Israel’s News Blog Magazine: Daily Stories Video and Photos

Yigal Amir had a 10 hour conjugal visit today with his wife Larisa Trembovler. The couple got what they wanted and are trying to have a child. As sickening as the idea is (and I honestly try not to think about these two vermin mating) the legal system in Israel had to allow this sick union.

What is even worse is that this couple got to do what the government is not allowing other couples to do for various reasons. There are same sex couples, mixed nationality couples and others that the have no such rights according to the state of Israel and yet this pathetic couple get a chance to bring children to the world.

So far, 346 Israelis died in 2006 in road accidents. Three hundred and forty six men, women, small kids. Is it inevitable?

One of the most popular radio stations in Israel is called Galgalatz. The station’s name is derived from the original IDF radio station’s name Galatz (acronym of Galey Tzahal), with the addition of the “galgal” (wheel) that stands for its special awareness to traffic issues. The station, supported by the Israeli National Authority for Traffic Safety of the Israeli Ministry of Transport, provides traffic reports, broadcasts safety jingles and gives advices for drivers in between the songs played (stop to refresh yourself if too tired, don’t forget to turn on the lights, etc.). It’s not annoying as the loud commercials on the other stations, and it can actually be very helpful sometimes, to know that in such-and-such junction there’s a traffic jam (dumb people stopping to a healthy car-crash spotting).

These days the Authority for Traffic Safety got to the headlines when coming up with a new ad, which people find quite controversial for its disturbing content. Clever move, eh? Controversy always sells well. The public interest has indeed grown since the ad was first aired. One of the claims against it asserts that it is not effective as it does not try to teach the kids about the dangers on the road, but only tries to freak out their parents. It’s pretty amusing that only such a shocking clip would get a reaction from the grownups – because the kids get a lot of information about traffic safety in school in the special safety programs. Cynical emotional extortion or not, it appears that the advertisers got to the audience that should really take heed – the careless drivers, who do not bother to slow down and check to see if the road is clear of small, innocent kids.

Israel’s 2006/7 academic year began officially October 22, with a number of challenges facing the country’s 254,000 students enrolled in the country’s state universities and private colleges.
Facing rising tuition costs and related problems a as result of last summers 34 day military conflict, many students will find it even harder to achieve that cherished “Toar” (Degree) that may make the difference over entering a good career path. Academic institutions in Israel’s northern cities will commence their academic year even later, due to students in ones like the Technion and Haifa University having end of term examinations put on hold last summer due to the war.

Other difficulties facing this year’s academic programs include fewer course subjects (due largely to administrative cut-backs), and possibilities of shortage of supplies and laboratory equipment, also a result in severe government budget reductions over the past 5 years amounting to over 1.2 billion New Shekels. Due to the Lebanon war, the government has yet to transfer a sum of N.S. 140 million to the country’s academic institutions.

Other factors also will affect the demographic student ‘mix’ in the countries institutions of higher learning; one of these being the growing disparity between students of European and North American backgrounds and those from African and Asian origins. Only 26% of all matriculating students from North African or “Mizrachi” (eastern) backgrounds go on to study in a college or university, compared to 48% of those from Western backgrounds. While women outnumber men in undergraduate and higher degree programs, 55% and 56% respectively; in the higher academic degree staff positions, there are still fewer women than men.

In a public university, for those living in dormitories, annual expenses including tuition, runs about N.S. 32,500. With the announced tuition increases, these expenses will rise considerably, making the cost of achieving an academic Degree even more difficult for many students, especially those who work part time to help pay annual costs. Private colleges, such as the Managerial College, results in annual tuition alone costing more than N.S. 26,000. This fee does not include ‘extras’ such as supplies and fees for taking various examinations.

Many academics are also studying abroad, especially for MBA’s and other advanced degrees; with more than 3,000 Israelis holding academic positions in American colleges and Universities. While the cost of obtaining an advanced degree in an American university can cost an average of $50 – 60,000 per academic year; the prestige of having such a degree from a university such as Harvard, NYU, UCLA, etc., can mean much higher incomes and career opportunities.

Popular study curriculums include Business Administration (1,700 enrollees in Hebrew University), economics (1,946 in Univ. Tel Aviv), and Law (1,671 in Univ. Tel Aviv). Even in Israel, the total cost of obtaining an advanced degree can run more than $30,000, making the ‘paper chase’ for degrees such as an MBA something for wealthier students only, with stipends received for working in University offered positions paying little more than minimum wage amounts.

Following the observance of the fifth anniversary since the assassination of the former Moledet party leader Rahavin (Ghandi) Zeevi, and the possibility of his “successor”, Yisrael Beitanu leader Avigdor Lieberman joining Ehud Olmert’s government coalition, some interesting new political plans have been in the offing in order to accommodate Lieberman’s ultra right wing political views. Olmert, possibly in a last ditch effort to save his waning political fortunes, is seriously considering drafting changes in the country’s governmental decision making to enable a new presidential position to be created in which the holder of that office will have wide ranging powers, including those involving national defense. And Lieberman, due to his very frank views on these matters, may be just the man to assist the Prime Minister in this undertaking.

