Blog/September 2007/September 7th

September 7th 2007

Shabbat update: I went to the Temani shul, and really enjoyed it. It was a nice surprise that the siddur I've been using for years is finally the right nusach ;)

This week started off on a very strong positive note. Last Friday we got a notice from the Israeli Social Security (Bituach Leumi) telling us we owed about 24,000 NIS (about $5,800). That's a lot of money, and it is money we didn't have - so getting such a notice just before Shabbat was unpleasant to say the least. Sunday morning, we marched down to their offices in Jerusalem and managed to get all but 600 NIS (about $145) removed - that was a major victory for us, and really the first major thing to go our way with the Gov't offices.

So, flush with victory, we went to the Kupat Cholim (sick fund) office where my wife and daughter are covered, and tried to sign up for "travelers" insurance for me (since I'm not eligible for the regular insurance yet). I told the clerk my story, and what I wanted, and he checked his computer. I nearly fell off my chair when he told me that I was in fact eligible! So I signed up, and made an appointment to see a doctor the very next day. I got to the doctor, did what I needed, and everything was fine. But - alas! - it was too good to be true; the head office informed them I was NOT eligible, and so my membership was rescinded after only one day. At least I did get to see a doctor...

Anyway, I'm trying to get private insurance; but the doctor I saw told me he would be happy to see me outside the auspices of the fund, and he just wanted to "make sure you're not getting screwed over" (his words). Esther has so far sent three emails to the Minister of Absorption (no response) and I just sent an email to the former Ambassador of Israel to the US, who happens to be at the top of the Nefesh B'Nefesh organization. We'll see if anything comes of any of these efforts; my cynicism can be forgiven, I think.

In further news from officialdom, I got my Israeli driver's license without having to do much of anything (since I had one in 1980). Esther, however, needs to take a driving test before she can get a license.

Our house in the US did actually sell, since the money showed up in our bank account this week. Finally! One less thing to worry about, and one less "hook" to try to pull us back to the States.

So far there is no particular news on the job front, though I did have yet another interview (my third) with the small company this week - and they are supposed to give me an answer before Rosh Hashanah. The big company is still fighting over which group I should be in. So for now, I am still unemployed but hopeful that the New Year 5768 will see me fruitfully employed. Esther has signed up for a course to become a "doula" (you'll have to look that one up on your own).

It's interesting to note that whereas Chabad has a very strong presence in the US, here it's almost an afterthought. Despite the ubiquitous posters with the Rebbe z"l's picture proclaiming him mashiach, almost noone actually goes to a Chabad shul. As a point of reference, out of 40 shuls in this town, there is exactly one Chabad shul (there are two Temani shuls). Further, the Chabadnikim one encounters here are more likely to be unhinged in some way than the ones in the States. There is one in particular, living not too far from us, who has the yellow "Mashiach" flag hoisted over his house, and ... a goat on his porch. A real goat. I don't know, but the goat's name might be "Shawarma"...

ALERT: there is no powdered cocoa (for baking) in Israel! So a very earnest employee of the local supermarket informed us Thursday. Unfortunately for him and his claims of being "a professional chef", there was in fact cocoa, right next to the coffee (don't ask why it's there, it just is). His exact words (translated) were, "such a thing doesn't exist at all!". And that is one of the more endearing things about Israelis - they are experts in everything.

ALERT: proof that being non-religious damages your health! Unfortunately, we have noticed that many non-religious Jews have severe problems judging distances and sizes. There is a direct correlation with religiosity, since we have seen that the religious girls and boys have no problem buying clothing which covers their bodies properly. Sadly, there is an epidemic of poorly clothed secular Israelis, with shirts which don't reach their pants or skirts, as well as pants which are woefully inadequate to cover the owners' hindquarters. Perhaps the Gov't will create a new Ministry of Shmattes.

ALERT: cause for longer lifespans in Israel found! Many of you remember that before we moved here, I did a small research of relative risks and lifespans and found that (according to official documentation) Israelis live a couple years longer than Americans do. Until now, the precise cause has remained uncertain - but no longer! My trip to the doctor's office (during my single day of eligibility) indicated my blood pressure was an athletic 100/70, when it had been 115/80 in the US. Then I realized that I had spent a great deal of time dealing with government officials since our move, and it hit me! Dealing with the Gov't is just like aerobic exercise - your blood-pressure soars for a couple hours, and then relaxes back to normal. This stretches the arteries and veins, and gives you better cardiovascular condition! Who would have thought something good could come from the Gov't?!

COOL MANLY THINGS: Last week I made a special trip to get a transformer from a guy who winds them by hand. Esther's heavy-duty kitchen appliances need a heavy-duty transformer, and boy, did I get one! 800W of manly iron-core voltage transformer! It weighs 10 kilos, but it does the job. We were finally able to enjoy Esther's home-made Challah this past shabbat!

MORE COOL MANLY THINGS: There is a patio just outside our kitchen, where our patio furniture is. We would like to use it on Shabbat, but since the area is not enclosed, and the eruv here is not reliable, we had to find a way to enclose it. So with the advice of a friend, I put together a "shabbos fence" which consists of two poles and metal eyelets spaced along it. The poles attach to existing fences, and I run nylon cord through the eyelets so that I have four parallel cords - and a fence which is a real fence according to the halacha. The poles can be easily detached and stored away during the week. So now, we can enjoy a meal outdoors on Shabbat should we desire.

This week, we've ordered "Challa from Sderot" - Sderot being the town in the south of Israel which has been under frequent rocket attack by our partners for peace in the Gaza strip. So by ordering the challot from them, we are doing something to support them even as the Gov't does nothing (not even wringing it's collective hands). I'll let you know next week if this was really mesirut nefesh on our part or no...

Our daughters are apparently fine; we don't see much of either of them. However, Daniela will be staying with us this shabbat and bringing with her two friends from her school. I hope they like the heat.