Lizrael Update

Month: May 2007

  • Weather report.

    Last night, in Jerusalem, we experienced a hot rain. It doesn’t usually rain here in May, and certainly not in a tropical hot rain kind of way. Today, the sky is yellow. See for yourself: I hope tomorrow it’ll rain cats and dogs so that we can be rid of that stupid phrase.

  • Students, leave those teachers alone.

    It’s kinda funny that I’m supposed to be studying Conflict Management & Negotiation right now and instead the government, university heads and students are all at battle with each other. Hmm… What would I say if I could speak my mind? Anyway. Here’s a photo I took of a hauntingly empty classroom where education is…

  • Israeli dancing.

    Tonight I learned – nay – was reminded that there’s a reason why my parents didn’t sign me up for a second year of ballet and I dropped out of Israeli dancing class in sixth grade. I can’t dance. Well, that’s not true. I can bump and grind and rock out in front of any…

  • City feature: Haifa

    Now that summer is upon us, there’s a new series of jokes going around the cynical Israeli circuit, which revolve around the same punchline: “So, what are you doing this summer?” “That depends – when does the war start and end?” “Hey, feeling like a weekend in a tzimmer?” “Maybe; but let’s wait for the…

  • 33 means fire.

    It’s the night of Lag B’Omer, which means Jerusalem is up in smoke, though we’ve done it to ourselves. Bonfires abound (as do marshmallows) as we celebrate… Wait, what is it we’re celebrating? It seems to matter not; all anyone wants to do is run around the city and collect wood and burn things. Kind…

  • Showing more than leg.

    My leg is famous thanks to BY‘s photography and this website: “Elections now.” It’s funny because I don’t necessarily believe in elections now, but it may be the start of a political-modeling career.

  • Shabbat eve in full bloom.

    The good Jewish husbands bring their wives a bouquet of flowers on Friday afternoon for a shabbat shalom. The great Jewish husbands take their wives on a Friday afternoon stroll through the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens so she can pick out her own.

  • Word of the day: Hafgana.

    I joined over 100,000 other disgruntled Israelis to protest and rally against the current government. The truth is, I was there more to observe than to voice my opinion; I let my body exist in Rabin Square to do the talking but I kept my mouth shut. I’m feeling very numb about the whole thing.…

  • Spread NYC love, not STDs.

    Here is example #178 of something you’d never see handed out in Jerusalem: I heard about these NYC subway edition condoms being handed out in a new campaign while I was in New York in February… I thought it would make the ultimate token of NYC love. My brother was kind of enough to mail…

  • Students strike out.

    I just read this article by Nehemia Shtrasler from Haaretz about why the student strike is a bit ridiculous. I can’t help but agree with his logic. I come from a world where university is a completely different animal altogether, so I can appreciate the Israeli government’s role in providing a heavily-subsidized tuition. On the…

  • Lizrael Update: Back to basics.

    To get inspired, I think you need, at minimum, two things: 1. An open mind.2. Surroundings with potential to inspire. I guess they are both the same thing: It’s all about being open to everything around you having the potential to inspire. If you sit around and wait for people to inspire you, you may…