If you will it...

Rambo: fast and easy!

2008-04-02T07:07:00.000-07:00

I've spoken of Ergo before and since then have become a huge fan of the software. Not only does this software combine Desktop Search and internet Search, but it acts as an awesome 3d Search Engine.

With visual search becoming the new big thing, I am waiting to see how Google want to join this race!

YouTube Videos

2008-04-02T06:27:00.000-07:00

First let me say this, THANK YOU TURTLE SAYS. I still remember how I first came across this website, I was bored one day and then when I saw this site, I immediately began to enjoy myself on the internet. When I first stumbled upon TurtleSays.com, their joke of the day brought the biggest smile on my face. After that I continued on to their daily YouTube videos, and just like that an hour went by. So after all that I took a look at what else they have to offer, I then saw there photo of the day, when I saw that, the picture made my smile even bigger. Turtle Says is one site everybody should know about.

Race for the White House #3: I am your Father

2008-01-09T05:24:00.000-08:00

I posted an episode of this yesterday, I want to follow thorough with the series... so time permitting, there will be more every day until this great parody is over.

Check out episode three where Clinton gets mean...

Race for the White House Episode 3: I am your Father on FunnyOrDie.com

Candidates Face the Force

2008-01-08T11:47:00.000-08:00

As the polls close in Iowa, the candidates fight it out...

Me and my DVD.

2008-01-07T14:33:00.000-08:00

The audio cassette and VHS are long gone... childhood memories, that are no longer in use. In this day and age, it's all about the DVD or Blu Ray, and no doubt, that will change in the next decade too.

When I think about travel, I always make sure I have a portable DVD player in reach. A flight or train journey is much shorter when entertainment is at hand. Sometimes and MP3 just won't cut it, and the opportunity to pick up a DVD to watch right before the flight is always there.

Portable DVD players come in all shapes and sizes now. No longer are they bulky or dependent on recharging every hour. You can easily enjoy a domestic US flight, or travel between European destinations without worrying that your charge will run out. I for one will never leave my house without my player - and the evolving world of technology will only mean I will need a new device soon!

Buzz Words

2007-12-17T03:18:00.000-08:00

I'm addicted to my blogs, I love to read, and to write, unfortuantely, I don't have time to maintain or write my four blogs anywhere near as often as I would like to - but I have noticed something interesting about the techcrunch posts I read daily.

Tech goes in waves. A few months ago it was all about the iphone. Buzz surrounding the release, then the costs, change in price, European release, etc etc. That faded and everyone was worried about Facebook, Project Beacon and invasion of privacy. Once again, the fad has faded, and Techcrunch seems to be most concerned with Google.

Our field changes daily, and keeping yourself in the loop can be a full time job...

Time to get back to the RSS!

Trivia Fix Question of the Day!

2007-12-06T01:20:00.000-08:00

How much sport can you handle?

Sports Trivia for the Men.

2007-12-05T08:49:00.000-08:00

Flex those muscles and prove that you know shit!!

Holiday Time!

2007-11-05T12:58:00.000-08:00

I have never been too good at buying gifts, be it for the holiday season, or birthdays... It's just not something I am good at. If it was up to me, everyone would post wish lists and make it that bit easier. This year, I think I have found the next best thing.

Be it Christmas gifts, or gifts for her, there is plenty to look at on Shopping.com, and they have an awesome selection of Men's Nike Shoes too, the selection of products they have on offer really blew me away.

This year, kids, friends and the whole family can be happy with the choices of gift I can find, everything from ipods to barbie dolls and no one can complain come Christmas day!!

ASP vs PHP

2007-10-28T05:08:00.000-07:00

The world of programming is complex, and there is no end to the list of possibilities when it comes to choosing a language to program in. Sometimes, you will need to meet the needs of a client and write a script in a language you're not familiar with.

When looking for some help in this area, I found a site that describes the differences between ASP and PHP in a simple, easy to understand format.

The site shows the two codes next to each other, and is a solution for all those headaches!

Oh PageRank

2007-10-25T01:44:00.000-07:00

Considering how much people talk about how little PageRank really means, a lot of fuss has been made over the last few weeks as Google updated their data centers and caused havoc reducing big names to minimal page ranks.

At the end of the day, we all care what Google think. They may not be the best search engine out there, but they are the industry standard. We don't "search" for things on the net anymore, we "Google" them.

A while back (late 2005), there was talking of getting rid of PageRank entirely, but this seems to have been shelved. Perhaps this re-shuffle is Google's way of hitting back at sites that behave in ways that piss them off, or perhaps we will start to see a more regular change in PR's.

