Lizrael Update: babbling about the expat life since 2004
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What it’s like to get a mortgage in Israel.
…or anything at all from an Israeli government branch, bank, organization, supermarket, public toilet… I could go on. Doesn’t it feel good to know that this level of bureaucracy exists all over the world, and not just here? I do plan to post advice and checklist for navigating the home-buying and mortgage-obtaining process here in Israeli banks and…
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Israel’s National Cleanup Day – one little bottle.
This just gave me all kinds of happiness. A video in honor of National Cleanup Day in Israel, which was held March 29th, organized by the Israel Ministry of Environmental Protection. Not that we ever knew such a ministry existed. Not that most of us probably knew about the occasion at all… Maybe the video…
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Kindergarten report.
Ultimately, I blame myself for my nearly two-year-old turning more and more Israeli every day. Isn’t that what I always wanted, immigrant-self?
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Israel medical aid in Japan. Also, please let go.
Here’s a feel-good video from the IDF blog featuring the IDF medical team in Japan right now, helping in the damage zones. Apparently Israel’s medical team was the first foreign aid to set up a mobile hospital in Japan after the earthquake and tsunami. It’s really nice to see IDF footage shared in a positive…
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Get a job in Israel when you make aliyah… and more.
Wrote up some mostly career-oriented advice for someone who is considering moving to Israel in the next couple years. With that much time to mull it over and prepare, there are lots of things you can do to make it a smooth(er) transition with the right kinds of expectations set. So here’s what I got;…
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The ‘Ima’ mystery, solved.
Recently I noted that Koala picked up on the fact that Ima = mama. And when I go and get him at the gan, he runs up to me with his big hug and says, Ima! like all the other kids. But since the week started, it became apparent that Ima has another expressive use…
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We’ve come a long way, baby.
Hey, littler one. My midwife says you’re ready to roll. Or squeeze yourself out of my body, whatever. She also says I’m ready. So I guess that means this is it, huh? Needless to say, I’m really looking forward to meeting you. So is your big brother, though I apologize in advance if things are…
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Symbolic? Prophetic? Or just reality?
Or is that realty… Is it not a little telling when the little עץ האושר you were given as a housewarming present 3+ years ago falters and withers the week you pass along the first bank check from the mortgage? Here’s hoping a little water will revive the אושר. It’s definitely not going to revive…
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You know you’re a veteran when…
You know you’ve been in Israel a while when you can remember when chumus prices ranged from 8-10 NIS for that giant kilo tub. Nowadays, you feel completely lost (and old) when you see it for 15 shekel at the cheap supermarket. When I was your age…
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Koala update: Twenty three months.
Well, this is it, Koala. The last update before you become a big brother, assuming all goes as planned. I can’t believe it’s been two years. I can’t believe it’s only been two years. And now your whole life is going to be turned upside-down. And you’ll be even more awesome for it, I promise.…
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Living’s not easy.
Sigh. Bombing in Jerusalem, rock-throwing in Gush, missiles in Beer Sheva… Welcome to summer time in Israel.
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That was fast.
I thought it would be a couple more years before this happened, but here we are at a month shy of two: Koala came home from gan today calling me אמא (Ima). He’s been calling me Mama this whole time, and maybe I prompted this myself; last night out of the blue I asked him,…
Questions? Comments? Advice?