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

I was at Jerusalem Beach today and the Air Show was amazing. 60 Paratroopers started the day, then a Naval parade and finally an air show. There are so many pictures to show that you’ll need to click to see more pictures…

Riding through the streets of Tel Aviv, the Yarkon Park was a great experience. Independence Day in Israel has become a BBQ day. The “Mangalistim” (Mangal=BBQ) were out in full force and if it wasn’t tied down - it was roasting on an open flame.

There is a special feel for the 60th, there is a nostalgic, dare I say it, patriotic feel. We are proud that our little Israel is 60 and there is a certain pride in the air. People were having a good time, smiling to one another and generally more polite to one another. It was nice to see…

Happy 60th Israel !!!!

When you’re driving to and from Jerusalem, in a field in the Latrun area there is a huge flag recently laid out for the upcoming 60 Independence Day Celebrations

The flag was layed out by 40 volunteers and members of the Parks and Nature Department. its 100 meters by 200 meters and weighs 5.2 ton.

Check out the white bus in the corner to get an idea as to the size of the flag…
Pretty damn big !!!

IDF gets a special gift for Passover: Maya Bouskilla, a famous Israeli pop singer, has enlisted to the IDF at the age of thirty. The Israeli army service is mandatory for every young person at the age of 18, which means that Maya has joined about a decade past enlistment usual age, making her one of the oldest candidates to ever join the army.

Bouskilla evaded serving in the Israeli army, claiming to be religious. However, a few years later, Maya appeared in an advertising campaign for swimsuits that was not exactly modest, putting her religious orientation under serious doubt. The Israeli media passed a harsh critique on this move, which was rightly viewed as the adoption of a double standard. This was definitely not Kosher on her part!

Maya tells she has regretted dodging the army. Did Major General Elazar Sern make the Israeli singer change her mind? Stern has protested last month against the popularity of false claims of religion amongst young women, urging them to join the Israeli forces.

Is it simply a coincidence that Maya joins the army just as she releases her new album? Enlist to the army for public relations? It sounds too radical to me …

I say –if you’re gonna shoot, shoot, don’t sing!
Image: IDF Photo

Before you read the post below I have a couple of words about the Gorilla. Yes, he is eating Matza. He really doesn’t have that much of a choice. If he is anything like the rest of us though I suggest you stay away from the Ramat Gan Zoo in the next couple of weeks - it’s not going to be pretty…

Hat Tip: Tibor Yagar MSN GALATZ

Israelis have always had a “love-hate” affair when comes to the 7 day holiday known as Pesach (Passover) or Hag HaAviv (Festival of Spring) to secular folk. Pesach is one of Judaism’s most beautiful and important festivals as it commemorates the Jew’s freedom from slavery under the Egyptian Pharaoh, Ramsis II, more than 3,000 years ago. Like Thanksgiving in America, the Passover Seder is one of the best times for families to be together to enjoy this holiday and eat the foods that God commanded their forbearers to eat as they left Egypt for what turned out to be 40 years of wandering through the wilderness of Sinai.

For some Israelis, however, Pesach is not the joyous and meaningful festival that it should be, and many go abroad for the week to escape having to eat matzah or unleavened bread and other foods deemed Kosher for Pesach. Recently, more and more restaurants and stores have begun offering bread products, including pita, pizza, and even baguettes to those who want them. This now includes large supermarkets as well as small convenience stores, many of which are run by non-religious kibbutzim. Enforcing the existing law concerning the selling and eating of “hametz” (leavened bread and other non-kosher for Pesach products) has been difficult, and many businesses, including a large supermarket chain, simply pay fines as a “cost of doing business”.

Enter Pesach 2008. Due to objections in the existing laws by secular Israelis, a Jerusalem court judge issued a decree that in some instances the existing “Passover Law” will not be binding for private establishments who are not considered as “public arenas”. This means that breads and other “hametz” products will now be allowed to be sold in grocery stores, restaurants and pizza parlors, etc., and that beer will flow freely in all the pubs (as if it hasn’t already up to now!). While this has made a lot of secular people happy, religious and traditional Jews feel just the opposite as this edict clearly violates a very old and important tenet of Judaism.

