In honor of Jerusalem Day our synagogue hosted Tzuriel Rashi, professor of political science and communications and expert on pashkevilim, political and religious wall posters found on the streets of large haredi neighborhoods. This is Part II. See Part I and Part III. In the pre-State period, … [Read more...]
Pashkvilim: Anti-Establishment Posters in Jerusalem, Part I
May 22, 2009 by
Pashkevilim hold up the buidings of Jerusalem. Rabbi Joel Teitelbaum, Former Satmar Rebbe Today marks Jerusalem Day, commemorating the unification of Jerusalem and the restoration of its Old City to Israel's control. As part of the celebration our synagogue hosted a talk called "Al Homotayich … [Read more...]
The Watermelon Horse
May 10, 2009 by
Israel is a country of contradictions. You can walk down the street and find futuristic robots , a herd of goats, or the owner of a horse and cart making a sale. My husband made up a song he calls, "Do you know the watermelon horse?," based on the song about the muffin man. When the children … [Read more...]
The Week of the Police Robots
May 4, 2009 by
Abandoned objects rarely get stolen in Israel. People lay them out where others can see the, or leave a note. Once I even saw a lost key hung on a nail on a tree. But if an abandoned item is large, like the unfortunate six-year-old's backpack left at the bus stop on the first day of school, the … [Read more...]
Petach Tikva’s Bat Cave
February 27, 2009 by
[My Purim basket Giveaway ends Monday, March 3.] Sometimes the urban environment is an ideal place for wild animals. Here's an example: In 2006, Petach Tikva's two hospitals merged to form the Rabin Medical Center. Since then, several new buildings have appeared at the Beilinson campus while the … [Read more...]
Exclusive: Street Goats in Bnei Brak
February 15, 2009 by
Visitors to Israel are struck by the presence of the "street cats" who live comfortably among the urban population. But only Bnei Brak, Israel's most densely populated city, has the zchut or privilege of being home to a herd of wild goats. It started when my 12-year-old son told me that he sees … [Read more...]
Grabbing the Chapper: A Model of Israeli Tolerance and Cooperation
February 9, 2009 by
With national elections around the corner it's easy to spot intolerance and discord among the Israeli population. Yet I recently discovered an unexpected model of coexistence and cooperation--the chapper. I used to take the bus to travel to Tel Aviv. I knew about the minivan companies that … [Read more...]
Jpix Jewish and Israel Photo Blog Carnival #21
December 8, 2008 by
Welcome to the December 8, 2008 edition of JPix, the Jewish Photo Blog Carnival.Let's take a moment to remember the victims of the Mumbai massacre, through a photo collage: Leah Lipszyc presents In Memoriam. Gabi & Rivky Holtzberg H"YD posted at chossid's photoblog.And now for the … [Read more...]
Cultural Differences
October 26, 2008 by
The responses to my post about the unfriendly woman in shul ranged from "She's shy" to "She's a snot." I think the answer lies elsewhere. First let me give an update.One day in September while I waited for the gan to let out, she did come and sit next to me. She asked how I was, and I asked her what … [Read more...]
Interview: A Christian Mother in Israel
September 6, 2008 by
Melissa, originally from England, lives in Nazareth with her Christian-Arab husband and their six children. She graciously answered my questions by email. Melissa, where were you born? I grew up in St. Albans, Hertfordshire, a small city about 40 minutes drive north of London. What did you … [Read more...]
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