Archive for the 'what a country' Category
August 27th, 2008 by elie
The following are 1/10 the amount of photos I took in the last 48 hours I’ve been in Colorado visiting family.
It was hard to pick out just ten, and even that is a ridiculous amount to post. But guess what? The Colorado Rockies are breathtaking and I’m a country girl now. Ok, the Judean Hills are not exactly breathtaking… Which is all the more reason my 12,000+ mile climb into the mountain range was so incredibly cool.
The road ahead… is long and winding.
On the way up, past a lake.
That’s a whole lotta trees… Jerusalem forest pales…
The ultimate view. A little bit of everything.
This kid actually scurried by, posed, and ran off with his friends.
This was over 12,000 feet up,
What a palette.
A rocky view of Rockies.
Do not mess with this guy on the side of the road.
The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado: Stephen King’s inspiration for The Shining.
August 27th, 2008 by elie
There are certain things that are inherently American, like baseball and apple pie. To add to the growing list in my mind, I present to you…
iPod vending machine at JFK airport:
Starbucks drive-thru in Longmont, Colorado:
August 8th, 2008 by elie
Since I’m already on the topic of religion and conversion, and since Israel is a ridiculous place even without all that, here is an image courtesy of Tel Aviv’s Ibn Givrol that you can feel free to nail into your head…
Does the crown of thorns come in extra small?
Gsus Sindustries. Based in Amsterdam. Sold in Tel Aviv. Go figure.
July 22nd, 2008 by elie
Like everyone else, I’ve been thinking a lot about what my society has done for the environment and what long term changes are being made as the world-at-large starts paying attention to the state of the Earth.
I know that on the whole, everything that anyone has done has been a drop in the green bucket. I’m not a green-nut myself, but I am a person who avoids wastefulness, values organization and enjoys a breath of fresh air.
Here’s a brief summary of what I’ve been exposed to/seen on the ground in Israel:
Solar energy
There are tons of companies in Israel that are working vigorously on solar energy developments and exporting their ideas and goods. You might recognize the name Solel, for one.
Solar panels for homes have been around for years; something like 80% of Israeli residents have these in their homes. Before I moved here, I had barely understood the concept; heard that out in California they used these. Here, it’s everything: electricity-saver, money-saver, power-saver. Called a dood-shemesh in Hebrew, it’s the type of thing you ask about before you rent a place. The sun automatically heats up the panel, and the heat absorbed is what makes your shower nice and comfy. Israel has won big marks for the popularity of the solar panels.
For more information regarding Israeli solar energy, here’s a detailed article. And here’s news on the latest developments in electricity versus solar billing.
Drinking water
I was passed this feature article in Haaretz about Israeli tap vs mineral water: Addicted to the bottle. Here’s a taste:
Families can spend as much as thousands of or tens of thousands of shekels a year on fancy water. Does their outlay pay?
One unbiased expert says, unequivocally, no. “The quality of tap water in Israel is among the best in the world, in terms of the Health Ministry’s standards,” says Prof. Avner Adin of the Faculty of Agriculture at Hebrew University. “My family and I drink tap water without a second thought.”
The article basically explains that many researchers claim Israeli tap water is not only safe and tasty, but preferable to mineral water, which is a waste of money and resources and not even as healthy as everyone thinks.
Of course, there’s also the little matter of the plastic bottles that the bottled water industry contributes… On Neviot’s website, they make a whole display of the different kinds of bottles you can carry around.
Plastic
The last time I was in New York, I noticed it was in vogue to carry around non-plastic bags in the supermarket and elsewhere. And, really, when I say in vogue, I mean fashionable to walk around with 100% all-natural fiber bags that say on them, “I’m not a plastic bag.”
In Israel, for months, I’ve seen the non-plastic bags in the supermarket, sold for a few shekel, to be replacements for the plastic bags that Israelis - like everyone else - are so eager to use and recycle by reusing them as garbage bags. Are Israelis buying it? I don’t know. I don’t see them being walked around very often.
The government, however, is making an attempt by formulating a bill to ban the production, importing and distribution of plastic bags. in fact, a small charge will be implemented for each plastic bag used. Good thing too, since apparently Israel’s population of 7 million use about 430 million plastic bags a month in 2005…
We personally have started to use those bags ourselves, with occasional picking up plastic bags to reuse as garbage bags at home.
And then, at my office a few months back, a couple of coworkers attempted a revolution in using ceramic mugs and bowls instead of the tons of wasteful plastic goods they order every week. I took up the cause myself and have been ok with it, at the very least.
Automobiles
I have read a lot about the work of Israeli researchers and advancements in hybrid cars, electric cars, water-power. Every so often I will read an article about the latest researcher or start up focusing on this. There is an Israeli start up dedicated start putting in ‘chargers’ for electric cars on city streets. Israel is one of the leading in the research for water-powered and vegetable-oil powered cars.
I have begun to consider what my next car would be and I definitely think out-with-the-old, in-with-the-new, because soon enough I won’t have a choice around here.
By the way:
Conclusion
I do think that Israelis get a bad rap from visiting Americans, who consider themselves green and eco-savvy to a fault. I do acknowledge that until recently, Israel was terrible in the eco arena. It’s hard to compare too because the United States is a bigger place with more people with more stores with more factories with more indulgences… with more bad habits. But these days, it’s unfair to judge Israelis harshly; its researchers are leading in areas of water desalination, electric and water-run cars, solar paneling, etc.
In fact, dare I say I am proud of what I’ve seen so far, as small as it may be. Of course, there is tons more to be done and what we have so far is so small, but it’s the national psychology that always has to be shifted before you can see real change. I can see that from the academic point of view as well in areas of the government, Israel is definitely moving its psychology in the eco-friendly direction.
