It's Raining Outside ...

The raindrops are falling outside. It's dark, as it should be at two in the morning. My wife is sitting next to me on the couch.

The rain is a good thing. Sitting next to my wife is a good thing. The darkness outside ... well I don't think I'll ever really get used to it.

A Post to Confuse Middle America ...

Here is a Jewish song, sung by a talented young Jewish man, with music from a group of Jews and Arabs. Let's see that one compute.



Here is some info on the song, and here is a link to the group of performers.

Well That's a Little Different ...

So apparently some British singer's new fangled version of Hava Nagila is vying to be the #1 song in the UK this Christmas. We'll, I guess you see something new everyday.

Here it is, as performed by 17-year-old Brit Lauren Rose.

That Song Stuck in Your Head ...

Everyone has experienced it. You hear a song and it's instantly stuck in your brain. Sometimes the song is pleasant and it helps you through the day. Sometimes the song is annoying and you wish you could think of something else, anything else. But sometimes you hear a song and it simply enters straight into your soul and does something there that you can't explain.

I had that experience recently. I was checking out Jewlicious the other day and saw a post for a Youtube video. The video was really just a slide show of photos from Israel but the song in the background sounded familiar. I knew that I had heard parts of it before here and there on the radio or at work. However, I had never listened to the song the whole way through.

I listened to it and read a little bit about in the comments on Youtube. The song simply captured my imagination. It is what I would call hauntingly beautiful.

The song is "Kol Galgal" ( קול גלגל) or "The Voice of the Wheel." It's sung by a group called "Shotei Hanevua" (שוטי הנבואה) or "The Fools of Prophecy." Apparently the lyrics come from the Zohar, which is the text that forms the basis of Kabalah(the real kind not the Madonna and Britney version).

I wanted to find out the meaning of the lyrics and to get a good translation when I remembered that Tafat's aunt teaches a course on Kabalah. Posted below is the translation that she provided along with some notes on the meaning.

THE MUSIC (Voice) OF THE CHARIOT* WHEELS
RISES FROM THE EARTH TO THE SKY
HIDDEN MERKAVOT (Chariots) ARE ROLLING OVER AND OVER

A HEAVENLY VOICE LIFTS UP AND GOES DOWN,
SAILING AROUND THE WORLD........

THE SOUND OF THE SHOFAR DESCENDS
TO THE DEPTHS OF THE SEFIROT**
AND THE CHARIOT KEEPS ROLLING OVER...........

*THE CHARIOT is the divine Merkava that man builds with his inner contemplation and values

**THE SEFIROT are the degrees, the madregot in hebrew, 10 of them that are the lights and vessels between the finite and the Infinite.

My Favorite "Building To Be" ...

So I have this hobby of photographing and reading about Skyscrapers and other buildings. I've spent a good portion of my time in this city looking up and around at all the different buildings here; the ones that are finished as well as the ones that are still being built.

If you look at the right side of the blog you'll find some links to some skyscraper websites and forums. These sites provide all kinds of great info on the plans for new buildings and renovations, as well as photos of buildings under construction.

I took the photo above of the First International Bank Tower that is currently under construction on Rothschild Blvd in Tel Aviv. The tower is being built by the same firm that designed the Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong, and the design is a deliberate homage to that building. Here is a render of what the building will look like when finished.



I find it fascinating to think about the way a city can change as it's continually being built and rebuilt all over again. I can only wonder what Tel Aviv will look like after all the towers that are currently planned are finally finished.

A World Map Where You Can Actually See Israel

I stumbled upon this map a while ago and thought it would make for an interesting post. It distorts the map of the world so that a countries size depends on how many internet users it has.

Israel suddenly pops out a bit on this map while Africa shrivels up into almost nothing.

It's nice that Israel is visible at least in certain world measurements. Most of the time the country is a tiny speck that is almost impossible to find.

Pretty things on parade ...

Well they're not all pretty. In fact some are downright ugly. But hey, its art right? And its right there on the street near our apartment.

So the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange sponsored an art display that is being presented on Rothschild Blvd. here in Tel Aviv. Artists were given these big globes to decorate. The whole thing is being sponsored by a bunch of the companies listed on the TASE.

I don't know why they're doing it, I don't know what it means, and I don't particularly care. If you do, read more here.

Anyway being the geek that I am, I had to go out and take a few pics. Here are some of the best, or the least horrible.

Nieghborhood changes ...

One of our good friends here, Yaniv, runs the hair salon around the corner from our apartment. It's become a regular hangout for us, and especially for Tafat as Yaniv has become one of her best friends here.

