Every day I wake up, get myself and what feels like 3853075 other people ready for our routines, drag my ass to my car and eventually end up on the road into work. The thing about that road is, it's the road to Jerusalem. And not just the road to Jerusalem, but the road to... Continue Reading →
You love us, so listen: Here’s why we need a parade.
I'll answer the question again and again. It's exhausting, and I don't even have to answer it that often. But I'm going to answer it again. Even - especially - the most well-meaning people, including loved ones, 'allies' and beyond, ask it around once a year. For the moms and dads, siblings, relatives, friends -... Continue Reading →
The State of Jerusalem Pride 2015: lovers love, haters hate
'Why do we have parades?' My 6yo kept puzzling over that one. 'We have parades to say something.' He wanted to know what we're saying now. 'We're saying that love is good, everyone can love whoever they want.' 'Why are there rainbows?' 'Because there are so many kinds of love.' The kids will probably remember... Continue Reading →
Tzur Hadassah update: small town, big plans, lots of drama
Oh, hi. To say it's 'been a while' is an understatement. Yes, I still live in Tzur Hadassah. Yes, I'm still the mayor (what?). To say 'a lot' has been going on here is an understatement, and also, an overstatement, because let's face it - we are still a small town and content to sit and... Continue Reading →
Getting your feet (ritually) wet: An American-Israeli’s mikvah story
Perhaps, for a taharat-mishpacha-keeping American-Israeli olah (female American immigrant to Israel who keeps laws of family purity), nothing else can quite epitomize the cultural differences of here and there better than... the mikvah. Because I got married in Israel, my mikva knowledge and experiences have been molded here. The closest I got in the States before... Continue Reading →
On Jews, Jerusalem, Women and Walls
Note: Reflections based on my rare February and March 2013 trips to the Kotel. Based on today's news, I figured today's as good as any to post. I've been to the Kotel, the Western Wall, way too many times in the past year. Previously, I had a comfortable average of maybe once every two or... Continue Reading →
Liz’s How To: become a total creep over Hello Kitty
Racing through Malha mall for errands today, the heavens opened up and rays of sunlight poured down and unicorn angels sang and my eyes fell upon this... mecca of old school cuteness... Granted this would completely make my daughter's day, week, month, year - somehow she's head over heels in love with 'KITTY! HELLO, KITTY!!!'... Continue Reading →
And now for some local horror.
I don't miss the part of living in Katamon, in Jerusalem, when a Beitar game would be on. Beitar Jerusalem fans are known for a right-wing/arse/loud/violent combination of stereotype. This, though. This is disgustingly criminal. It's been a bit buried in the papers - partly because it happened around the time of the France Jew... Continue Reading →
Exceptional Jew vs Jew hatred, brought to you this time by Charedi protesters.
This is an incredible low. Something I didn't expect. It only helps a little that I know for a fact, from personal relationships, that sane, rational, open, and loving charedim do exist in Israel and beyond. However, this - this is unforgivable. The chilul Hashem, the national insult, the Jew vs Jew hatred that has... Continue Reading →