Today, I found Heaven. Is called Bloomingdale's.

My poor, thirsty bank account...

Americans! You have a wonderful city! Today I have eaten Italian food that was really, really good.

Having great time!



 

Hello from New York! Is like 8 o'clock, and I am very tired . I walked all day, everywhere, and then I went to my father's friend's house for Shabbat. Was very different from Shabbat in Israel. The Jews here are very funny, and very loud, and have many opinions about politics . Was good time.

Also today I spent too much money shopping and on warm drinks, because it is so cold! Also on food, because I am not so sure what is good food or not so good food. I did have some falafel, but is not so much like falafel in Tel Aviv. But I enjoyed the subway and the live music. Many people asking for money.

Having good time! Americans are certainly interesting people .
 

Hello from New York! It is 7:30 in the morning, except that in Israel it is in the evening . Is very, very cold here--my thermometer says that it is forty eight degrees Fahrenheit, but I have been assured by some Americans here that it will get warmer during the day.

Today, we plan to go shopping!! But, first, we are going to the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and, hopefully, the Empire State Building. It will be a busy day! Tonight, we take Shabbat at a friend of my father's house, also, so I will take the subway for the first time.

Airport security was not so bad! We had to answer some questions, and we got searched very much, but it was not so extensive and our plane was on time .

I am going now to get coffee and a bagel. I expected people to be many of them still sleeping when I woke up an hour ago, but so many people are already being noisy and honking and starting days. Is great!

Have a nice day!
 

Tomorrow I leave for New York! I am so excited! I have all my things packed, and I have my fleece I bought to wear in Europe, and I have bought also a winter coat. My friends and I are very excited.

I have been invited by a friend of my father's to attend Shabbat and temple services with a Jewish family in New York. I am both excited and slightly nervous. I do not know anything about American Jews and I have heard some things that I am not sure of. It will be an interesting experience! Of course, because this man is a friend of my father, I must be a good guest. I must use manners. Evidently, Americans are particular about manners.

But I cannot wait!

Funny commercial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gNA8-OusKs&feature=related
 

Oi vey.

Here I try so hard to end stereotype that we Jews love money (who doesn't love money?), and now the American Jews have decided to buy up the West Bank. Serious. The man in charge says this:

"This is a reaction to the Obama administration's attempts to tell Jews where they can and cannot live in Israel," he said. "And while you can support and care about the Jewish communities of Judea and Samaria or east Jerusalem, when you buy something, you're making the ultimate statement." (J.Post: http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1258027307098&pagename=JPost%2FJ...)

What do you think? Is a transaction, yes? Is a free market. American Jews see this as an opportunity to make money and send a political statement. This would not happen with Israeli Jews. We do not have such capitalistic tendancies, I think, but this is of course a generalization.

(1) Is this legal?
(2) Is this morally right?

Israel owns the land. Maybe not tomorrow, maybe not next week, maybe not next year, but today, Israel owns the land. And if the Americans purchase it honestly, is this not the same as me purchasing summer home in Florida? (Not that I am of need for summer home, haha).

Or is this just using what the majority of Palestinians do not have--money? They cannot afford to buy back their land. They cannot afford to compete with wealthy American settlers. They would lose their territory not because of political sanctions but because of economic fragility.

And though many Jews are upset that President Obama is telling them where they can and cannot live, are we not doing the same to our Arab neighbors if we subscribe to this plan?


 

Politics! France wants to be neutral and Turkey isn't neutral enough and Russia is making deals with Iran and Netanyahu is being stubborn and Obama doesn't like us and we don't like Obama and Germany won't give us money and Iran is a paranoid psychotic timebomb...

You know what? Let me just say this:

1. Iran: we aren't going to bomb you unless you give us better reason to.
2. Palestinians: by all means, form your own state! Prove you are responsible.
3. Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, and Jordan: mind your own business.
4. America: I'm sure you have better things to worry about than the fact that we're building a fence.
5. United Nations: It is a FENCE. It is not a wall.
6. And to the rest of the world: All we want is a safe place for the Jewish people. We want peace. We want Jerusalem. We never wanted bloodshed.