Google has the power, it's not worth getting mad about it either. They say PR drops, it drops. They say it goes, it goes. There will be life after PageRank.

Hide that IP...!

2007-10-21T02:23:00.000-07:00

One problem I have found with popular IP-hiding sites, is they too can end up being blocked. Being out of the US is great for travel experiences, but sucks when trying to access sites like Pandora.com that limit access to US users.

This morning I stumbled across (literally) www.hideyaip.com and it's awesome... works well, and I've got my Pandora back, for now!

Beatrome.com - your key to Rome

2007-10-15T13:00:00.000-07:00

Looking for a place to stay in the Eternal City? Trouble finding the best accommodations in Rome? Look no further: BeatRome.com is your definitive guide for finding the right apartments, hotels and bed and breakfasts in Rome.

Choose the best solution for your stay in Rome by comparing prices, services and sightseeing for each apartment, hotel and bed and breakfast in the historical center of the city - and even get the exact distance of each resource from monuments like the Colosseum, the Pantheon or the Trevi Fountain.

The site is extremely clear and user-friendly: navigate the easy map of Rome, browse the constantly updated list of accommodations and choose the best place to stay while visiting Rome - then book securely online with your credit card or PayPal. So don't hesitate: BeatRome.com is your definitive guide for your apartment in Rome, hotel or bed and breakfast.

Being Stupid makes you look... well, stupid

2007-10-11T16:57:00.000-07:00

TechCrunch have an excellent post about a possible lawsuit right here, but if I were them, I wouldn't be worried...

"oh hi sir... calling on behalf of the asten crutchen photo leading to tech erm website"

Sounds like a pro!

Ring Ring...!

2007-10-10T06:36:00.000-07:00

The ability to download phone ringtones was the cellphone equivalent to being the dawn of web 2.0 for cellphones, then the networks took it one step further. Now we can listen to music as the phone rings, instead of that boring ring tone. Each network has a different name for this service, but whether it is cingular answer tones, or vzw ringback tones, we no longer have to be bored when waiting for the call to be picked up.

Many people worry about their mobile phone ringtones and want to make sure they stand out from the crowd. That Nokia tune or palm treo ringtones can all be different, infact, I change my 7100i blackberry ringtones so often that I sometimes forget it's my cell ringing!

It's music to our ears...!

Breckenridge Colorado real estate

2007-10-08T15:25:00.000-07:00

Travel is one of those hobbies that I love and yet never get enough of. It's time consuming and sometimes costly, but worth every single cent. In Europe I have visited Amsterdam, London, Paris and Dublin, amongst many places, but a vacation in the US in my favorite of all.

Zoom it in a little bit more and my eyes land on Colorado, where the hills are snow topped and the resort of Breckenridge provides the perfect winter vacation, but when the snow dries and it's summer time, the watersports, town and mountains give the perfect city-country blend for a beautiful place to live. I can see myself being very happy in one of Breckenridge homes.

There are many options for Breckenridge real estate and Breckenridge condos and the search is much made easy with Breckenridge mls search and Breckenridge ski in ski out for sale options readily available.

The US has many beautiful spots, but Colorado's views and resorts are definitely somewhere I miss.

Bebo Everywhere!

2007-10-08T14:25:00.000-07:00

Just the other day I was talking about social networking, and Facebook is always thought of as the pioneer of this technology, but it isn't true. There are many other sites out there that perform an excellent job at keeping people in touch with each other. Sometimes details on these lesser known sites can be hard to come by, but Bebo information doesn't need to be difficult to get. In some respects, Bebo offers features that other sites forget to offer, at that has lead to it's popularity in places such as Ireland.

As with any successful site, school and bosses want us to avoid being online all day and can sometimes limit access to sites. Unblocking Bebo doesn't have to be hard. Getting round the firewall or changing settings isn't just for internet geeks, and soon enough you can be back online communication with friends, and perhaps strangers too, but make sure to keep your social networking safe!

Shop Safe

2007-10-08T14:17:00.000-07:00

We all have our favorite place to seek the best deals online. Some prefer the big name stores like amazon and buy.com, then there is the second hand option like ebay and half.com, then there is the beauty that is often forgotten of Craigslist.

Craigslist has often been somewhere I loved to look for offers, and to communicate with others, from the missed connections "you had to sit down in Subway on 3rd" to the apartment listings and and last minute sales.

