Difference between revisions of "Blog/October 2007/October 12th"
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| − | '''October 12th 2007''' | + | '''October 12th 2007''' (See this week's [[Devar/5768/Noach|devar torah]]) |
Hey there! | Hey there! | ||
| Line 6: | Line 6: | ||
and ramping up to "real life" again. | and ramping up to "real life" again. | ||
| − | Esther found out her | + | Esther found out her {{wiki|doula}} classes begin next week, so |
she's pretty excited about that. Sarah started her classes again after a long | she's pretty excited about that. Sarah started her classes again after a long | ||
hiatus due to the holidays; she wasn't ''too'' happy about that, but she seems | hiatus due to the holidays; she wasn't ''too'' happy about that, but she seems | ||
to be having a better time than she was before. | to be having a better time than she was before. | ||
| − | We had to go to Jerusalem to get to a driving instructor for Esther - she's | + | We had to go to [http://www.jerusalem.muni.il/ Jerusalem] to get to a driving instructor for Esther - she's |
only been driving for 18 years, so she might need a pointer or two, you know? | only been driving for 18 years, so she might need a pointer or two, you know? | ||
Anyway, the process is that she has to have one driving lesson, after which | Anyway, the process is that she has to have one driving lesson, after which | ||
| Line 18: | Line 18: | ||
# Shlep to Jerusalem to meet the instructor. This is at least a one-hour trip for us. The instructor will "drive by" where we are when we get there. | # Shlep to Jerusalem to meet the instructor. This is at least a one-hour trip for us. The instructor will "drive by" where we are when we get there. | ||
# Hand over the official paperwork we got from the gov't agency, to the instructor. He promises to make an appointment for the actual lesson and test, in "a few weeks". | # Hand over the official paperwork we got from the gov't agency, to the instructor. He promises to make an appointment for the actual lesson and test, in "a few weeks". | ||
| − | # Shlep back to Maale Adummim (total: 2 hrs trip for 1 min work) | + | # Shlep back to [[Maale adummim|Maale Adummim]] (total: 2 hrs trip for 1 min work) |
# Come back in several weeks, hand over a bunch of money for the lesson. Take the lesson. | # Come back in several weeks, hand over a bunch of money for the lesson. Take the lesson. | ||
# Take papers to the post office, to pay the fee for the official exam. | # Take papers to the post office, to pay the fee for the official exam. | ||
| Line 36: | Line 36: | ||
Yesterday we finally found the local "makolet" (grocery store) about which our | Yesterday we finally found the local "makolet" (grocery store) about which our | ||
| − | friends had told us. It turns out it's close to the shul I go to. The nice | + | friends had told us. It turns out it's close to the [[shul]] I go to. The nice |
thing is that all the produce is from [http://www.hashmita.co.il/ Otsar Haarets], which is a somewhat more acceptable (to us, anyway) way to deal | thing is that all the produce is from [http://www.hashmita.co.il/ Otsar Haarets], which is a somewhat more acceptable (to us, anyway) way to deal | ||
| − | with | + | with {{wiki|shmita}}. I guess a word or two is in order here ... |
Buying food in Israel is complicated, as I think I mentioned in a prior post. | Buying food in Israel is complicated, as I think I mentioned in a prior post. | ||
| − | There are a plethora of | + | There are a plethora of {{wiki|hechsher}}im (kosher |
| − | certifications) | + | certifications), and the differences can be important. Besides the hechsher |
| − | issues, one must make sure produce has been properly | + | issues, one must make sure produce has been properly {{wiki2|Maaser|tithed}}. |
But this year is a "shmita" year (at least according to the | But this year is a "shmita" year (at least according to the | ||
majority opinion), so fruits and vegetables must be purchased from reliable | majority opinion), so fruits and vegetables must be purchased from reliable | ||
vendors (since it is forbidden to traffic in produce of the shmitta year). | vendors (since it is forbidden to traffic in produce of the shmitta year). | ||
The rules are complex in the best of times; but now it is further complicated | The rules are complex in the best of times; but now it is further complicated | ||
| − | by two things; (1) there are a multitude of "systems" for dealing with the | + | by two things; (1) there are a multitude of "systems" (some very questionable) |
| − | strictures, | + | for dealing with the strictures, and (2) purchasing from Arabs (which is |
| − | + | permitted) quite likely leads to strengthening our enemies. So to make a long | |
| − | make a long story short, we were happy to find a store close-by which has | + | story short, we were happy to find a store close-by which has produce we are |
| − | produce we are comfortable with. | + | comfortable with. |
Note: European clothes are tiny (or dirty). I know this because the washing | Note: European clothes are tiny (or dirty). I know this because the washing | ||
| Line 58: | Line 58: | ||
pairs of pants at a time. It also takes an hour and half to do a load. So it | pairs of pants at a time. It also takes an hour and half to do a load. So it | ||
stands to reason that Europeans either: | stands to reason that Europeans either: | ||
| − | # Have tiny clothes which fit in these Lilliputian machines | + | # Have tiny clothes which fit in these {{dict|Lilliputian}} machines |
# Don't have more than two pairs of pants, or | # Don't have more than two pairs of pants, or | ||
# Let their clothes become {{dict|grotty}}. | # Let their clothes become {{dict|grotty}}. | ||
| − | On the other hand, our dryer is fantastic! It's | + | On the other hand, our dryer is fantastic! It's {{wiki2|Green energy|green}} |
| − | + | and leaves the clothes smelling fresh. We call it a | |
| − | "clothesline", and it works brilliantly (during the sunny months, anyway - | + | "{{wiki|clothesline}}", and it works brilliantly (during the sunny months, anyway - |
