembering my wedding - how long six months can feel, how quick six hours can pass… How I missed the people who weren’t there, but moreso, how I enjoyed the people who made it to be there…
It occurs to me, since I like giving advice - actually, passing on knowledge (maybe it’s an eldest child thing) - I should publish the information I collected over six months - research, essentially, for having a wedding in Jerusalem, and also, pieces of advice I was given or formed on my own.
Eliesheva’s Wedding in Israel guide.
General advice:
- * Pack for the hotel the day before: water bottles, food, advil, a brush, etc.
- * Hydrate the week before! Day before! But don’t overdo it day of; you’ll drink plenty while taking photographs (smiles hurt!).
- * Bring socks, extra shoes.
- * Have bandaids at the ready (oops).
- * Sheva brachot cards! So easy. Photocopy-enlarge the brachot from a siddur and cut them up and laminate. Helps along the seven blessers.
- * Make sure your ride has gas…
- * Contacts? Bring extras and your glasses.
- * Brides: Have something to hold on to (flowers) at the kabalat panim… You’re bound to be fidgety.
- * Make sure someone is counting how many times the bride walks around the chatan… (oops).
- * Let the adrenaline kick in and run with it. Love the adrenaline.
- * Try not to spill anything on each other in the Yichud room (oops).
- * Breathe when you’re dancing or suffer the wrath of side cramps or lost breath.
- * There will always be silly mistakes; you probably won’t even notice. Get over that from the start (of wedding planning, if possible).
- * Get into the calm mindset the week before; pump it up the day before.
- * However you are is how the guests will react; stay fun and calm and that’s how the guests will feel…
- * HAVE A SENSE OF HUMOR!!!
- * It’s just a party. A really big one. The marriage is going to last longer and be way more expensive.
Quick checklist (in not so much of a coherent order):
• Date selection (keep in mind shkiyah if you want a special Hebrew date)
• Venue selection
• Photography
• Videography
• Engagement party
• Engagement ring
• Guest list
• Flights for foreigners
• Décor design
• Music
• Dress
• Invitations
• Pre-invites for out of towners (advanced notice)
• Floral arrangements
• Make up/hair stylist
• Wedding ring
• Transportation to the wedding (for you and guests if it is far out of town)
• Hotel/apartment bookings (you and out of towner guests)
• Kalla/Chatan classes
• Rabbanut:
- o 3 passport pics of each
- o teudat zehut and sepach
- o birth certificates
- o ketubah of both sets of parents
- o 600 NIS (40% discount if one is an oleh or student)
- o 2 witnesses for each (who know you, male)
- o a Rabbi conducting who is registered with the Rabbanut (or register yours)
- o 02-621 4800/4811
- o Rechov חובהצלת, #12, near Yaffo street
- o Sun-Thurs 8:30-12:30/3-4:30
• Registry
• Birchonim
• Menu selection
• Appoint/hire someone a ‘wedding coordinator’ so your parents and friends can enjoy
I also highly recommend this website for wedding planning all over Israel.
Venues:
Beit Shmuel: 02 6200 3405, 02 620 3403 – view of Old City behind, it’s outdoors on the roof (or could be inside)
BibleLand Museum: 02 561 1066 contact@blmj.org (Caterer: Shlomo at שק אירועים 0505234220
Achuza: 02 538 7151 gorgeous set up, Ramat Rachel feeling, might be less money, .
Har Tzion: 02 568 9555 really really pretty, local, different set up options.
Mul HaHar: Ilan: 0504005401 tayelet set up, chupah can go however you want, no minimum, great view behind you.
Novotel: 02 5320000 Idit – 0524470165, swimming pool, porch
Shulchan David – right outside Old City. Yehuda 050 521 7325/026732770
Ein Yael – (by the Zoo) 02 645 1866, outdoors, hidden, quiet
Shoresh – outdoors, pretty, there’s a website
Photography & video:
Sass Video – excellently recommended, great service, great product.
Dov Yarden – great work, great custom albums. 02 676 4223, 0545691123
Itamar Ben Harav: 0546472656
Bands:
Ariel Goldsmith – 052 641 3326
Shlomo Katz – 02 570 9945, 054 316 9888 (Yedidyah, manager)
Adom Atik –
Inyan Acher –
Menachem Herman – mhmusic@netvision.net.il 02 991 8314, 0524704063
Wedding Planners:
Shmuel Bloom: 0547587089
Shani Falik: shoshanafalik@gmail.com
Adina Buchs – B’Rosh Shaket – 0523803048
Dressmakers:
Tamar: 02.538.8558
Elise: 054.498.4540
Aviva: 052.545.5895 or 02.654.1697
Chagit: 054.533.9051 or 02.561.7316
Esti: 054.747.1778 or 02.571.0777
Malka: 02.540.1745
Nora: 052.848.9964 or 02.624.6963
Dorit: 02.651.4840
Tel Aviv bridal:
*It’s all over Dizengoff street, starting from around the 190s. Hard to find classy + modest dresses though. Also a bit more $$.
*Veronic: www.Veronic.co.il - very talented, she can do chic modest dresses
Gmachs:
* Shalshelet/Chasdei Yaela
King George St. They have more than 200 dresses that the bride can use for the minimal price of 400 -800 NIS + dry cleaning. Call for appointment: Racheli: 054-647-2611 or Naomi: 054-630-1189
* Gemach Shoshana
– established in memory of 19 year old Shoshana Zaguri z’l killed in a bus bombing
– to ease some of the financial pressures of making a wedding
– MODEST bridal gowns available
–located in Bayit Vagan
–Please call Paula Mazal Zaguri at 02-6411-795 or 0544-781-293 to schedule an appointment
* Gmach
Rechov Shmuel HaNavi.
For an appointment please call: Pesha Rosenson- 02 582 7936 / 052 478 3675
You may also call Rachel for an appointment: 625-7936 or 0546-472-611
* Wedding dress g’mach
With hundreds of beautiful wedding dresses to choose from. Call Tehilla at 0506 343942 or (02) 625 2924 or e-mail: tiftufya@walla.com
You can always email me for more or to get this in a readable format.
Not your mother’s nuclear-attack drill.
November 14th, 2006 by elie
Sign next to the elevators at Bar Ilan today (translated):
Please note. At the sound of the siren, please descend below to the bomb shelter in building 604, room 105.
I remember in 6th grade, learning about the 60s, and my mother telling me that in her day, in 6th grade, they had nuclear attack drills because it was the height of the Cold War. At the sound of the siren, they’d descend below to underneith their desks.
Personally, I prefer the bomb shelter.
Two + two = I hate Bar Ilan.
November 13th, 2006 by elie
I spent four hours straight either waiting for or riding on a bus today. Two on the way to Bar Ilan (for a 12 minute meeting with a professor) and two on the way back to Jerusalem.
Do I want to rant and rave about how inefficient Bar Ilan, Egged and the whole country are?
Yes.
Am I going to?
No. I’m too worn out. You’re off the hook.
The Israeli supermarket inefficiency theory.
November 12th, 2006 by elie
Here is an amateur theory of mine:
Jews are a diaspora people forced into mercantile jobs and ghetto villages -> Jews organize their lives neatly within a ghetto-based society -> Ghetto is interrupted by the Final solution and Jews get homesick -> Jews return home -> Jews become Israelis -> Israelis find themselves using all energy, tactic and strategy in order to survive, at the behest of everyday needs -> Even after overcoming the survival threshold, survival takes precedent over everyday societal efficiency -> I wait in line at the supermarket for 20 minutes with only one person ahead of me.