The concern when buying from a stranger is always there too, but with some sense, we can always make sure to have our own form of buyer's protection. Avoiding scams at Craigslist doesn't need to be difficult. Be logical, follow wise practices, and most of the time your interaction will be with another honest internet user eager to go about their day. If all else fails, there is an Internet Fraud Complaint Center that will look after you.

Digital Picture Frames for All!

2007-10-06T16:49:00.000-07:00

I am all about photography. I don't leave my house without a camera, but one drawback that digital age has, is the need to be proactive about printing the pictures. The days of waiting for holiday pictures to come back from the lab is well over, and we're all about the digital.

This is why I want to take the next step and get myself a digital picture frame, but at the same time, a good quality cheap digital picture frame but there are so many out there. I want to preserve those kodak moments, and enjoy the best of my photos too.

Now I know exactly where to start with digital picture frame reviews telling me exactly where I can get value for my money. They have products from Phillips, Kodak and many other suppliers and getting a cheap digital photo frame just got easier, now my best shots are on display and not just taking up space on my hard drive.

Money... that's what I want...

2007-10-04T12:18:00.000-07:00

Money makes the world go round, right? We all use it, need it, want more... and then we don't actually use the paper - we opt for plastic. Personally, if I can't pay with credit card, I take my business elsewhere. There are cash back credit cards which offer an incentive. The more you spend, the more you get back. It kinda makes us feel less guilty when we drop that extra $50 on a night out. Other cards offer us different incentives.

Bankaholic has some great deals, they have the credit card suited to you, with options for a gas station credit card giving cashback on fuel purchases or even an air miles credit card for the frequent flier who wants to rack up those points for upgrades or free points.

However you want to get rewarded, there is an option out there for you. I love knowing that every $5 I spend on my card I get 'points' and one day, my dream vacation will be one step closer!

Idol Me

2007-10-04T11:34:00.000-07:00

Idol Me is a site I came across while trawling the web the other day. Yes, you could look at it as another forum or networking site, but I see it as having a special bonus. It's foucus is Entertainment and Music and that is right up my street.

The music section covers a number of awesome artists and and now I can have access to to biography and information about my favorite genre's of music all in one place.

Each Idol Me member a space to write the own blog too. The site understands how it can be hard to get those creative juices flowing and offers tool to help write the blog and promotes them on their list of recent entries.

I like this site, and I hope they do well, it gathers all the info you need from a music and entertainment point of view and puts it nicely in one place. This site deserves to be successful.

J'mapelle Dictionary

2007-10-02T18:34:00.000-07:00

If there's one thing the net is lacking, or at least my is yet to get my attention, it's an efficient multi lingual dictionary. Google has it's page translator, and there are many localized dictionaries to translate from A to B, but more often than not, I find myself Googling or Wikipedia-ing the terms I want translated.

Perhaps living a bilingual life gives me more of a need for this tool than many living in the US, but TechCrunch's mention of Lingoz this evening got my attention.

I played around with some French, Spanish and Hebrew words, and it even has a cool tool to differentiate between US and UK English. Words can be broken down into categories so searching for the term "Orange" gives you options from Psychology, Computer Graphics, or even Basic Colors. Best of all, this site is powered by Babylon, a company with ten years of success behind them.

If you ask me, they're on to something good here, after all, if you need a hotel in Germany or Places to Stay in the UK, you need to know how to ask for it!

Joost... for real!

2007-10-02T11:30:00.000-07:00

Joost excited me from day one... I was a beta tester from an early stage, and have eagerly awaited news of it's official launch. The guys behind skype clearly have the head for making the things we soon will never be able to live without!

I don't own a TV - cable isn't worth spending the money on, and so much is available online, but Joost is the logical combination we've been waiting for for so long. The home computer isn't the luxury it used to be, and it's logical that it should take the place of the television. If it's not online... it's just not!

Let's be honest now, how many of us really wait in to watch our TV shows instead of looking for those torrents?!

Dave Gorman's Genius

2007-10-02T05:50:00.000-07:00

For many years now, I have had a favorite comedian. Dave Gorman is simply a comic legend, his early work like "Reasons to be Happy" that was made for stage and performed round the UK, and at the Edinborogh festival.

Later on, his career took off with shows on the BBC, most famously, "The Dave Gorman Collection", then Dave Gorman's Googlewhack adventure. To be honest, I was not a fan of his Astrological Experiment series, but I am the proud owner of signed copies of his books, and have seen him live twice. This series delves into the minds of possible inventors, and who knows, they may even win themselves a UK Holiday House for their efforts! Accommodation in the UK can be hard to come by!