Or does it? Those who intend to keep Kosher for Pesach wouldn’t eat or drink in most of the establishments who will serve “hametz” as many of them are already non-kosher and are open during the year on Shabbat and religious holidays; serving non-kosher foods, including pork and shellfish. This being the case, there’s really no reason for these types of establishments to have to be Kosher for Pesach anyway, since serving non-kosher pepperoni pizzas prepared on matzos instead of normal pizza dough is a bit superfluous.

The bottom line is the personal consciousness of people; and being forced to do something they really don’t care to do is not going to change them. Anyway, it’s been estimated that at least 70% of all Jews in Israel will forsake their pizzas and falafels for a week and be none the worse off for it. In fact they will do this proudly, out of respect for their faith and tradition.

As for the remaining 30%, hopefully some of you will get the message and join your Jewish brethren in observing a truly unique and wonderful religious tradition to celebrate our release from human bondage into freedom.

Chag Pesach Samech!

I never expected to see what I saw when exiting the Tel Aviv Central train station Wednesday afternoon. Arriving at Arlozorov Street to catch a bus west, I suddenly saw a large, duck-like bird hopping on a grassy area near the street. I was so taken back by the sight of such an unusual looking fowl being in a place where normally only pigeons and sparrows are, that I took a few moments to watch it. The duck-like creature was actually larger than a wild duck, which I presumed it was. Another person took a photo of it with his cell phone, which I could not, since mine doesn’t have a suitable camera. I soon found out why the “duck” was hopping – it didn’t have a left foot; only a stump that looked like it was hatched that way. I tried to approach it to throw it some of a bagel I had with me, but the bird didn’t seem to know that this was food. It must have been truly a wild creature that must have strayed off course in the process of migration as we are now in the waterfowl migration season.

The bird must have been exhausted, and it tried to take off and fly. After a few tries, one of which caused it to crash land almost in front of a departing bus, it finally did get airborne and it circled the area and flew to a large park across the street, where I presume it again landed.

Upon returning home later that night, I looked it up from my recollection of its appearance and was surprised when it turned out to be known as an Egyptian Goose, also known in Hebrew as an “Avaz Sudani” (Sudanese goose). It must have flown all the way from its usual winter home, somewhere in Africa, and was going north in the spring migration. How or why it chose to land in the middle of Tel Aviv is anybody’s guess, and its decision to land where it did must have been the result of sheer exhaustion.

I have included a picture of what it looks like in case someone else reading this blog may have seen it too. I can only hope that maybe it was seen by enough people to be reported to the Nature Parks Authority and maybe was caught and taken to Safari Park to be cared for until it can continue it journey. Or maybe it might like its new home here and decide to stay.

In any case, I’m sure you’ll agree that this was something unusual and out of the ordinary for a mid-week afternoon in Tel Aviv.

Many people living in Israel may not be aware that the Jewish festival of Purim and the (Western) Christian Holy Day of Easter fall on the same weekend this year. Easter, which actually came originally after the beginning of the Passover Holiday, commemorates the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, while Purim, the Jewish festival that is said to celebrate the Jewish People’s victory over the wicked Haman in Persia more than 2400 years ago, usually occurs before Easter and always occurs one month prior to Passover, of Pesach as many Jews refer to it.

This year, due to there being two months of Adar in the Hebrew calendar, Adar Aleph and Adar Bet, this results in all of the Jewish holidays falling much later this year, with Pesach coming on April 20th. While this phenomenon, sometimes referred to as the “Jewish Leap Year” may result in some confusion in secular circles, religious Jews could care less as they go by their own calendar which is based on the lunar cycle, with the extra month of Adar coming every four years to ‘balance out’ the lunar calendar sequence.

Purim, is a joyous holiday, especially when celebrated in Israel; and it gives people an excuse to let off some steam and dress up in funny costumes. Many people go to Purim parties where seasonal foods, included three cornered cookies called “homentashens” or “Ozney Haman” (depending on a persons’ Hebrew or Yiddish orientation) and also partaking in a bit of strong drink (by adults, of course). Jewish kids look forward to Purim and many even plan their costumes months in advance.

