Festive Coke

My Yom Ha'atzmut photos are online, and the more I look at this shot, the more I love it. Follow the link to check it out on a black background too.

Israel is 59 years old, and the longer I am here, the less I can imagine my life anywhere else. Sure, we have our fair share of problems, but they are *our* problems, and we are fulling that 2000 year old dream of living as a free nation in our land.

Even the corporate giants re-label their soda for the chagim...! You have to love it.

Yom Hazikaron

We're coming to the close of a day to remember those who have died to keep our country alive.
The country without which, being a Jew would be a million times more difficult.
The country that protects us all.
The country that speaks the language of our people.
The country that G-d gave to us.
The country in which will all, with no exception, belong.

Although the day is late and chag is almost upon us, please take the time to watch this short movie, made by my good friend, Yosef Adest.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1gqFwqqw3s

If you're not yet living in Israel and didn't have the chance to spend the day remembering our fallen, take 90 seconds right now, and please forward this movie.

May the coming year be one of peace, one of kibbutz galuyot, and a year of redemption.

Chag Sameach.

Post Pesach Run Down

I'm not too big a fan of being out of Israel for the chagim, Israel is the focus of my beliefs, so where better to spend the festivals? Even more so when we're spending a week marking our redemption from slavery and the start of our nation. Add the accommodating nature of Israel to the argument (one day of chag, eating kitnyiot, no bullshit) and ideology + convenience = a great time.

My Mum and I travelled to Tzfat for Lel HaSeder [Seder Night], and chag was in motion. Discussion was lively and the Pesach story came to life in passionate Hebrew discussion, but a day later, we were on the road once again.

Over the course of the week I drove 1000km. I visited Tzfat, went camping, enjoyed a beautiful Shabbat at the Dead Sea, and spent Chag Sheni in Netanya with friends visiting from the UK. Pesach week was spent with family, friends from home, and friends visiting, and the photos will be online just as soon as I have done my laundry and settled back into day to day life.

Living in Israel is a blessing, but it is rare that I get the opportunity to visit much of the country. I leave Jerusalem every day for work, and occasionally visit Tel Aviv or Efrat, but other than that, I don't get much time to see the land. This week gave me the opportunity to sleep under the stars, and gaze upon all three of our seas.

Bring on the summer... there's plenty of camping that needs to be done!