March 11th, 2007 by elie
Sometimes, when a man loves a woman, and a woman loves that man, and that man happens to be Australian, you get to go to Melbourne for a month on holiday.
So we’re going Down Under where Men At Work can sing freely along with the kookaburra as they dance the Waltzing Matilda until the kangaroos come home (I could do this for hours so I’m going to just stop right here).
It’s officially a Passover family visit but I can’t say I’m not looking forward to getting my backpack on for the first time in - gasp - 3 years.
Here are some of the destinations we’re thinking of exploring as of now:
Melbourne (Husband’s hometown.)
Great Ocean Road (Finally, views that aren’t page views! Inside work joke, I guess.)
Phillip Island (Penguins! Seals! Kangaroos! Koalas! Rodents that are actually cute!)
Barwon Heads (Who else can say they are doing Seder at a place called Barwon Heads?)
Chaddy & Dandenongs (I swear I didn’t make this up.)
Tasmania (I’ve been waiting for this my whole life, or at least since I loved WB cartoons.)
Sydney (Not so excited by this one; they compare it to New York City. Commence laughter.)
Hong Kong (The ultimate day-and-a-half stopover on the return flight.)
We’re leaving in about 2 weeks and staying for a little under 4. We’re sacrificing an Israeli experience of Yom HaZikaron (we’ll be somewhere in the air) and arriving in the wee morning hours of Yom HaAtzmaut.
But with everything in Israel the way it is these days, I’m not ashamed to say that I’m ok with that.
March 7th, 2007 by elie
On one hand, we have this report coming out of the BBC World Service, saying that Israel has been voted the least popular country out of a survey of 12 countries (Iran and the U.S. come closely behind).
On the other, there is this Happiness Map that shows Israel to be a pretty happy place, all things considered, if happiness is measured in colouring inside the lines.
What these two reports tell us - despite both being fairly subjective, like everything else in the world - is that Israel doesn’t need to be popular to feel good.
Rock on.
March 6th, 2007 by elie
The first time I watched Adi Ashkenazi was when she did a bit on the chevre: what it is, where you find one, what it’s like to be a part of one.
A chevre (חברה) is your group, company, your mates, whatever little society you are a part of. It might be the kids you grew up with or your college buddies or the work mates you grab a beer with. It’s a group of people with whom you feel secure; pick up a phone and make plans, feel complete.
Defining it is easier than finding it. Especially when you move yourself across an ocean to a place where you start out knowing less people than fingers on one hand. Especially when you’re not an easy sell to start (I don’t respond to money or cuddling).
Aliyah can feel pretty lonely at times. It’s really not easy or simple to find new friends (in only a year or two) who even come close to the decades-long friendships you had back across that ocean.
But I’m not the only one feeling the lacking. Making aliyah can provide anyone with the same emotions and thoughts you had when you started grade school. There you are, doing it all over again, in your 20s, 30s, 40s and beyond.
There are three things from my experience that I tell people they need to attempt success at this game: creativity, open-mindness and patience. Finding the new chevre is definitely one of the major areas where all three are required.
March 4th, 2007 by elie
Happy Purim:
Wait a second, it’s missing something… Ok, now - Happy Purim:
(What the hell is Purim? What the hell are these packages? Find out.)