While Purim is a festival of emancipation and liberation to Jews, Easter is something else altogether to Christians, and usually heralds the coming of Spring. Both Purim and Easter also fall on the beginning of Spring, or the Spring Equinox, which ushers in the period of longer days than nights which climax with the beginning of Sumner on June 21. Easter is supposed to be a much more solemn than Christianity’s holiest day, Christmas, and this is reflected in the week prior to Easter which includes Good Friday, the day when Jesus was crucified.

Getting back to Purim, though not really a religious holiday for Jews, it’s a joyous time, and in Israel anyway, kids do have a two day school holiday (unless it falls on Shabbat, like it unfortunately does (for the kids anyway) this year. For those who are not aware of the history behind this festival, Purim as based on a non-biblical work known as the Book of Esther that relates how a Jewish woman named Esther who was married to King Xerxes of Persia, known to Jews as Achashverosh, helped save her people from being purged and killed by an evil administrator named Haman who held a high position in the Persian court. Esther convinced her husband to issue an edict to allow the Jews to defend themselves against Haman, who was eventually executed by the King. The resulting salvation of the Persian Jewish Community later resulted in the festival of Purim, which is still happily celebrated today.

Picture: Nir Ben Yosef
The Israeli Air Force is studying how the drug Sildenafil sulfate, otherwise known as Viagra, may be beneficial to fighter pilots on combat missions. The drug, most commonly used by men to have better and longer erections may also be helpful in controlling a pilot’s blood pressure and functional capability during high altitude flights, when less oxygen is available.

Viagra and generic derivatives such as Tadalafel, from which Calais is derived, have become increasingly popular with men, especially those over age 50. Fighter pilots, who are usually in their early to mid 20’s, and at the height of their physical (as well as sexual) prowess Just like the drug is supposed to make men more “sexually aware” it also may sharpen a pilot’s awareness concerning sighting and closing in on his targets in the air.

Now why would this sort of thing be cool to must of us guys who aren’t “fly boys”? The answer is very simple: if this stuff helps fighter pilots “shoot straight” in a manner speaking, it should help us too, even though we’re not a “top gun” at the controls of an F-16A fighter jet. Many may be wondering if fighter pilots might even be too gung ho after taking these drugs prior to leaving on a mission. Flying a sophisticated aircraft, like an F-16, is not child’s play; and if these guys start thinking about the girl friends while hot-rodding their planes in the “wild blue yonder” it might result in some interesting “maneuvering”. Taking the drug prior to flying, might be embarrassing afterwards, though, especially wearing the normally tight flight suits that fighter pilots have to wear.

Using these drugs top enhance combat flying ability will be discussed further at an Air Force investigations conference that will deal with the matter of using Viagra as a performance enhancing drug. Whatever happens as to a final decision, one thing may be for certain. And that is the drug might be able to “free” the pilot’s normal appendages for manning the aircraft’s fighting equipment, since another “appendage” will be available to help fly the aircraft. After all, if one can play a piano this way, why not fly a plane?

Picture: Ynet
With all the ‘combinations’ of precipitation and lower temperatures coming into form, “Jerusalem the Golden” became all white as the winter season’s first snow storm blanked the city with 2 to 3 inches of snow. The snowfall is always a welcome diversion to the city’s children, though more a nuisance to their parents since the municipality announced that schools in the Holy City will be closed on Wednesday due to the Frosty the Snowman’s visit. The snowy weather also reached some higher elevations in the Galilee and really hit the northern Golan Heights, especially the ski site at Mt. Hermon, which had been unused for that purpose so far this year. With a little more snow in next few days, the site will probably be at least partially open to both skiers and people who just want to bring their kids to frolic in the “sheleg” the Hebrew word for snow.

The moisture for both the snow and the rains that have reached Israel is welcome relief to the country’s chronic water problems, and anyone who has visit the Kineret lately must have noticed that the lake level is a bit low – even to the point where fishing boats are sitting in the mud instead of floating in their mooring berths. The lake should receive enough water from both the melting snows on Mr. Hermon and from feeder streams (including the Jordan) to raise the water level at least half a meter. Even so, the lake level will still be about 2 meters below the accepted level to not cause any water shortage problems during the long dry season of April through October.

