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 |  My life in Tel Aviv. Welcome to Israel! |
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Shalom! I was born outside of Haifa, moved to Tel Aviv when I was twelve, and served in the Israeli Defense Force for two years. Now, I am a student at TAU. I hope I can show the world the humanity of my nation. We're not so different, after all.
** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** Whoever destroys a single life is as guilty as though he had destroyed the entire world; and whoever rescues a single life earns as much merit as though he had rescued the entire world. |
| Hamas is celebrating the year aniversairy of Operation Cast Lead in Gaza. Celebrating. My brother is not celebrating, as a soldier who was there. Not every Gazan feels this way, though. This is refreshing: "I wish they had commemorated the war by opening a factory. That would have been better than this." -Gaza resident Rami Mohammed. I wish they would have opened a factory, too, as long as the factory did not produce weapons. Is almost 2010! Hard to believe, yes? Going to the shooting range today! When I am stressed, this is good way not to be. Making my own coffee is not the same, alas. Update: In response to questions relating to the recent terrorist attempts on United States flights, an American woman said, "Unfortunately, terrorism seems to be back." And I, as an Israeli, could only shake my head. Terrorism never left. I hope to G-d America is not targeted again. And I hope here, in Israel, we can outlast the coming storm like we always do, and have always done. |
| My G-d be with the family of Rabbi Meir Chai, and may all efforts to find his killer be strengthened and hastened. Baruch dayan emet. I want to wish all of my Goyish friends on this site a very Merry Christmas! I hope you have much fun celebrating and enjoy time with family and friends. Drink some wine for me, yes? Speaking of wine. Why did you let me commit to a month of no drinking so close to New Years? And this isn't Rosh Hashanah, this is American New Year, and everyone knows you party for the American New Year. At least by Purim I can drink without feeling guilty  . Going to meet my sister for dinner! She is to be married in a month and a half. My mother could not be happier . |
| Nurse: How old are you? Have you turned nineteen, yet? Me: What? I'm twenty two, and I'll be twenty three in a month! Nurse: Oh, stop lying about your age. I'm tired of all you kids pretending to be older than you are. I'm assuming you're out of high school? Me: I'm out of high school, out of the army, and I'm half-way done with my University degree, excuse me! Nurse: Sure, you are.  Oh. My. G-d. Really? Really? I am so insulted. I do not look like I am eighteen. I am taller, for one (one and a half meters and nine centimeters! Intimidated?), and I am not the idiot I was at eighteen. Oi vey. Sometimes I really want a cigarette, and then I stop and remember how hard it was to stop smoking, and I don't want it anymore, so I just have coffee instead. So I'm on my third cappuccino today, and I need to learn to find a cheaper addiction  .I wish it wasn't so cold out! It was only thirteen degrees today! |
| Abbas says he will not allow a third Intifada as long as he is in power, which would be reassuring except all evidence points to the opposite and there is no telling how long he will be in power. But I hope he will be proved true. The first two Intifadas were devastating, and I take the bus everywhere. Also, when it comes to Iran's nuclear program, the United States is once again taking our information regarding the issue and using it themselves, so we just sit and watch. Is okay, I suppose. I think they are afraid we will overreact. Not that we Israelis ever overreact... I have also decided that I need a new hobby. So, starting tomorrow, not only am I continuing my alcohol-free month (G-d help me) I am also going to be cooking my meals. Not all of them, of course, but many. I figure it was be at least somewhat genetic. I absolutely do not like plaid. All of a sudden, this is popular in Israel. It looks horrible when I wear it, and I do not understand this trend. No, no. |
| Is like, I would very much like to go out tonight to dance, because I have no classes this week and I deserve, I think, to have fun. But then there is my promise to myself when I said, no drinking, not for a month. So how do I have fun without drinking? The beach! At the beach, we played matkot (I think as I have gotten older I have gotten worse, which is really very humiliating) and talked about the army and about Gilad being freed soon (G-d willing!), and we had a very good time. And then we went and we got cappuccinos and on the boardwalk we flirted with guys and chose the cutest kids, and we decided what we would name our future children (not that I want any, of course). I like the name Daniel, and I like the name Maya for a girl. But I do not want children. I need to read a good book, I think! Any recommendations? Too many IDF soldiers dying in training  . Is very sad. I think people are young and they are careless. When I was in training, I do not remember this, but perhaps I was focused on other things? Hopefully Netanyahu will negotiate a deal and Gilad Schalit will be freed very soon! |
| I liked the movie Avatar very much, but I left the theatre feeling very much like the bad guys in the film. Not that I think the Palestinians are all innocent victims, but of course, sometimes one can examine a situation as a bystander and not be disloyal. It is almost Christmas, so Merry Christmas to all my Christian friends! No alcohol for me for a month, I have decided. None. I will be like the Arabs and be completely sober. Is not healthy. I want to visit the pyramids. I wish I was allowed to. I think it would be really wonderful to see them! (According to legend, my people were the ones to build some of them, after all.) Perhaps, someday. Look!  and  !I can sign emails now really officially, like: -Noa  |
| I read this book, A Thousand Splendid Suns (Khaled Hosseini), about Afghanistan. It is a very good book, a very sad book, and sometimes it is very hard to read. I know comparitively little about Afghanistan, as it is rather far from Israel. Many of the Arabs (and Persians, too) speak so hatefully about "colonization", and sometimes is not so hard to see why. The Ottomans, the British, the Soviets...Is a long history of someone else controlling the native people. I suppose we Israelis are the newest to do so, although many would argue we are the native people. Interesting. Feeling very pensive and thoughtful. I am in a mood to find a cafe and sit with a cappuccino and read the newspaper, and then talk religion or history or philosophy with someone wise. 39,000 U.S. dollars to anyone who knows about Arbeit Macht Frei, says Poland. I almost wish I did! I could use 39,000 U.S. dollars. |
| I am most confused as to why anyone would steal the Arbeit Macht Frei sign from Auschwitz. I do not understand the logic. Oi vey. Do you ever feel the urge to leave a place and start completely new in another? No more celebrating for awhile . I have had far too much celebrating!Hope all is well? |
| Today I go to eat nearly the final meal of Chanukah, and I can say with near certainty that I believe in miracles. That I, though perhaps lacking the sum of moral qualities others find natural, can still in times of insecurity find a candle or a light or a chance at a miraculous circumstance. That, upon facing difficulty, can find something not within the walls of the temple or the tables of Shabbat but within myself so as to conquer any fears previously unforseen. Because with enough study, enough stress, and enough time, I have passed all of my finals. I have conquered chemistry. I have bid farewell to mathematics for the remainder of my academic career. It is ridden, it is gone, and I am triumphant! To celebrate, I shall have more wine, please. |
| Life suddenly got very chaotic so I will be maybe back online this weekend. |
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