Israel and Apartheid – never the twain shall meet?

Post moved to: http://back-to-israel.com/2012/10/28/israel-and-apartheid-never-the-twain-shall-meet/

Don’t Blame the [Orthodox] Jews…

Before the state of Israel existed, the majority of Jewish people lived in the diaspora. For centuries they served as “scapegoats” for their gentile neighbors.  Famine? Plague? Financial crisis? War? Simply blame the Jews. Clearly they have done “something” to bring that disaster about. But these were the “dark ages”, when antisemitism was the popular thing to do. Thankfully we are in the 21^st century - the Jews have a state of their own, and “blaming Jews” is a thing of the past. Not quite…

Tour de Tel-Aviv

When you think bicycles, you probably think ‘Tour de France’. Well, think again. Tel Aviv has its own bike tour, called ‘סובב תל-אביב’ (i.e. Around Tel Aviv). And true to Tel Aviv style, it is a grand happening: major streets are turned into bike lanes (including ‘Ayalon’ highway), and thousands of bicycle riders gush the streets.

Tune-in From 8000 Miles Away

When you move away, there are little things you’ve learn to appreciate over the years that you must leave behind. Perhaps it’s the coffee shop around the corner. Maybe it’s the neighborhood park you used to visit, or a hardware store that carried your favorite supplies. For me it was a radio station I used to listen to.

How I came to be a [volunteer] Police Officer

I have been concerned about the driving culture in Israel. Even wrote about it in my blog “Looking for a Gentler Mr. Wheeler”. I get upset with drivers who disregard basic traffic rules and endanger themselves and others. And I swear - a lot. “If you are so concerned about the driving here, then why don’t you do something about it?” said my wife. Since I always (ok - at least sometimes) follow my wife’s advice - I did.

To Bomb [Iran] or Not to Bomb: That is the Question

You can’t really watch TV, listen to the radio or read the newspaper in Israel now days without coming across the question: “should Israel bomb the nuclear facilities in Iran, or not?” It seems to be the ultimate “you’re damn if you do and you’re damn if you’re not” question. There are little, if any doubts that Iran is frantically racing towards the production of nuclear weapons.  The specter of a nuclear Iran keeps many in the Middle East, Europe and America awake at night.

Between ‘Little Harlem’ and ‘Little SOHO’

There is some resemblance between Tel Aviv and Manhattan: The energy you sense on the streets, the cafés, restaurants and bars, the art galleries, theatres and more. Both cities also carry a ‘melting pot’ atmosphere, with people of all races and color filling the streets along with sounds of many languages.