Witty Rosh Hashana seat auction for $1.8 million on Ebay
Brilliant synagogue marketing landed a conservative shul in Miami, Florida as the hot topic of discussion this week. They wanted to get attention for the upcoming high holy days and what better way to do it than to cause a stir within the comunnity in the form of an Ebay auction for Rosh Hashana seats. Everyone knows that the more you donate, the better seat you get. To turn that on its head, the synagogue put up front row seats for, hold on to your seats, 1.8 million dollars on Ebay. They even used the standard increment of $18, Chai, for an extra ironic twist. Good thing I live in Israel where the holiday services are still free because there just isn’t an extra 1.8 Mil in my budget.
High Five, Temple Emanu-El. You’ve really taken it to the extreme, and I like it. More here, from Ynet News.
Jerusalem stone meets M.A.C., Tommy, and Billabong. But where?
After seeing many signs on King David St for the new Mamilla Mall, my interest was piqued, and I wanted to explore what looked like a mall with prices way out of my league. But where was it? For all the ‘now open’ signs, I didn’t see any arrows, or any indication that there was life behind the huge blockade of construction. But, thanks to my cousin who’s living in the old city, I was pointed in the right direction.
It reminded me of high-scale malls in America with a slight Israeli twist – the Jerusalem Stone. Although this mall clearly appeals to tourists, it seems strange that Americans would come all the way to Israel to buy a Tommy Hilfiger shirt. Nothing says souvenir more than MAC lipstick for your friends back in America.
All cynicism aside, it is a beautiful outdoor strip mall and has a MANGO store coming soon. I am a girl, after all.
How to get there: Take the 18, 13, or 21 bus and get off at the David Citadel Hotel. Walk toward the old city and you will see a guard and a set of stairs to your left, about halfway down the block.
Rumor has it that Israel’s biggest movie theater is coming to this mall soon. This has yet to be verified.. if you have any details, please share.
Ulpan…c’mon everybody’s doing it.
Ulpan in Israel is all the rage when you first move here. ‘Which ulpan are you at?’ is one of the first questions we ask each other so we know we’re not alone in our craving to master the Hebrew language.
My ulpan of choice was Ulpan Milah, since I moved to Israel before making Aliyah. I did Milah from Level Bet all the way through Vav, which took me less than two years, with breaks to America during the summers. The hours were really flexible, the price fair, the teachers excellent, and the 2 shekel coffee machine unbeatable.
They are located in downtown Jerusalem, and you can find more about Ulpan Milah by calling them: 02- 623-3164 or visiting their website.
When you finish the ulpan circuit, you feel more or less prepared to explore the language. It is then that you truly enter the unpredictable world of Hebrew words such as pateti for pathetic, or autenti for authentic, or siluetta for silhouette. And then you wonder, why did I need Ulpan in the first place?
Fantasti.
Bargaining – no one wants to be a sucker
In Israel, there is a very strong mentality not to be a sucker (friar). Tangent: When I first got to Israel I thought the word friar meant the religious guys in robes that I saw in Italy, but really it means sucker here. No connection that I’m aware of.
In Israel, every minute of every day people are trying not to be a sucker.
So they bargain. Bargain, yell, curse, growl, and make ‘yo mama’ jokes. And then they bargain some more. Until neither side feels like a sucker. Or until one’s body odor overpowers the other’s.
Apparently, every single purchase (maybe with the exception of the supermarket) is subject to bargaining. As Baka Diary points out, everything from kitchen tiles to a scoop of ice cream don’t have fixed prices.
Is it wrong to disagree with the whole bargaining culture? Is this something that we’re proud of? Is this exciting for people?
Making a new purchase can be stressful enough without thinking that someone is trying to rip you off. Not everyone can have a smooth talking Israeli by their side.
Lightbulb.
For every frustration, there is an entrepreneurial idea. Someone should offer their skills as a professional bargainer. Especially for homes, appliances, furniture, and cars. They make a little money, and you pay less.
Or, alternatively, let’s abolish the whole bargaining business and just sell things at normal prices. Yeah right.
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
The Big Felafel 