Blog/August 2008/Aug 1st - Revision history

Ron at 10:40, 8 August 2008

2008-08-08T10:40:32Z

Ron at 09:25, 1 August 2008

2008-08-01T09:25:11Z

Ron at 09:10, 1 August 2008

2008-08-01T09:10:00Z

Ron: Replacing page with ' {{blog}} {{bheader|August 1st|Devar/5768/Masei}} Hi again! Shabbat shalom! {{nav|Blog|Blog|Blog/July 2008/Jul 25th|Jul 25th||}}'

2008-08-01T05:37:21Z

Replacing page with ' {{blog}} {{bheader|August 1st|Devar/5768/Masei}} Hi again! Shabbat shalom! {{nav|Blog|Blog|Blog/July 2008/Jul 25th|Jul 25th||}}'

Ron: New page: {{subst: :Blog/Latest}}

2008-08-01T05:36:27Z

New page: {{subst: :Blog/Latest}}

New page

{{blog}}
{{bheader|July 25th|Devar/5768/Matot}}

Hi again!

What a week! I was in India on business from Sunday until Friday. Sarah returned from her trip to the US. Esther and Daniela went to [http://www.ikea.com/ IKEA] and the beach. [http://jewschool.com/2008/07/22/13916/baruch-obama/ Obama changed his name] from "Barak" to "Baruch".

The ladies went to IKEA to correct a problem we've been dealing with poorly for a year: no place to put our plates. Shabbat plates, that is -- and glassware. We used to have a china cabinet, but that got sold when we made aliyah. So our fragile glassware and shabbat china have been precariously perched on (IKEA) bookshelves. No longer! After correcting this problem (or perhaps it was before, I wasn't there) they went to the separated beach in Netanya. Not separated by race, but by gender. They enjoyed the scenery and the sun and surf, and then came home and assembled their purchase.

Sarah finally got home yesterday, after having been delayed in New Jersey for a couple hours. We are happy to report, however, she made it home fine and is over her flu. Glad she wasn't here to give it to us!

India ... what a place! Huge, densely populated, diverse, developing and an assault on the olfactory senses. This business trip took me to five cities over five days (Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi, Hyderabad and Chennai), so I can say I've been all over India -- but haven't really seen India. Certainly it wasn't an enjoyable trip, as I was working long days and getting no sleep. Ah, yes, and not eating anything since nothing in India is kosher (more or less). But it was successful from a business standpoint, and that is really important (and the reason I was sent in the first place).

From a Jewish perspective, India was fascinating. I felt completely safe though I wore my kippa all the time. In fact, the only comments I got were from Israelophiles who went on and on about how much they enjoyed their trips to Israel. Even in the Muslim majority areas, I felt safe. The people were very nice and polite everywhere I went. However ...

...however, as a religious Jew you can't help but notice the real, Biblical-level idol-worship going on almost everywhere. Hindus aren't content with a trinity -- they have tens of thousands of gods. I heard an explanation that the various divinities are different 'aspects' of some over-god. But then there was the temple to the sun (where the sun itself is worshipped). And the cows (which are also worshipped) allowed to take over the streets because they are holy. The list is endless...

However, as I wasn't staying in anyone's house, nor purchasing anything from anyone, I didn't have too many problems. Except that (as in most cultures) food is important, and hospitality is paramount -- and my refusal to eat anything but a plate of fruit caused a great deal of frustration to my Indian contacts. Oh well, they got over it and I'm back in my Land, thank God! Now that I've experienced India, I will probably more tolerant of Israeli "balagan". India wins, hands down.

And as a final note: praying outside the Land, where you have to kind of guess what direction to pray, cannot be compared to looking out your window at the site where the Holy Temple will be rebuilt, and praying. No comparison at all.

More next week, B"H ...

Shabbat shalom!

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	Shabbat shalom!		Shabbat shalom!

−	{{nav\|Blog\|Blog\|Blog/July 2008/Jul 25th\|Jul 25th\|\|}}	+	{{nav\|Blog\|Blog\|Blog/July 2008/Jul 25th\|Jul 25th\|Blog/August 2008/Aug 8th\|Aug 8th}}

