Month: December 2007

  • The youth of the Bezeq parrot.

    I recently finished reading a book I found on my shelf – Vernon God Little – and as I was reading it, a postcard fell out, as if by some will of the powers that be, I was meant to find it and comment:   I couldn’t believe it! It was the freaky Bezeq parrot,…

  • Polite/funny/logical Israeli building notice?!

    I got this forwarded to me the other day and I felt it was important to share this ‘holiday season’ of giving. In case you don’t read Hebrew, here’s the gist: On Saturday night I’m having a small party on the roof. It might be a bit noisy (until the acceptable hour) so right before…

  • Get me latkes, woman.

    Here’s (another) חנה זלדה video… Courtesy of some bored (genius) IDF soldiers… Happy Chanukah!

  • Soup pots, suburbs, perspective.

    Two years ago tonight – first night of Chanukah – we got engaged over a soup pot, and two years later – today – we signed a contract to move out to the suburbs. The Tzur Hadassah deal is done: we are moving to a new apartment in February, way out there past the city of Jerusalem. Moving…

  • Menoras and the city.

    From my wanderings yesterday I noticed two major menoras up in Jerusalem in time for Chanukah, which started tonight: Safra Square Menora.     Chabad-style Menora at the Mashbir on King George (a similar one stands in Kikar Tzion).  

  • Hey everybody, look! Funny Arabs!

    Tonight we went to Off the Wall comedy club (apparently the only comedy club in Jerusalem) for their open mic, where my new favorite Arab-American comedians were performing. Unlike a Mideast peace conference, this was not disappointing! (budump-bump?) Ray Hanania (Palestinian-American) and Sherif Hedayat (Egyptian-American) have been running around Israel – along with a few…

  • Today's word: Etrog Journalism.

    I learned a new word – or rather, term – today at the Arab-Israeli Journalism panel I sat on: etrog journalism. The idea, thunk up by a Haaretz reporter a few years ago, is that certain items of news need to be treated as delicately as an etrog, the yellow citrus fruit we Jews use…

  • The view from here and National Geographic.

    On Sunday nights there is usually nothing on TV for basic-cable watchers; or at least this one. Tonight, however, National Geographic had a special on anti-terrorism technology. And wouldn’t you know, Israel served as all of their examples for technological solutions to preventing terrorism. Sure, they butchered our names – Amos is ‘Aymus’, Pessach is…

  • Download – and learn – Jewish prayers.

    Even though it’s been a while since I’ve (really) prayed, I haven’t forgotten the power of prayer or what it can do for a person – believer or not. This site got me all nostalgic, warm and fuzzy: Siddur Audio. I can’t believe someone was cool enough to post audio recordings of davening along with…

  • Register to vote by absentee ballot.

    Recently, the Australian residents of Israel had the opportunity to vote by embassy or by mail in their federal elections. It got me thinking – since I live with an Australian citizen – about the 2008 American presidential elections coming up (come on, everyone else is talking about it this early). Then tonight I found…

  • Internet Media and me.

    I was asked to participate on a panel discussion on Monday, representing Mideast Youth. The panel is called: Internet Media: Strategies and Challenges facing Internet News Web and Blog sites. I think I’ll focus on the fact that Mideast Youth is more than a media center or news blog. It’s actually about communication between people…