I often pass by the salon on my way home, stopping for a quick chat or to find Tafat. However, last night Yaniv told us that the little shop is closing down.

The news is a little hard to handle, as the Salon has become something of a fixture in our lives. I guess people just always have a hard time adjusting to change.

Why I'm exctited about a Wednesday ....

Normally Wednesday is not a very popular day. It falls right in the middle of the week, and is therefore known as "hump-day", it generally doesn't have very good TV shows to watch, and it should be spelled "Wensday" instead of the screwy actual spelling.

However, on this particular coming Wednesday, also known as tomorrow, Apple is having one of their spiffy media events at which they will unveil some fancy new bit of technological goodness. The current candidates right now are a transfigured iPod Nano, and a wide screen iPod with touch controls a la the iPhone.

Check out the usual suspects for the latest rumors. I'll try to post my thoughts once there is something real to talk about.

A breath of fresh air ...

This open letter published in the IHT is a welcome change in tone from Europe, often the source of vehement and unfair criticism of Israel. Several prominent European officials have openly denounced the upcoming conference of the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable rights of the Palestinian People (CEIRPP), which is being hosted by the European Parliament.

It signals an awareness that endlessly blaming Israel for the ills of the region is not only inaccurate, but is detrimental to the cause of peace.

The CEIRPP casts a shadow on the UN role in the Middle East conflict and is first and foremost harmful to the UN. Its work only reinforces a long held Israeli suspicion vis-a-vis the UN and contributes nothing to the cause of peace. A recent example is a plan of action calling for boycotts, divestment and sanctions against Israel.

Will today's conference, in the halls of the European Parliament, issue similar directives? Though of little practical consequence, this conference, especially under the banner and auspices of the European Parliament, will harm the cause of peace and also damage European credibility as an honest broker.

I don't really know what to say ...

You have to check out this YouTube clip. You need to be a little familiar with Israel to really appreciate this but it's very interesting. From the YouTube description:

This is a Yemenite Israeli doing "Abir," (Knight, & acronym for religious verses) an ancient Yemenite martial art. He is speaking heavily inflected Hebrew.

He uses Chi-Gong and Tai Chi-like movements, which he says have been handed down for centuries, and copy the shapes of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

Lessons begin on a mystical, spiritual note with Jewish prayers. The turban and side curls are traditional Yemenite. This ain't your usual bagels and lox Judaism ...

Different perspectives ...

Many people may often casually wonder why it has been so difficult to achieve peace here between Israelis and Palestinian Arabs. Some people with whom I have spoken often chalk it up to the fact that the two sides hate each other — always have, always will.

I do not believe that is the case. The problem as I see it comes from the fact that the two sides view the conflict from fundamentally opposing perspectives. Both Israelis and Palestinians on the whole view themselves as the aggrieved party in the conflict. Additionally on the most sensitive issues in the conflict the two sides hold diametrically opposed positions. Consider this statement from a recent article on Electronic Intifada, titled "What do Palestinians really think? "

Almost 70 percent of Palestinians under occupation, according to the poll, adhere to the right of "return of all refugees to their original land." Another 12 percent envisage the return of only some refugees to their original lands. Just seven percent of those polled agreed with the position that no refugees should return home at all.

Eighty-two percent opposed allowing Israel to retain control of "major settlement blocs inside the West Bank in exchange for equal Israeli land," and 94 percent rejected "keeping Israel's authority in the area of Al-Aqsa mosque" in Jerusalem.

I will not go into the details of these particular issues here at this moment, but I will offer that Israeli opinion on the refugee issue, settlements, and the Temple Mount stand mostly in opposition to the Palestinian positions presented above.

The article continues on to talk about Palestinian perspectives on the two-state solution as a whole.

Peace process industry propagandists routinely claim that a two-state solution is overwhelmingly supported by the vast majority of Palestinians. This has never been true (millions of Palestinian refugees and exiles outside the country have never been included in elections, and are not regularly polled). This poll indicates that among Palestinians under occupation, support for a two-state solution is at just 51 percent (49 percent in the West Bank and 54 percent in Gaza). At the same time support for "a binational state in all of Palestine where Palestinians and Israeli [sic] enjoy equal representation and rights" is now supported by 30 percent (roughly similar in both territories).

The above passage, as well as the rest of the article makes it clear that the author does not support a two-state solution. This is unfortunate. While the author may offer various pleasant sounding alternatives with well-crafted labels such as one-state or binational state, all of these proposals are nothing more than elaborate and create ways to dismantle the State of Israel. The author is essentially denying the Jewish People the right to self-determination.

