Blog/February 2008/Feb 1st
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February 1st (See this week's devar torah)
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Hi again!
Once again, I'm entertained by my neighbor's blog. This past entry was about the Velcro Nation, e.g. we Jews - all blame sticks to us. Read it, you'll like it. Besides being entertaining, it's well written - something one encounters too rarely.
The big news this week was -- no, not the completely fair, unbiased and impartial Winograd report, but rather the fact that it snowed in Jerusalem! Good thing I stayed home, there was an accident right next to where I work. Turns out, the snow fell for two days, not just one. I probably could have gone to work, but Israeli drivers being completely unaccustomed to snow made me think it more prudent to stay stationary. Here are a few pictures of the snow, as seen from our fair town: NE, towards Jericho. The "disputed" area of the E1 police station. Part of East Jerusalem.
It's fortunate we decided to rummage in some of the remaining packing boxes, because we found my jackets and sweaters. Now that winter's half over, of course. Why do we still have packing boxes, you ask? Hasn't it been SIX MONTHS already? (yes it has, thank you for asking). Why do you have important things like winter clothing in boxes, for crying out loud?!?
Two reasons, really. First of all, despite this being a largish house, we don't have anywhere to put things. That's because (as I mentioned some time ago), "unfurnished" in Israel really truly means "nothing in the house, not even closets". Secondly, we hate this place (the house, that is) with a passion, and are counting down the seconds to when we will be able to move into the house we bought. For the curious, here's a couple pictures of the "new" place: front of the house (ours is the right side, from the big vine and rightward), and the garden (or at least a portion of it).
And why, you ask, do we detest this place? You regular readers already know the answer. If you're new here, just read some back-issues of the blog and you'll know. We still haven't got gas hooked up, though the landlady says she is trying to get it put together. This, after a long harangue where she asked us, "do you know how much you're paying rent?". She's upset our contract stipulates we pay rent in dollars, and the dollar has taken quite a beating these past few weeks. Never mind that we specifically asked her to choose either dollars or shekels (but not the greater of either, as was in the original contract) and she chose the losing currency. Too bad, better luck next time! So since we detest this house, we've not yet felt "at home" in it, and are unwilling to spend anything to really "move in". If we hadn't gone and bought a house, we might have made more of an effort to make a go of it here. We'd have to start with an ozone-generator to get rid of the pall of cigarette smoke wafting up from our downstairs neighbors...
Just to clarify: we like Maale Adummim. It's a nice, clean place; very well run. There are plenty of services so you don't have to go to Jerusalem all the time. Hot as hell in the summer, but there's only so much you can do about that. Making aliyah specifically to this city was a good choice - the local officials are very helpful, the schools are helpful, and there are enough other new immigrants that the culture shock is lessened. I'm just glad that some poor schmuck who doesn't speak Hebrew at all didn't move into our house here - he would have turned-tail and gone back to galut. No, I don't recommend you take over our lease when we're done with it (B"H, come July...).
Sarah went on a field trip with her class to the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, since she's majoring in art. However, hearing her criticisms of the exhibit they went to see, I think she's too down to earth to be a good artist. Maybe she would be better as an art critic? Daniela took first place in the first round of the "Hidon Hatanach" (Bible competition) which took place in her school this week, so congratulations to her! Both girls will be home this shabbat, and are each having a friend stay over; so we'll have to augment our food stocks to accommodate four voracious teenagers.
It sure is a good thing we have Egypt to help defend our border with Gaza. Not. Somehow, they remind me of the Vichy in "Casablanca". After first letting in the Gazans, now they blame Israel for their being there. I say, wall off Gaza and let Egypt deal with 'em. But who listens to me?
Shabbat shalom!
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