Not much rain has reached Israel so far this year, and what has arrived previously is far below what the country should have received by late January. Israel’s “rainy season” if one were to call it that, is only from December to March, although some rain does fall occasionally in October and November; and even some freak rain storms come as late as mid May.

But getting back to Jerusalem, a winter snowfall adds a special beauty and charm to an already beautiful and charming city. Seeing pictures of a snowy blanket on the Old City and the Mt. of Olives is especially enchanting, and despite any temporary inconveniences, I’m sure the citizens of Jerusalem will agree. It is written in Jewish daily prayer, referring to God’s divine assistance to the Land of Israel: “Thou causest the winds to blow and the rains to fall”.

8000 Police in the streets
2 Planes
20 Helicopters
8 Limos
5 Cooks
15 Bomb Detection Canine Units
250 Secret Service Agents
200 Government Employees
150 National Security Advisers
50 White House Staff Members
9 Kassam Rockets shot towards the Negev this morning
All Major Highways to Jerusalem Shut Down
All Main Streets in Jerusalem Closed
…..He’s here……

Picture: Ynet News - Chaim Tzach
Israeli athletes and sportsmen may be making big gains abroad, but recent miss-conduct occurrences on the home front is beginning to give local sporting events a very bad P.R. image. Sunday, November 11 was one of the worst days, from a conduct standpoint, in Israeli sporting match history. And coincidentally enough, both incidents involved teams sponsored by the Haopoel Sports Organization.

The first incident occurred during a derby match between the Hapoel and Macabbee Tel Aviv football teams. While always a bit of a bedlam series, Sunday’s match, in which several Haopoel fans ran onto pitch and a variety of smoke bombs and other objects were thrown at the players, ended with Hapoel winning by one point. This might have been end of that problem at this annual rivalry match, except that later that evening, another and even worse incident occurred at a basketball game between Hapoel Jerusalem and Hapoel Holon. With less than two minutes left to play a large firecracker suddenly exploded next to the Hapoel Holon bench, wounding a security guard and blowing off three fingers in front of a shocked stadium. The event was captured on film and plastered on all the major newspapers this morning.

The game was stopped instantly and the outcome of it has been placed in suspension, even though the Jerusalem side was ahead 94-89. Haopoel Jerusalem’s chairman, Danny Klein was furious and announced later that his club will not play another match until the perpetrator is found. Klein even went further and said that if the ones responsible for this act are Hapoel Jerusalem fans he will quit his position with the club. A 20 year old suspect from Holon was arrested on Monday.

Hapoel’s conduct woes don’t stop here. In a football game played in Croatia earlier in the season, Hapoel fans created a disturbance in that match which resulted in the team being censured by the FA Football Federation. The Hapoel organization is not the only one being plagued by problems of gross misconduct on the part of the fans. Only a week ago, fans from the Beitar Jerusalem Football Club created a disturbance during a pre-game memorial ceremony for assassinated Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. This incident was so disturbing in the minds of many Israelis that the clubs owner, Arkady Gaydamak appeared later on television to try to make amends for the occurrence. For that incident the Beitar team was censored by the Israel Football Federation and forced to play their next two games without spectators.

These and other incidents seem to indicate a disturbing trend in spectator sporting events in Israel. A survey made of people who watch these games, either at the actual match or on television, seem to agree that violence at these events is on the rise and that football matches in particular are no longer considered to be family participation sporting events. It’s a real shame that this appears to be what is unfortunately occurring; and it appears to mirror a personality trend that is happening among a growing segment of the general public. This “trend” is evident from incidents like fights in nightclubs, some of which have resulted in death and personal injury, increased traffic accidents, and increasing use of alcohol and narcotics by minors; just to name a few.

While there may be many reasons for such goings on, that they also have to happen at sporting matches is a very sad and unfortunate thing. If we can’t behave ourselves at these events, how can we behave ourselves in normal day to day activities as well?