July 12th, 2008 by elie
So I’m going through my July edition of “בקיצור” (b’kitzur, in short) which is a newsletter for yishuvim in the Matte Yehuda region. It’s packed with ads and superficial articles, but once in a while there is a gem - or two - that must be shared.
Take the following advertisement, for example. It’s a sale at Super Pharm, everyone’s favorite Walgreen’s attempt. It’s having a sale on its home brand products - three eyeliners for the price of one, various hair products for two shekel each… and then this:
‘Buy one get one free’ between first-aid gear and condoms. What kind of kinky sex do you think we’re having, Super Pharm?
Which leads to the second bizarre inappropriate ad in the bunch… Dancing is big in Israel, especially folk dancing. What a wonderful chug to send your kids to during the summer. You might want to consider this dance instructor:
On second thought, you might not. Her name is Pipi Nes. Go on, say that quickly. Drop one of the ‘p’s and say it again.
July 3rd, 2008 by elie
So there we are, my roommate and I, out on the mirpeset for a romantic start-of-the-weekend dinner of shippudim when I look up and see… a fire.
“Hey, that wasn’t there before, was it?”
Indeed, it was not. And it was growing by the second.
It was a fire started in some trees, right outside the school in the center of Tzur Hadassah.
So my husband calls the fire department… and gets a busy signal.
“Maybe everyone else is calling at the same time?”
He keeps trying till he gets an answer.
“B’derech, b’derech.”
We sit back down and watch the fire grow through the trees. Five minutes go by, ten minutes.
“The fire department is right here, in Bar Giyyora… What the hell?”
After fifteen minutes, he calls again.
“I reported a fire by the school in Tzur Hadassah about fifteen minutes ago… where are you?”
“Ahh… They said the fire was outside the school.”
Hmm. I didn’t go to fire school or anything. But I’m pretty sure fire doesn’t just chill where it starts…
“Duh, I think I’ll just plop down right here, conveniently outside the school so I don’t bother anyone.”
Ten minutes later, the firetruck shows up.
June 23rd, 2008 by elie
I’ve come to respect homemade Israeli television. It’s creative, it’s bizarre, it’s actually pretty good sometimes. Hey, there’s a reason why Jews rule Hollywood, right? 
Here’s the latest from Yes, coming to a televisia near you: סרוגים (as in, kippa sruga, or the yarmulke associated with the dati-leumi universe), a drama about the religious dating life in Katamon.
Wait, what? Can’t we just look outside our windows and see it for ourselves?
Nah. Watch it on TV… or on the website. Maybe it will cause a sense of reflection. At the very least, it should cause some laughs.
June 18th, 2008 by elie
Check this out: Shin.Tech Blogs
It’s a site put together by the Shin Bet (also known as the Shabak), Israel’s general security service (like the American FBI). It follows the blogs of four agents who remain anonymous but talk about different angles of their service:
י’ - המוח הטכנולוגי
‘Yud’ The technological mind;
ח’ - האישה הסודית
‘Chet’ The ’secret’ woman;
א’ - המומחה
‘Aleph’ - The expert;
נ’ - על חייו הכפולים
‘Nun’ - The double life.
The idea for the Shin Bet was to give potential recruits a peek into the life of a secret service agent. I think it’s also probably nice for these agents to be able to express something in public, however little it may be, since their own families don’t know about their professions.
Of course, it’s all in Hebrew. Plus they don’t seem to update very often… But what do you expect from the people fighting terrorism, drugs, counterespionage?
June 12th, 2008 by elie
Last night I spent a lovely evening at a hi-tech geek party, otherwise known as MashBash. I love it when my hi-tech self and my Israel self combine into one crazy combustication of awesomeness.
There are so many reasons I love these gatherings:
- They are parties with a premise, so the drinking is casual, the conversation is lively and everyone is just about on the same level of awesomegeek; there’s pretty much one wavelength.
- It’s a chance to network for business but also to meet Israelis and other immigrants.
- And usually, the drinks are free.
Of course, the center of hi-tech in Israel - or at least, hi-tech parties - is Tel Aviv. Jerusalem does have a fair effort (like my company, among others) and it’s blogosphere can stand on its own. Bloggers usually meet at each other at parties or events and it’s always fun to see the face behind the URL.
So last night I met the owner of Jerusalem Online, which is
“the first video news update from Israel in English sent directly to your e-mail on a daily basis. This short, to-the-point, balanced update is brought to you by Israel’s leading television news source, Channel 2 News.”
It’s a great way for Jerusalem bloggers to keep Israeli news on their sites and a convenient tool for people outside of Israel to get direct news in English. You can get the video code by pressing “Get this” under the video and embed straight into your blog.
Like so many others, I’ve fallen deeply in love with the Israeli hi-tech scene, whether Jerusalem or Tel Aviv style. Next time I’m at one of these events, I’ll raise a glass (of free alcohol) to hi-tech, to the Israeli brain and to the wealth of the new-age Middle Eastern oil machine.
June 5th, 2008 by elie
Russian man with silver teeth: grumbles something in heavy accented Hebrew (or maybe it was Russian?) and points to a package of frozen dough
Me: “Slicha?”
Russian man with silver teeth: grumbles something else in Hebrew, pointing to the price
Me: looking confused
Russian man with silver teeth: smiles big, “Aaah…. Priveyet, russian russian russian russian russian…”
Me: smiles back, “Lo yoda’at…”
Russian man with silver teeth: now he’s looking confused, grumbles again in Russian accented Hebrew
Me: explains what he needed to know in American accented Hebrew; unfortunately for him, the price is not to his liking.
Russian man with silver teeth: walks away grumbling, “Nyet! Nyet! Nyet!”
And there we have it, once again. Russians assume I am Russian. It has happened probably a dozen times now. If only I could understand what that means…