Until Dave gets back on the screen, he's on the BBC again. His show Genius is back on Radio 4 and radio on demand makes the work day that bit easier!

Why Network?

2007-10-01T06:04:00.000-07:00

I just came across this social networking post, and it was almost as though someone was speaking my mind. I don't get Twitter, nor Pownce. Facebook, mySpace, they kinda make sense. They condense many facets of the net into one familiar, tidy (not mySpace) and centralized home for us to benefit.

Twitter just lets me tell people something. Friends, ok, but strangers?

I don't get it.

The web is going social. If you're launching a start up, there has to be a social aspect. I have read about social cooking sites, and social diet sites... I don't get it, what happened to socializing with real people?

That said, where would I be without my facebook?

Facebook breaks it down

2007-09-29T03:01:00.000-07:00

Ok, so most of us use Facebook. It overtook mySpace for teenagers, and professionally some would say it left LinkedIn waiting in the shadows, but perhaps that was the problem. Do young professionals want to share pictures of last nights drunken antics with a world of potential San Fransisco Bay employers?

Zuckerberg to the rescue. Yesterday, Tech Crunch reported that Facebook will allow you to group your friends, so different groups will get different info. Now those old high school buddies that you added so not to offend, won't have the same access as your co-workers you wish to share every second of your life with.

The Facebook phenomena took over. It wasn't sudden, but as soon as they opened the gates of their site to the non-college world, every week has seen a change. Almost every time I log in, something has changed, and to be honest, I don't like it. I am not sure why we're compelled to put our lives online, but this small change could make the world of difference.

Right to the Point

2007-09-28T02:51:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I have seen some true honesty in film. Directors shoot for the stars, trying to make an epic movie that will outlive the test of time. Sometimes Hollywood tries too hard, nut Michael Davis got this one just right.

Shoot 'Em Up has no realy plot or premise, but it doesn't waste much time pretending to either. It's a movie of gunshots, violence with a damn good soundtrack, and once you have seen this film, you'll never look at a carrot in the same way again!

"Do we really suck, or is this guy really this good?"

In enjoy the movies, but all too often I leave the theater wishing I could get those two hours back. This time I left wishing I could go back right in there. This film is honest, from the title down. It's about shooting.

If you want an intellectual challenge or food for thought, forget it, this movie won't satisfy you, but if you want to feed the testosterone with blood, violence and heavy metal... book a ticket right now!

Wheels of Love

2007-07-19T09:05:00.000-07:00

This is my last, and possibly most worthwhile post on this page. My blog has moved to http://blog.britishyosef.com - please update bookmarks, and read below.

I've been in Israel close to three years now. Time has flown by. I've watched people come and go, and focused on getting myself settled. Three years is a long time to focus on myself, and now, I want to put as much energy as I can into focusing on something much more important.

The Alyn Children's Hospital in Jerusalem gives. It gives children, and gives to families. Health Care in Israel can be a struggle for many, and Alyn aim to alleviate that by being the only hospital to provide only comprehensive pediatric and adolescent rehabilitation centres, and being one of the world’s leading specialists in active and intensive rehabilitation for children. Children with congenital and/or acquired conditions, victims of car, domestic accidents and terror attacks, head trauma, elective surgery and cancer, are treated at the hospital.

At the end of October, I will cycle from Tiveria in the North, to Jerusalem, as part of the Wheels of Love annual bike ride, and every penny I raise will go to helping children like Antonella, who suffers from spina bifda, or Shabtai from Arad who lives with Cerebal Palsy.

This is a cause we all connect to. We all know children, and would hate to see them hurt. Please spread the word by linking to http://bikeride.britishyosef.com and making a donation.

Please help me to give back to a country that has given me such great opportunities in the recent years.

Bye Bye Blogger

2007-07-15T14:59:00.000-07:00

If you will it... has moved to it's new home. Please visit at blog .BritishYosef.com and update your bookmarks.

My blog will still be available by email, click here to subscribe.

http://www.BritishYosef.com
http://flickr.BritishYosef.com

Cultural Divide

2007-07-11T01:38:00.000-07:00

When asked by a friend if I was looking forward to my trip to London at the end of the month, I replied that I was scared. Not of crime, or terror, but scared that the cultural difference between me and the UK will have become so great, that I would get arrested for doing something I didn't know was wrong.

It's close to two years since I was last in London, and the vast majority of my life here occurs in an American-Israeli bubble. Last week I went to Sheva Berachot for friends, and I just got invited to a similar event in London

The British Invitation - by email.

