I can’t think of a better way to commermorate Yom HaShoah on the eve of the day in 2006 than to be listening to the Yad Vashem programming on the radio, a yarzheit candle lit nearby, and reading about the Iranian president’s declarations to destroy Israel, unless the Jews return to their countries in Europe.

Someone asked me to tell them about my aliyah experience for a school project so I ended up writing out a lot of the whole story, the first time I ever did that. Here it is, for me to remember, and in case there are holes elsewhere that needed filling in. I grew up in Staten…

Apparently, my odd version of religious observance is stirring increasing curiousity amongst some coworkers. My office is mostly observant, from American-style modern orthodox to Israeli national-religious to Beit Shemesh black-and-white to full on Charedi. Me? I don’t really talk about my religious observance style much. I never really consider anyone interested, but the more people…

HaaretzWeird…

Someone should tell Ahmadinejad to stick with the poetry and drop the leadership gig.

Explored the Israel Museum and Bible Lands Museum today; free entry thanks to Bank Hapoalim. (Thank you Bank Hapoalim. That doesn’t excuse you from pinching money from me for no reason every once in awhile. Happy holiday.) It’s amazing how different the Bible can seem through a historical magnifying glass. When you start to filter…

Jews are the only people who burn their food on purpose. Anyone want toast? It’s fresh.

My nostrils are burning because bread is burning outside. Everywhere. Last year when we burned chametz on Erev Pesach, I remember there was a group of people standing around and these old Nachlaot men were orchestrating and smoke was going into this woman’s house and she was screaming at them and it was a balagan.…

I sat backwards on the bus today to see what it would look like to lose everything.

Ichs. Dragged over to Bar Ilan during our supposed Pessach vacation to take a final in Family Law (in Judaism). I was never very good at the halacha finals in high school, and some things never change. The moed bet is in September. BUT! I got to ride the new #5 bus line to work…

Tornado in Israel! (video needs IE and Hebrew comprehension)

My brother texted me from Warsaw, Poland today. In 60 years, how things change.