Lieberman’s views, not unlike his predecessor, Zeevi, call for harsh dealings with the Palestinians, including “inviting” most of them to leave their present domiciles in Gaza and the West Bank for residences elsewhere. He also has very ‘direct’ ideas on how to deal with both Lebanon and Iran, Israel’s most dangerous security problems.

Olmert’s idea is the create a directly elected Presidency similar to that in countries like the U.S.A. who will have much more power that Israel’s present presidency, whose position is largely ceremonial, and who is elected by a secret ballot of Knesset parliamentarians, without any participation by the national electorate. The Prime Minister also wants to combine Lieberman’s party into a ‘unity’ government, with a ‘presidential regime’ possibly headed by none other than either Olmert or Lieberman – or both, without the myriad of small political parties which have always been the rule in Israeli politics. Their ‘plan’ is to consolidate political parties into two major ones similar to the Republican and Democratic party system which has been to norm in America for the past 150 years. One can only wonder, in this ‘new order’ framework, is who will head each side?

Israeli politics has never had political parties who garnished enough governing mandates to have a direct power majority in the country’s 120 member parliament. This reality has always resulted in need to form coalition governments involving several small parties, representing various interest groups, such as the religious population, ethnic minorities (Arabs, etc.) and now, even the golden-agers (the new Pensioners Party). Knesset parliamentarians are not elected by the people, as American Congressmen are, but as members of party slate lists, whose colorful party conventions and ‘primaries’ result in often violent internal power jockeying by hopeful party members, with all the ‘backroom’ activities thereof.

With Olmert and Lieberman’s idea of a separately elected executive (their prototype, of course), the present coalition dealings can avoided and this all powerful leader can then be free to make important decisions concerning the country’s national welfare.

The main concern many of us have is: who will be calling the shots?

Razia Gershon is a well known Israeli bronze sculptress. She recently created a new series of bronze horses that included 6 different pieces that are now available on her site Razia-Bronze.com. The traditional horse sculpture has been done by many bronze artists in different variations but this series is very unique. These horses are filled with movement and energy. The figures are hollow and are executed in an open free form, unlike the traditional full body “heavy” look that horse sculptures normally have.

Razia is a classical dancer by trade and her works are inspired by her background and life experience in that they emphasize movement and grace. For this collection she used her own style to create some magical bronze figures. The large mare in the picture was a custom order being prepared for an unnamed international collector. The average size of the pieces is 40 to 50 CM in height and this sculpture will be over 6.5 ft tall.

You can visit her site and see The Filly, The Mare, The Stallion, Two Horses Galloping, Mare and her Filly and The Colt. Beautiful work!!

Oh and by the way, all right are reserved to the artist.

If you go to any good coffee shop in Tel Aviv, that makes a decent Cappucino or Cafe AuLait (In hebrew “Cafe Hafuch”) you will come across these guys. The Coffee artists that can make your foam really mean something. Sometime these things can really put a smile on in the morning. This video is from an Italian humor site called elRellano and it really hits home.

“Thanks”, “toda” and “merci” are three different words that have the same signified meaning – a way of expressing gratitude. So are the different signifiers “love” “ahava” and “amour,” expressing affection. Though existing in different language systems, the three words have the same function, or more importantly, these different languages have a specific, unique way of expressing the same idea/sentiment/object.

But do all languages enable us to express all objects in reality? The answer must be “no”. Think of the numerous occasions in which we cannot avoid borrowing a word from another language to express exactly what we mean.

Today’s Exclusive term is the all-Israeli “kombina.” Is this Hebrew? But of course not. Like many other useful and even essential expressions in Israel, it is borrowed from another language. “Kombina” can be found in Esperanto, but also Russian and Bulgarian, with roughly the same basic meaning: a way to organize and get things easily.

In Israel this word, alongside this original meaning, has developed some other, slightly diverse meanings and can even perform as a verb (’lekamben’). Kombina can be a way to get around things (not necessarily to “screw the system”), or to help someone (or oneself) get a promotion or other things easily/for free with their persuasive skills. It can also be read in a more negative manner, when using these same persuasive skills to mislead or to make someone act against their common sense (think of abuse of cheap work labor like foreign workers who do not speak the language and are fully dependent on their local employers, or the exploit of tourists who are willing to pay 10 times more than the regular price). “They made a kombina on my expense!”

One of the funniest uses of this word is its appearance on restaurant menus, especially for delivery and take away, as in one of the burger chains, who used the title Kombina their special meal for 4 or more people. You can get a kombina not just for junk food, though, but also “fancy” cuisine, like sushi combinations. Always trying!

