Who are your Facebook friends?
After the U.S. invaded Iraq we made sure that they had the essentials. There would be plenty of food, or at least a McDonalds and a Burger King. The government would be democracy even if it is just a puppet. But I never thought that the Iraqis would have Facebook.
That’s right, two days ago I was “Facebooked” by an Iraqi citizen requesting to be my friend. Me- the American Jewish woman living in Israel. Gee, I wonder why he wanted to be my friend. After I decided to decline his offer I couldn’t help but think, Facebook made it to Iraq.
I understand the media has an angle and when it comes to Iraq it is either CNN’s news coverage of a war on terror being lost or Fox’s feature stories on a society getting back on its feet- but never ever did I see a broadcast about Iraqis surfing the web and being a part of the Facebook trend.
And yet, how did this guy even find me. Continue reading this entry »
Return Policy – think again
vs. 
Unlike America, when you want to return something in Israel, be prepared for an uphill battle. They might give you store credit, but almost never will they give you your money back. Even with the receipt.
One extreme is Zara, who gave me one week to return a skirt, and only for store credit. When looking for a good photo of Zara, I came across this image. But when they mess up… then they’ll give you a refund. Just gotta wait around for those faulty jackets and attached compasses (?!)
The other extreme is only Home Center, who let me return a shower curtain and gave me back actual money. Shekels in the flesh. A given is that you have the receipt, of course. And I’m not sure what the time limit is, but I wouldn’t wait more than a month.
Sderot Protest? What Protest?
As Sderot continues to be bombed with Kassam rockets it has become clearer to me that the government really does not care. Is it because Sderot is not Tel Aviv or is it because they are not fighting loud enough?
Whatever the case may be, Sderot parents decided to take the matter into their own hands and hold a protest at the Knesset today. The protest was scheduled for noon and I made sure to be there. While it seems like most Israelis are apathetic to Sderot, the government and just about anything else, I chose to believe in the fight. Continue reading this entry »
What’s your mazal? The Israeli obsession with zodiac signs
I thought discussing zodiac signs was only done within the presence of the latest Cosmo magazine. You could see if your crush was orbiting Mars or the stars would make him go after your mom. I don’t mean to disrespect, but I never could figure out the point of a horoscope. But apparently, this makes me an outcast among my Israeli friends from the graphic design course I’m taking.
After the second class, three of us were waiting for the bus together and getting to know each other. The first question after where do you live, was, what sign are you? I said Virgo. One of them said, “ooo, same as me”. Well, now that that’s settled, I guess we can be friends.
On another ride home, my friends were talking about getting set up on a date. But, what sign is he? This seemed to play a big role. Possibly enough to not even try a first date. I was really surprised.
Whatever happened to just going with the flow and letting life happen? Since I’ve been in Israel, I’ve been asked my mazal way more than when I was in America. Go figure.
Shimon the Mover
They say that moving is the second or third most stressful thing in our lives. Lately, I’ve heard some pretty horrible stories about people getting taken advantage of, having their wallet stolen, etc, I’m starting to see where these statistics come from.
Whenever I come across someone who is honest, nice, and serious about what they do, I want to make sure they get all the business they deserve. Shimon the Mover is that guy. I might not know his last name, but he’s moved me into 2 different apartments, moved all my friends, and always with a smile and a great price. He is bilingual, too, which really helps. He is hardworking and really friendly. The more people you have to help him, the better deal you’ll get. Make sure to book him in advance.
Shimon’s number: 057- 733-7440
In case he’s not available or you have other needs, here is a fabulous list of movers put together by Jangloers
A blog with my sense of humor
I’ve come across the Zabaj blog and I’m very impressed. It is just my humor. It is a collection of all the funny signs and spelling and logic used in Israel. Here are some of my favorite posts:
- Did you say Un-Alphabet?
- THATS where you can buy them!
- The funniest sign in Israel
- Front axle, and of Course the *Rear* Front Axle
- The Real Origin of Zabaj
- The 32nd Flavor
Yay for Helpful websites
I like finding helpful websites, especially in such a balagan (crazy, chaos) of a country. And, when I learn about these websites I just want to share them with my friends and people that I never met but read this blog for some strange reason.
Kehillaton.com is awesome. It is user-friendly and is more organized than the thoughts in my mind. The home page allows you to choose from several different countries and I of course chose Israel. Without even being a member of the site I was able to search through every kind of topic that matters to me. This included jobs, housing, sales, events, lectures and the best part: Movie listings in English.
For the more Religious crowd they have Continue reading this entry »
Jerusalem Rocks
Jerusalem Rocks! International Music Festival to bring The Black Eyed Peas, Arrested Development, The Commitments and more to Israel
Ashdod: A vacation spot without leaving Israel
I always thought Ashdod, Ashkelon, same thing, whatever. So I was surprised, on my recent trip to the beach, to discover what a truly beautiful place Ashdod is. The streets are lined with palm trees, artsy buildings, and modern sculptures. And the mall even has a Mango store.
Warning: This may not be the beach to ogle at the bikini-clad women that were on the cover of Maxim.
When we got to the beach, we saw many religious women fully clad in bathing dresses and their hair covered. In fact, we saw all types of women, but not one man. Or boy. Or male of any age. But we figured, hey, maybe guys just don’t like coming to the ocean anymore. So, as we were unpacking, we got a plethora of dirty looks and the crowd started approaching fast, telling us this beach is for women only and to move on down to the next section.
Woops!
So, we went over to the mixed beach and started swimming away. I couldn’t get over how clean the beach was, how quiet, not crowded, and best yet, no jellyfish. For those who have been to the Tel Aviv beach, just imagine the complete opposite. So instead of spending tons of money to see beautiful beaches elsewhere in the world, first check out Ashdod.
Sunday Withdrawal
Three years after I moved to Israel I am still having Sunday withdrawal problems. There is no Sunday in Israel. No brunches or reading the thick Sunday paper until the newsprint is all over you and you are half-asleep on the couch by noon. I am beginning to think this is something you don’t get over. My Sunday may have left me but I am not ready to leave it.
Continue reading this entry »
The Big Felafel 