we'll see how well it fares in the winter). The sunshine is so intense here, | we'll see how well it fares in the winter). The sunshine is so intense here, | ||
that a load of laundry (both pairs of pants) dries out before the cheesy | that a load of laundry (both pairs of pants) dries out before the cheesy | ||
European washer gets done with the next load. So it all works out, in the | European washer gets done with the next load. So it all works out, in the | ||
end. | end. | ||
| + | |||
| + | We got Sarah a pair of prescription sunglasses, so now she looks very | ||
| + | fashionable as she strolls to school in the morning. Pretty soon the modeling | ||
| + | contracts will roll in and I will be able to retire... Speaking of which, I | ||
| + | am still gainfully unemployed. The larger company [http://www.nds.com/ NDS] decided that someone | ||
| + | else would be a better fit for the position for which they wanted me. The | ||
| + | smaller company is still in play, probably I will hear yeah or nay next week | ||
| + | from them. In the meantime, I am starting to get aggressive about scaring up | ||
| + | work, as life in the Holy Land is not free. | ||
Until next week... | Until next week... | ||
{{blog}} | {{blog}} | ||
| + | |||
| + | {{nav|Blog|Blog|Blog/October 2007/October 5th|Oct 5th|Blog/October 2007/October 19th|Oct 19th}} | ||
Latest revision as of 12:18, 30 November 2007
October 12th 2007 (See this week's devar torah)
Hey there!
This has been a bit of a slow week, as we were winding down from the holidays and ramping up to "real life" again.
Esther found out her doula classes begin next week, so she's pretty excited about that. Sarah started her classes again after a long hiatus due to the holidays; she wasn't too happy about that, but she seems to be having a better time than she was before.
We had to go to Jerusalem to get to a driving instructor for Esther - she's only been driving for 18 years, so she might need a pointer or two, you know? Anyway, the process is that she has to have one driving lesson, after which she can take the driving test (practical, not theory). That's what we thought, anyway. In fact, the process is:
- Shlep to Jerusalem to meet the instructor. This is at least a one-hour trip for us. The instructor will "drive by" where we are when we get there.
- Hand over the official paperwork we got from the gov't agency, to the instructor. He promises to make an appointment for the actual lesson and test, in "a few weeks".
- Shlep back to Maale Adummim (total: 2 hrs trip for 1 min work)
- Come back in several weeks, hand over a bunch of money for the lesson. Take the lesson.
- Take papers to the post office, to pay the fee for the official exam.
- Go take the exam, using the instructor's car (for which we also have to pay)
- Assuming one passes the exam, take the paperwork to the post office again, and pay the license fee.
I think I didn't miss any steps...
Now, you might think that I would be put-out about having to take a two-hour excursion for a one minute transaction. Well, you'd be correct as it turns out, but that's not the point. The point I was going to make is that riding the bus - and especially the bus to or within Jerusalem - is a fascinating "people-watching" experience. Unlike the States, everyone takes the bus here. Even people who do have cars, will take the bus - especially to Jerusalem since parking there is so painful. So one gets to see all kinds of people, from every stratum of society.
Yesterday we finally found the local "makolet" (grocery store) about which our friends had told us. It turns out it's close to the shul I go to. The nice thing is that all the produce is from Otsar Haarets, which is a somewhat more acceptable (to us, anyway) way to deal with shmita. I guess a word or two is in order here ...
Buying food in Israel is complicated, as I think I mentioned in a prior post. There are a plethora of hechsherim (kosher certifications), and the differences can be important. Besides the hechsher issues, one must make sure produce has been properly tithed. But this year is a "shmita" year (at least according to the majority opinion), so fruits and vegetables must be purchased from reliable vendors (since it is forbidden to traffic in produce of the shmitta year). The rules are complex in the best of times; but now it is further complicated by two things; (1) there are a multitude of "systems" (some very questionable) for dealing with the strictures, and (2) purchasing from Arabs (which is permitted) quite likely leads to strengthening our enemies. So to make a long story short, we were happy to find a store close-by which has produce we are comfortable with.
Note: European clothes are tiny (or dirty). I know this because the washing machine we have is a representative European model. It can only hold a couple pairs of pants at a time. It also takes an hour and half to do a load. So it stands to reason that Europeans either:
- Have tiny clothes which fit in these Lilliputian machines
- Don't have more than two pairs of pants, or
- Let their clothes become grotty.
On the other hand, our dryer is fantastic! It's green and leaves the clothes smelling fresh. We call it a "clothesline", and it works brilliantly (during the sunny months, anyway - we'll see how well it fares in the winter). The sunshine is so intense here, that a load of laundry (both pairs of pants) dries out before the cheesy European washer gets done with the next load. So it all works out, in the end.
We got Sarah a pair of prescription sunglasses, so now she looks very fashionable as she strolls to school in the morning. Pretty soon the modeling contracts will roll in and I will be able to retire... Speaking of which, I am still gainfully unemployed. The larger company NDS decided that someone else would be a better fit for the position for which they wanted me. The smaller company is still in play, probably I will hear yeah or nay next week from them. In the meantime, I am starting to get aggressive about scaring up work, as life in the Holy Land is not free.
Until next week...
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