319 Boxes Of “Stuff”

We left California carrying a handful of suitcases. The rest of our household was loaded into a 40’ container and shipped to Israel. Since we arrived in Israel, we conducted our lives using what we packed in our suitcases.  Sure, we missed a few items, but overall we did just fine.

Raising The Flag – A Simple Act Of Pride

During the 20 years we lived in California we never raised the Israeli flag on our house, nor placed it on our car. Raising an Israeli flag on a house in California seemed odd, even awkward. Why would you raise a “foreign flag” on an American house?

Goodbye Christmas - Hello Passover

For almost 20 years Christmas has been the dominant holiday for us.  No, we don’t celebrate Christmas being Jewish and all. And we never debated with our children whether Santa Claus exists or not.  The time around December 25^th is referred to as the “Holidays” in the US - out of respect to other holidays.  But in fact Christmas is everywhere – the colors, the lights, the songs and the sales at Macy’s – one of the largest department stores.

Who Needs a Bathtub Anyways?

We decided to remodel the house we live in. Yes, I know…. remodeling can be a nightmare, and put a major strain on your marriage vows. However this is the fifth remodeling we have done together, so I figured it would be a walk in the park...

Four Funerals and a Wedding

Remember the movie “Four Weddings and a Funeral”? I loved that movie and the wonderful acting of Hugh Grant, Andie MacDowell et al. Recent events brought that movie to mind, but with a twist  (הפוך על הפוך). When we lived in California, we hardly attended any weddings, let alone funerals. However in the two months since we arrived in Israel, I already attended four funerals and a wedding. 

Life in Silicon Valley seems to miss parts of the ‘circle of life’, which include Birth-Marriage-Kids-Death among others…

The Land of Milk, Honey and Tragedy

There is a lot to be said in favor of living in Israel - the people, the sense of community, the history, the beaches, the nightlife, etc. A land of milk and honey… But then comes a human tragedy. A sudden flash of senseless violence – all in the name of God, Allah and someone’s favorite political cause.

It's None Of My Business, But…

While living in the US we became accustomed to the notion of individual privacy. What you do, what you own, what you earn - are your business and nobody else’s (credit rating companies notwithstanding…). Vendors, neighbors, and friends don’t pry you for details and certainly don’t offer “advice” without being asked. Not so in Israel…