At a recent conference in Jerusalem, a noted American video entertainment company head reviewed the future potential for Israeli success in the development and marketing of a new generation of video gaming, now a world-wide $25 billion business. Speaking before a group of more than 200 young software company representatives, Jesse Sutton, CEO of the New Jersey based Majesco Entertainment Co. said that a new generation of home video games will change the entire market, by making them more attractive to virtually all people “from 8 to 80″, and not just a limited group of mostly young male ‘game jockeys’.

Sutton, an Orthodox Jew living in the Flatbush district of Brooklyn, said that Israel is already a leader in software design products for internet security, biotech, and medical devices; and that programmers and other computer professionals are “overflowing with creativity”. The seminar, organized by the Israel branch of International Game Developers Association in conjunction with Jerusalem Joint Venture Partners, invited Sutton, whose company sells video game products playable on most popular gaming devices, including Nintendo’s Game Boy Advance and GameCube, Sony’s Play Station 2, and Microsoft’s Xbox.

Sutton’s company being publicly traded, has sometimes resulted in his having to consult religious authorities concerning the ‘content’ of some gaming programs to exclude those with too much sex or violence. “Being Orthodox, I have my limits” he added.

Making the games more ‘virtual’ and easier to play will entice a much larger user audiences, Yaron Laitenberg of the Funtactix company added, citing the example of improved resolution, game details and artificial intelligence which will make game players feel that they are actually in a movie. Games will be used more by people in all types of settings, including using hand-held devices and cell phones while waiting for office appointments, public transport, and other settings; playing with other people all over the world, via the internet.

Game sales in the USA have already surpassed sales of cinema tickets, due to new game programs and user possibilities. Ilan Grazier, Laitenberg’s partner at Funtactix, added that games will become a “new social experience”.

The Jerusalem Joint Venture Partners have already set up a computerized animation company which now has over 105,000 ‘free’ subscribers world-wide and 10,000 paying members.

Ease of playing and playing instruction are two very important factors, the participants added, as games will have to be able to be played with one thumb and without an instruction manual, and not requiring deep thinking. “Even political leaders will be able to enjoy using these game programs”, they added jokingly.

(Hat Tip: Rina Castelnuovo for The New York Times)

A recent New York Times article, dealing with the sexual misconduct affairs of Israel President Moshe Katsav, questions whether this and other publicized sexual misconduct and harassment cases involving Israel generals and political leaders marks the end of the stereotyped “macho” image of Israeli men. Referring back to former years, when men such as Moshe Dayan were known womanizers and even international sex symbols, the more recent scandals and court cases involving Israeli male personalities may mean that the cliché of the macho image may fast becoming history in present day Israeli society.

Delving into the history of modern day Zionism, in which Jewish “Hatluzim”, or pioneers, tamed a harsh and disease ridden land while constantly fighting off hordes of Arabs no longer appears to be the character of the modern Israeli male. While the colorful Dayan was able to carry on his activities without undue controversy, and male actors such as Uri Zohar and Yehuda Barkan displayed images of Israeli playboys and beach boys in their movies, the present legal embroilments of several Israeli male personalities have resulted in this ‘trait’ becoming more of a hindrance than an attribute.

A law passed in 1998 now makes sexual advancements and harassment by men a crime, with women able to come forward to take their cases to court against employers, army superiors, and others. The case of former defense minister and transportation minister Yitzhak Mordechai, which occurred around the time this new law (based of a similar U.S. law) was passed, resulted in his leaving political life and public disgrace; as well as being divorced by his wife, Kochi, who herself may have been one of his “victims”.

With the present sex scandals of both Moshe Katsav and former justice minister Haim Ramon being not only splattered across the front pages of newspapers both in and outside of Israel, ‘The Times’ article has drawn it’s own conclusions on the future image of the Israeli male.

Sex scandals are not the only reason why this phenomena has come about, as the country has undergone substantial changes since the days of Uri Zohar and of comedy flicks such as “Lemon Popsicle”, portraying the sexual antics of three Israeli male teenagers. Fewer young men seek careers in the military and in other macho-type occupations which were popular years back. More and more men, and women, are seeking professional or technological based careers; and instead of meeting on Friday afternoons to play “cadur-regel” (football), these guys may be more inclined to be surfing the Internet. In fact, while being an Egged bus driver was an ideal career about 30 years ago, being a computer software guru is now much more popular.

For those Israelis who still long for the nostalgia of the “good old days”, however; they can probably access onto some of Uri and Yehuda’s old movies via YouTube or other film-sharing websites.

Have you noticed how many new Israeli bands have popped up in the last five years or so? I’m kinda tired of the same old playlists on the radio, or the Israeli Idol remakes of the same old songs. It is indeed time for fresh, new voices.

Just the other day, with the kind help of the labyrinthine YouTube, I stumbled across a video clip of one of my favorite (American) bands in its first days, back in the days when the members were young and virtually anonymous, and the audience absolutely oblivious to their presence on stage. Only few months after the band was in the US top 10.
(more…)