If the author’s claims are true, and the Palestinian public does not support, and indeed never supported a two-state solution, then the prospects for peace in the region are as slim as they have ever been.

The Arab acceptance of the two-state solution framework was the turning point that made peace seem possible. It signaled that the Arabs had turned away from their previous policies of rejection and irredentism, and had finally recognized the fundamental legitimacy of the Jewish state. Any movement to erode this position can only serve to push the region towards further violence and conflict.

The author, and the Palestinians as a whole are entitled to their perspectives. But I fail to see how this fundamentally aggressive viewpoint will achieve any positive results.

What's in a name?

And now for a little multiple choice ...

Question: The photo below contains?


Choices:
a) Israeli Couscous
b) P'titim - פתיתים
c) Part of the International Zionist Conspiracy
d) Who can tell? That's the worst picture I've ever seen!
e) Brains, brains, BRAINS!!!!!!

Answer: All of the above. Well, except for maybe e).

Israeli Couscous has apparently become fashionable in the states in some restaurants. I first realized this when one of the American Iron Chefs used it in one of their dishes. Of course if you try and find Israeli Couscous here in Israel you'll be looking for a long time. Here it's called P'titim. Most Israelis probably have no idea there is a product called Israeli Couscous for sale in the states.

Of course, I don't really believe that Israeli Couscous is part of the International Zionist Conspiracy. The murder of Jimmy Hoffa, UFOs, the 8-track, and 9/11 definitely, but not Israeli Couscous. I do find it amusing however that the combination of the words couscous and Israel could cause some people to freak out. It's not like Israel is populated by hundreds of thousands, if not millions of Jews of North African origin — like for instance a certain member of this blog.

Anyway if your interested in the way I prepare my P'titim, here's a little rundown.

Heat, oil, P'titim, fake chicken soup mix, paprika, water, stir, water, stir, serve.

I said it was a little rundown.

Location, location , location ...

Back in July, I was having a conversation with my aunt about her possible trip to Israel to come visit us. We were discussing her options when the inevitable question of security came up.

"Listen," she said, "I just don't want to go anywhere where I'm going to hear gunshots."

I looked at her, quite surprised, and said, "Where do you think I live? We live in a good neighborhood."

I don't blame her. I am fully aware of the effects of the media on peoples' perception.

I was reminded of her comment today when I was thinking about where we live in Tel Aviv. Tafat and I were discussing whether we live in the center of the city or in the south. I offered that we live in the southern part of the center — or in other words, south-central Tel Aviv.

Now to any good Jewish boy from L.A. the first thing that is supposed to come to mind when one hears the phrase "south-central" is gunshots and gang violence. Back in la la land, they even went so far as to ban the use of the phrase "south-central Los Angeles" because of the negative connotations.

This is of course not the first time I have lived in "south-central." Back when I was in college in Madison, I couldn't help but giggle every time the news broadcasts talked about life in "south-central" Wisconsin.

Of course life in Madison bears little resemblance to life in "south-central" LA, and neither does life in Tel Aviv. I just wish people knew that, so maybe they wouldn't be so afraid to come visit.

Then again, isn't that why they banned the use of the term "south-central" in Los Angeles, to change the way people perceive that part of the city. Maybe they’re right? After all, I am fully aware of the effects of the media on peoples' perception. So perhaps life in "south-central" isn't even like life in "south-central."

Interesting news ...

So forget about the fact that my posting is more sporadic than the hair on Homer Simpson's head. I saw some stuff on the web and wanted to share it with you.

The economy here is apparently doing well. At least so says Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics. Here's a snippet from Globes:

Israel’s GDP rose by an annualized 6.6% in the first half of the year, after rising by 3.4% in the second half of 2006 and 6% in the first half, the Central Bureau of Statistics reports. The growth is above the 5% predictions of both the Ministry of Finance and the Bank of Israel.

Also for those who are interested, I found these statistics on the IMF home page (don't bother asking what the hell I was doing there). This chart shows Israel's GDP per capita in U.S. dollars — based on Purchasing Power Parity and the actual exchange rate — compared to that of the other advanced world economies. It's really very enlightening.

And finally the last feature in this "Showcase Showdown" of a blog post is a little slide show I put together. I've sort of developed a hobby of photographing buildings here in Tel Aviv. I decided to put them all together for everyone to enjoy ... or ignore, whatever you prefer. Please note that several of the towers in these photos are still under construction and at the end I've included photos of two building that are "really" under construction.

Never mind the three month break ....

But here's something interesting that I just had to throw out there.