Yosef,

My wife and I are organising a Sheva Berachot dinner on Date in August for Chatan & Kalla. We would be deligthed for you to join us, but would appreciate having a postal address to send you an invitation. Please be kind enough to let me know how best to do this. When will you be in London?

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Kol tuv,
Name & Number

The Israeli Invitation - by phone.

Me: Yo, how's it going?
Chatan: All good... you?
Me: Just wondering how life-after-wedding is going? All good?
Chatan: Yeah man, we're gonna order pizza and make Sheva Berachot our apartment. See you at 8?
Me: Sweet... I'll bring a bottle.

Sure... these incidents are both extremes, but most Sheva Berachot I have been to over here haven't been organized much before two days in advance, then the SMS's get sent, or calls get made, and we meet up in an apartment, restaurant or forest. I am pretty certain this is first single instance that I will receive a postal invitation to a sheva berachot.

Culture is rich, and every country thrives on their own methods. The pre 2003 version of myself was always forward planning, but now, I won't talk about Shabbat before Wednesday.

If I never blog again after mid-august, there's a good chance that Her Majesty will have locked me up for some form of treason I have forgotten existed.

Blog Stuff - probably quite boring!

2007-07-10T07:41:00.000-07:00

It's definitely one of those days. Yes, I do have work to do, but the likes of Flickr, wikipedia, xkcd.com, Meebo and an argument with a friend about the color of grapefruit have been much more interesting that actually working. Surprisingly, Facebook didn't make it onto that list. I work in hi-tech, I can spend time on the net, right?

In the spirit of High Tech, or rather inspired by a conversation with a co-worker about how people found his blog, I had a look at some of my referral stats, and it's amazing what some people try to find on Google. There are some logical search results that lead people here, such as 'nargila', 'bezeq', 'Adi Ashkanazi' - all of which are things I have commented on... that makes sense.

The oddest search result to reach me was probably 'apple slicer and stitches' - kind wishes go out to whoever it was I share that experience in common with... and as for Mr. 'Ulpan Etzion Sex', I wish you an easy klita!

Well... now that I have publicized my geeky tendencies online, I got to run home, my lift is waiting. Perhaps Route 443 will have hold inspiring to write about tomorrow.

Saved by the Bell

2007-07-07T23:04:00.000-07:00

I'm going back to school.

That's it... it's happening. No long introduction needed, no waffle about summer time, change, aliya, journeys, responsibility or any of that stuff. Come September, I will be a student. Not a full time student, not a degree student, but I have found a course in the field I love, with hours that suit me, and I am going back to school.

For the last five or six years, university talk was always around. I applied to university four times, and each time, I turned down the offers I received, knowing that studying a degree out of my field of interest would be a waste of my time, and money, and the chances are, I wouldn't follow through. This time, I am going to be studying at a design school, and working at the same time.

In addition to the skills and qualification I will receive, there is one other aspect that I am looking forward to. My course, in Tel Aviv, is in Hebrew. It will give me an insight into the real Israel, I will get an opportunity to see life outside the Anglo-bubble I live in. Don't get me wrong, I love my friends and the life I have built here, but a little more Hebrew language and Israeli integration is defiantly overdue.

"I have never let my schooling interfere with my education" [Mark Twain] and now the time has come for me to take my education to the next step.

"That is that, The End."

2007-06-28T00:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday my mind was forced back in time to 1997. Princess Diana was still alive, Accommodation in UK was cheaper, Harry Potter was barely known, the second intifada was yet to be, Titanic was playing in Movie Theaters and Tony Blair was elected Prime Minister of the UK.

When I heard of Tony Blair's pending resignation, I joked that he should run as our next Prime Minister, here in Israel, not realizing how close to the truth that was to become. It has now been announced that he is to be Middle East Envoy to "The Quartet".

Tony Blair has been a friend to Israel, not a lassez faire friend like Bush, but an active advocate for Israel's right to exist and defend herself. Sure, he isn't "that guy" and doesn't back every move we make, but he's a pleasant change from the full on critic that so many other of friends are. Rather than being a Bush copycat in passive positivity, Blair seems to share the passion that he may have learned from the former US President that occupied the Oval Office when Tony secured his landslide victory. Whether you agree with the policies or not, both Bill Clinton and Tony Blair have been proactive players in trying to fix this mess.

