Lizrael Update

Tag: israel

  • A little late, but a lizrael update.

    Haven’t done this in a while, but here goes. Aliyah At this point, I’ve been living in Israel for three and a half years. Seems like so much longer… I can now count ‘old friends’ I had when I first came, I have a lengthy list of apartments I’ve lived/crashed in, I’ve been married for…

  • Prime Minister Olmert's 'big' news.

    Just watched Prime Minister Olmert’s impromtu press release (yes, he is still the prime minister). Nothing new, really. He’ll quit once the new Kadima leader is voted for and announced. He won’t run, but who of us thought he was going to? I will say this: His speech was classily done. The Israeli media has…

  • Another bulldozer attack.

    I get a URL sent to me at work. I open it. I’m about to reply to my coworker, why are you sending me old news articles? when I decide to look at the date. July 22nd. That’s… today. I didn’t write about the first tractor attack in Jerusalem in the beginning of the month,…

  • The difference direction makes.

    The recipe for aliyah success is a complicated set of characterstics; not because what is required but because I think attaining what is required is seeded way before making aliyah. I’ve mentioned creativity, open-mindedness and flexibility before. One other major ingredient in this recipe, I’ve discovered, is direction. Now, direction is an ingredient for many…

  • Tzur Hadassah made it to… Plurk?

    Call me a geek, but I found this cool. I just signed up for a Plurk account (I’m still not sure what it all means) but when I was changing my settings and filling in my location, I clicked my country as ‘Israel’, than my region as ‘Yerushalayim’ and, ready to settle on that, I…

  • Slice of the Tzur Hadassah commute, minharot style.

    Driving home to Tzur Hadassah through the minharot (tunnels) is not always peaches. On our way home today, passing Husan, Beitar and Wadi Fukin, we found soldiers everywhere, cracking down, probably on the hunt for someone specific from a tip-off. We were greeted by this right as we were getting to the machsom (checkpoint), literally…

  • Tonight's rally for the release of Gilad Shalit.

    Amidst the cries for Olmert to quit, be embarrassed and work harder towards the release of the kidnapped soldiers, there was plenty of emotion to go round. Of course, the major focal point of sentiment came from Noam Shalit’s short but necessary speech to open the rally outside the Prime Minister’s residence in Jerusalem. It’s…

  • Katamon drama: Not just for new olim anymore.

    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…

  • A slice of weekend life 'round here.

    It’s Sunday today, which really means it’s Monday – aka, the beginning of the work week – aka, I miss the weekend already. Here’s a slice of my weekend so we can all treasure it together and breathe through to next Shabbat:

  • The creepiest thing about where I live.

    Not many people know just how far my imagination goes or how morbid and crazy I can be. With that said, I would like to introduce you to one of the freakiest, creepiest things about Israel for me: The teleport at Emek Ha’ela – a valley about five minutes outside of Beit Shemesh – completely…

  • You think *this* blog is cool?

    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’ –…

  • Bracing for heartbreak… but still hoping.

    I know, I know. I won’t believe it till I see it, either. The Israeli in me is skeptical/angry/excited, the spouse in me is tormented/emotional/hopeful, and the mediator in me is curious/reflective/fatigued. For better or worse, I’m indulging in this: Eldad Regev’s father: Deal finalized for abducted troops’ return The father of abducted Israel Defense…