I have been following the internecine fighting in Gaza quite carefully over the last several days. I have found the media coverage from the Israeli news outlets to be dramatically different than that of the international media. The Israeli papers have made the situation clear that Hamas is following a systematic plan of conquest in Gaza and that furthermore, they may be unstoppable now.

The international press has been rather vague and has merely described this as another round of fighting and has not relayed the severity of the situation. However, I did stumble upon one article that I simply found fascinating. It can be read here, but I pulled out some selections.

By daybreak, Fatah's threat to divorce itself from the Hamas-led coalition government of Haniyeh raised the tension in the Palestinian territories one more notch, bringing the Palestinians ever so much closer to the brink of civil war. Following an emergency meeting of its executive committee, Fatah announced it was suspending participation in the government as long as the fighting continued. (emphasis mine)

Something about "closer to the brink," caught my eye. This is not a well written phrase. It would be easier just to write "closer to civil war," or "on the brink of civil war." I don't think the author is a bad writer. This is an example, rather, of the way the author thinks about the conflict. Please don't take my word for it, later in the piece he quotes someone who explains it much better than I can.

But one European observer denies that Gaza is headed towards a civil war. "They are not 'heading' towards a civil war. They are in the middle of one," says Claude Moniquet, president of the Brussels-based European Strategic Intelligence and Security Center. Moniquet says the Palestinians have been in the midst of a civil war "for several weeks, if not months."

The Belgian counter-terrorism specialist says that European "political correctness, whereby one would like to present the Palestinians as eternal victims and never, in any case, as the actors (and the persons with primary responsibility) for their own failures," is what has prevented the violence tearing apart the Palestinian territories from being labeled a civil war.

Indeed.

Global Warming is BS??? ... WTF!!!!

So this documentary says Global Warming is bull. Are these guys full of it? Are all the Global Warming proponents full of it? I'm not a scientist so I really can't say either way whether the science behind this is accurate. But it sure does seem compelling.




Hat tip LGF

International Zionist Conspiracy Capitol Sunset ...

We went up to Jerusalem today to have lunch with Tafat's aunt. A few things: I still get a kick out of the idea of going to JERUSALEM for a day trip. It's the eternal city, the yearning of the Jewish people for 2,000 years. Going there shouldn't be like going to Long Beach. It also happens to be Tafat's home town so I guess I'll get used to it.

Secondly, it's downright scary how quiet that place is on Shabbat. It's like the opening scene from the movie Omega Man except there's no Charlton Heston driving around in a convertible hunting zombies. Well ... at least not yet.


Shavua Tov

The whole Megillah

Actually it wasn't a disaster at all.

People have been walking around in costume all weekend because of the holiday but lastnight was what made it real. Tafat and I went to a reading of Megillat Esther (The Book of Esther) that was hosted by the city and was held literally around the corner from our apartment. It was about a minute and a half away and when we got home we could still here the music from the loudspeakers. The event was held in the middle of Rotchild Blvd. on the pedestrian walkway that is the defining feature of Tel Aviv boulevards .

This has really been a fascinating weekend. Tafat and I got a chance to soak in some of the scenery of the city on Friday and we saw some wonderful costumes. I also picked up a silly Viking hat that became my official Purim outfit.



We had a wonderful and silly Shabatt dinner Friday and I made Mom's roasted orange chicken. It actually came out perfectly and I was super thrilled about it as you can see below (although please note I'm actually eating fruit salad in this photo).


Experiencing the holiday here has been fantastic since people really get into it. I can't even recall the last time I went to a Megillah reading. The one thing I could do without is the really loud firecrackers people keep setting off. They sound a lot like ... well you can guess. I'm surprised by the reaction of people though. Every time there's been a loud BOOM Tafat and I have both jumped whereas everyone else doesn't seemed phased at all.

I'm really proud of Tafat as well cause she came up with a fantastic costume. She's a zebra and her costume is a combination of clothing and makeup. Here she is doing her best imitation of a scene from a National Geographic special.

Anyway, here are a bunch of photos from the Megillah reading and afterward.

The crowd that gathered to see the event

"Can I help you ...?"

Mordechai - good, Haman - bad ... keep drinking

And here's a video from the reading:

A country full of these people

While I was at the office I'm interning at last night, a few people played and then started singing the song that is Israel's entry to the Eurovision song contest. It probably had something to do with the story that was posted about it at the same time. At any rate I became curious and decided to look in to the group a little more. I found this video of them performing their entry for the contest and I was intrigued.

The group is Teapacks. They're a bit different. However, I think they might help people understand this country a bit better. This country is full of these people, and I'm right here in the middle of it. Makes sense.