Is so simple! Why do we have no peace? Because too many people are adding dimensions. The problem is one, but it has roots that are many other problems, but none of them can be solved until the central problem is solved. Give the Palestinians a state. See what happens. Israel has been saying this for years!

Sometimes I just am so frustrated.
 

Politics! France wants to be neutral and Turkey isn't neutral enough and Russia is making deals with Iran and Netanyahu is being stubborn and Obama doesn't like us and we don't like Obama and Germany won't give us money and Iran is a paranoid psychotic timebomb...

You know what? Let me just say this:

1. Iran: we aren't going to bomb you unless you give us better reason to.
2. Palestinians: by all means, form your own state! Prove you are responsible.
3. Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, and Jordan: mind your own business.
4. America: I'm sure you have better things to worry about than the fact that we're building a fence.
5. United Nations: It is a FENCE. It is not a wall.
6. And to the rest of the world: All we want is a safe place for the Jewish people. We want peace. We want Jerusalem. We never wanted bloodshed.

Is so simple! Why do we have no peace? Because too many people are adding dimensions. The problem is one, but it has roots that are many other problems, but none of them can be solved until the central problem is solved. Give the Palestinians a state. See what happens. Israel has been saying this for years!

Sometimes I just am so frustrated.
 

There is hope for a treee;
If it is cut down it will renew itself;
Its shoots will not cease
If its roots are deep in the earth.
-Kethuvim 14:3

This week, in class, I had a bit of a cultural lesson:

American exchange student, Katie: If all international embassies and major government buildings are in Tel Aviv, why is Israel's capital city Jerusalem?
Israel student, Avi: Because it's Jerusalem.
Katie: Yeah, but why not Tel Aviv? It makes more sense. All the buildings are there.
Avi: Jerusalem is the most important city. It has the Wall, and it's where King David made the capital.
Katie: King David? That was three thousand years ago. You built all the important buildings in Tel Aviv, but for some reason Jerusalem is your capital. And it's all controversial, now.
Avi: Jerusalem is ours. They took it, but we have it back. That's why it's important.
Katie: So it's all because of religion?
Avi: No. It's because Jerusalem is ours.

It is interesting, Katie's question, and this I have not so much thought about. For us, Jerusalem is the most important city. It is not so much that it is all about religion (our Temple was destroyed, and we're not allowed anywhere near their Mosques), because all we have is the Wailing Wall. Sure, there is much history and culture and religious importance, but there is something more, too.

I think it is this: for two millennia, no Jews could claim Jerusalem. Now, finally, we can. And to surrendor it now is a horrible thought. Is not so difficult, I think, to understand.

I had the best falafel today! I ate it on the boardwalk while reading a really good book. It was windy, though, so a little chilly.

New York in five days .
 

Today, my dog died. For eleven years, little Tzahala was my best friend, my protector, and my listener. She was a little puppy when we first bought her, and it was for my Bat Mitzvah. So, Tzahala, thank you for being there . If there is a Heaven, I hope you can be there, and even if there is no Heaven I hope you knew that I loved you very much and I am very, very glad I had you for the time that I had you. Thank you for everything, klav'lav.

The United States has declined to choose between Israel and Iran. Um. Is this so difficult a choice?

I am in the mood for a spirited political debate!
 

Today, for some odd reason, I wondered how Ahmadinejad's sex life is. Is this odd? Yes. I think I need to get more sleep and stop going out so much. Either that or I need to buy better-made ear-plugs when my roommate decides to bring home a friend for the night...

You know Inglourious Basterds is still like number one movie here? Has been out for like forty weeks and is still so popular! I think international cinema should take hint.

And speaking of Germany, it is now the most economically and politically powerful country in the EU. And since that worked out the last two times it was so, the world can stop worrying about World War Three . Except, oh no, it cannot, because now the Palestinians have taken to calling Shimon Peres as Shimon Hitler, so I suppose this is not so true.

Happy Birthday to the shmuck my sister has decided to marry. May you someday find a job, brother-in-law!

Also, I no longer have the window seat on my plane to New York . I plan to casually mention to whoever does that I am an Israeli, I served two years in the IDF, and I know how to defend my territory.