Chanukah is coming! Chanukah is coming!

Let us sing, let us celebrate, let us be thankful for our family, our prosperity, and our happiness!

Latkes . My favorite. Also doughnuts!

Shall we sing?

Rock of ages, let our song
Praise Your saving power;
You, amid the raging foes,
Were our sheltering tower.
Furious they assailed us,
But Your arm availed us,
And Your word,
Broke their sword,
When our own strength failed us.

May you find peace today.
 

Chechnyan terrorists are back at work in Russia. Is interesting. Sometimes in my comparitive politics classes we view Israel and the PA in relation to other countries with "separatist" populations, such as Russia and the Chechnyans, China and the Tibetans, China and the Taiwanese, Canada and Quebec, etc. And, coming from an Israeli perspective, part of me sympathies with the larger governments, but then part of me sees the minority groups and thinks they should have freedom to exist, too. A delicate world, yes?

Major protests in Jerusalem. Thousands are angry at the Haredim. Members of the Likud party called Obama "the worst President for Israel." In Tel Aviv, people are protesting the settlement freeze.

Micah took me to ice cream today . We did not once talk of politics! We were too busy discussing Dostoevsky.
 

Shabbat shalom.

I love my family. I do. But is like, my father cannot accept my opinions as legitimate. I know that he is a very intelligent, educated man and he knows very much. But I read, too, and I know what happens in the world. Is okay, I think, if we disagree, but he does not respect what I say, I feel. Is frustrating, and makes me feel bad about myself. With my brother, it is the same. He can never obtain my father's respect. Maybe it is a miracle to.

Netanyahu: either build the settlements or don't, but either way, stop talking about it and make a decision. I'm tired of this.

Going to an Arab comedy show. Irony.
 

Back in Israel, back in the heat of politics. A terrorist was on his way to Eilat to blow it up when he was stopped (baruch hashem--I have family near there), there was a terrorist attack in Hebron, our administration is angry with the U.S....every day life .

But the Hajj has started in Saudi Arabia, so the religious terrorists will hopefully be in Mecca and away from us.

No hot water in my building means cold showers. This is not the best way to begin a day, even though outside it is only like 15 degrees out right now. Cold! But New York is like seven degrees, so is better here.

 

Great. awesome, sweet, hot, epic...

American words are of many meanings! If I say in New York, "This restaurant is hot!" it does not mean that the temperature of the room is really high, but that I like the restaurant. Nobody tells me this. I am like shivering on the way to Statue of Liberty because is so cold on the water, and somebody says, "Lady Liberty is French, man. She's hot." This does not mean that it is going to be warmer on the statue. I was disapointed.

In the airport my friends and I were waiting in terminal for the plane to come. We were speaking in Hebrew like normal and an American woman who was waiting in a terminal across an aisle turns to us and asks where we are from. We say we are from Israel. She was confused, and then wanted to know if we had trouble with security. She says this:

Woman: Because you are Arabs, aren't you? I mean--obviously you are Jewish, you're Israelis, but you are like the Muslims. So they probably gave you a hard time? Not that--not that Jews blow things up, obviously. Don't get me wrong, Jews commit crimes, too--look at Madoff, Wall Street...But not terrorism, you know?
Me: We are not Arabs.
Woman: Really? Because--no offense--you look Arab.

So then it was like really awkward, and my friend and I went to get food. But this was the only person who every was not so polite about us being Israelis. So this is good, I think .

For the record, we are looked at a little strangely when going through security. Is like, American security knows Israelis, but they are suspicious always because of course we are Middle Eastern.




 

Back from New York, and absolutely exhausted. It is not at all the same time here. A long, tumultous flight, and then security which always takes hours, but is okay now because I am back in Tel Aviv.

New York was great! It was nice to have vacation .

Will write more when I can keep my eyes open long enough to do so!
 

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