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 ''Indian insights'':  No indoor plumbing? Not a problem, just go wherever you are!  There are signs on walls stating: "Please do not urinate on this wall".  Since the majority are illiterate, however, the signs do no good.  Airport security signs: "Items not permitted: ... hand grenades, ... canned food, ...".  OK, I get the 'hand grenade' prohibition, though I rather doubt anyone would bring one on board innocently.  But canned food?  Are they really worried someone could take over a plane with the lid from a tuna can?  As it turns out, I did bring canned fish in my carry-on, and no one was the wiser.
-In joyous news, our resident weasel has [http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/127018 announced his resignation]!  Oh, that we could rely on his declaration!  But until I see someone else in his chair, I'll hold back on the celebration.  And afterwards...  who knows how much worse a leader we might get?  Hard to imagine, but the current crop of likely candidates is ''even worse'' than Olmert.  I still am holding out for [http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/3 Tvrtko Kale] for PM.  He could really make a difference.
+In joyous news, our resident weasel has finally [http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/127018 announced his resignation]!  Oh, that we could rely on his declaration!  Until I see someone else in his chair, I'll hold back on the celebration.  And afterwards...  who knows how much worse a leader we might get?  Hard to imagine, but the current crop of likely candidates is ''even worse'' than Olmert.  I'm still holding out for {{wiki|Tvrtko Kale}} for PM.  He could really make a difference.
 Shabbat shalom!
 {{nav|Blog|Blog|Blog/July 2008/Jul 25th|Jul 25th||}}

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:10, 1 August 2008
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	Hi again!		Hi again!
		+
		+	This week marks our ''one-solar-year'' anniversary of making aliyah (moving to Israel). We have to wait two weeks to celebrate on the Hebrew calendar (15 Av), but we think we can start now. A recap is in order ...
		+
		+	After planning our aliyah meticulously -- leaving nothing to chance, we thought -- we embarked on our noble adventure. Just a few days before we left our house in Bellevue, Washington, the buyers pulled out; leaving us with very few funds and a white elephant to get rid of. Fortunately, we had already rented a place in Israel, so we had nothing to worry about in the short term...
		+
		+	When we arrived, we found out the house was a complete disaster. Water leaking in several places, dirt which had probably been brought out of Egypt by the Israelites, a background bouquet of ordure, very unpleasant neighbors and unhelpful landlords. But at least we spoke Hebrew already, so no problems there... except for the government agencies, at which we spent many many hours trying to sort out the paperwork which Nefesh B'Nefesh was supposed to have helped us with. Sarah was despondent, we were upset.
		+
		+	As time progressed we found that speaking Hebrew did not help when dealing with our neighbors. They were good at lying in any language. They tried (and succeeded) to avoid paying their share of anything and everything. But at least there was a ray of sunshine... The clerks at the City Hall of Maaleh Adummim befriended us and helped us out. We started to turn things around.
		+
		+	In the meantime, I had started working for a small startup in Jerusalem. Esther resumed working for her former company in the US, Sarah was in school all day and Daniela was learning in Jerusalem. Eventually, we got used to the weather, the people, the culture and all that. Then we realized we had to get out of the rental, so we looked for and found a house. By this time, we had sold our house in the US so we were able to actually make it happen. The exhilaration of looking forward to a "new" house free of our neighbors and landlords, buoyed us through the ensuing months.
		+
		+	Finally, not long ago! we moved into the "new" house, and though it ended up costing us more than we had originally planned, the ecstasy of leaving the place we were was overpowering. We're still basking in the joy of home-ownership. So far, our aliyah has been successful. There have been ups and downs, as chronicled on these pages. But in general I can say there's no place I would rather be,
		+
		+	''Indian insights'': No indoor plumbing? Not a problem, just go wherever you are! There are signs on walls stating: "Please do not urinate on this wall". Since the majority are illiterate, however, the signs do no good. Airport security signs: "Items not permitted: ... hand grenades, ... canned food, ...". OK, I get the 'hand grenade' prohibition, though I rather doubt anyone would bring one on board innocently. But canned food? Are they really worried someone could take over a plane with the lid from a tuna can? As it turns out, I did bring canned fish in my carry-on, and no one was the wiser.
		+
		+	In joyous news, our resident weasel has [http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/127018 announced his resignation]! Oh, that we could rely on his declaration! But until I see someone else in his chair, I'll hold back on the celebration. And afterwards... who knows how much worse a leader we might get? Hard to imagine, but the current crop of likely candidates is ''even worse'' than Olmert. I still am holding out for [http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/3 Tvrtko Kale] for PM. He could really make a difference.

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 {{blog}}
-{{bheader|July 25th|Devar/5768/Matot}}
+{{bheader|August 1st|Devar/5768/Masei}}
 Hi again!
 Shabbat shalom!
-{{nav|Blog|Blog|Blog/July 2008/Jul 18th|Jul 18th||}}
+{{nav|Blog|Blog|Blog/July 2008/Jul 25th|Jul 25th||}}