Personally, I know that Blair was the best Prime Minister the British public had in my lifetime, and he's left very large shoes to fill. If his impact in the Middle East is anything close to the success he nourished in UK and international politics, then maybe, just maybe, we might reach a point where we can start to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Despite my optimistic hope, the likely outcome will be the occasional high profile meeting, perhaps a front page headline every quarter, and business as usual for Israeli-Arab relations, but if the public and government can learn one thing from England's last decade, it is the lesson of change.

Thatcher and Major destroyed elements of the United Kingdom with their policies, and the public demanded change. We mustn't let Olmert and his party of opportunists let us sink lower than we are now, and when elections do come around, it will be time to rid ourselves of the apathy that is holding us back and bring about a change in direction.

Pride

2007-06-21T08:52:00.000-07:00

Pride refers to a strong sense of self-respect, a refusal to be humiliated as well as joy in the accomplishments of oneself or a person, group, or object that one identifies with. [Wikipedia]

I am full of pride. I am proud to be a Zionist. I am proud to be a Jew. I am proud to live in Israel and be supporting myself fairly successfully. Pride is a good thing, but pissing off an entire city in the name of pride does no one any favors.

The Jerusalem Gay Pride Parade has become an annual event, but it's not just the parade that gets the attention. Political arguments, court sessions and a feeling of animosity falls over Jerusalem every year as the Gay community demands their right to march, and the Ultra Orthodox demand their right to sanctity in the holy city.

I am neither Gay nor Ultra Orthodox, yet I disagree with the behavior of both camps.

The Ultra Orthodox need to realize that we live in a diverse world. We don't live under messianic rule, and Israel is a modern, western state, who citizens are not obligated to follow Jewish law. Stabbings of Gay Pride participants is wrong - no matter how you look at it, and isn't in the spirit of "love your neighbor like yourself". People must accept that the country is broader than the limited, blinkered, horizon that many confine themselves too and let it be.

Sometimes an autopsy will need to be carried out, or a parade will take place; bin-burning and hostility is not the way to show your displeasure. Grow up. There is no genuine halachic authority that permits homosexuality, but you have to remember that not everyone follows Torah Law, and that is ok too.

The Gay community need to respect their surroundings. San Fransico in the US or Brighton in the UK are known for their vibrant homosexual cultures. Jerusalem is primarily known for being the holy city of several faiths. If you feel the need to parade your sexuality, respect the majority rule of democracy and don't go out of your way to antagonize the population of a city.

It's all about a little bit of tolerance.

Aside from the "not in Jerusalem" argument, I have one fundamental problem with Gay Pride Parades. I don't need to know about anyone else's sexuality. Sex should be a private act between two (or more) people, and should stay that way. Tonight, homophobia is fueled by angry people who can't drive their cars through the city to get home. Most people don't care if you're gay or straight, and that's the way it should be. Keep your sexuality to yourself.

Jerusalem has enough problems without different sects of our own people fighting each other and the international attention that Jerusalem gets when Gay Pride is mentioned makes it embarrassing to live in this city.

Contrasting View

2007-06-19T22:37:00.000-07:00

When thinking of the shuk, most think of the crazy Friday vibe. Residents decend on the traders to get the best deals for the weekend and tourists head down to the market to see what all the fuss is about. The closer it gets to Shabbat, the crazier it gets as traders cut prices in order to sell their wares before sundown.

My new camera and I went for a test drive the other evening and I experiences that side of the shuk that I love more than the pre-shabbat vibe. Around 8pm, many stalls have closed for the night, and haunting peace dusts the air.

Jerusalem is a city of balance, but this mundane contrast gives hope that at the end of the day, everything is going to be just right.

12 to 12

2007-06-05T05:13:00.000-07:00

Israel is in the press a lot at the moment, then again, that's nothing new, but this time, the world is not just wagging their accusatory finger and picking holes in this weeks big news story, they are casting their eyes back.

Just a few weeks ago, we marked Yom Yerushalaim. Forty years since the 2000 year exile from Jerusalem came one step closer to being truly over, and the Jewish nation gained access once again to our holy city. For some, this landmark is a true celebration, a time to thank whichever power, be it G-d or Man that they feel is responsible for this dream becoming a reality. Others will be marking forty years of the 'evil occupation'.

This morning I was tagged by in a meme/forward, started by Nefesh B'Nefesh is asking olim to list 12 things they love about Israel, 12 reasons they made aliya, and send them on to friends, family, and Jew's all around the world who have not yet made aliya... I'm going to have a go at mine.

WHY I CHOSE TO LIVE HERE
1. Israel gives me an overwhelming sense of belonging. For as long as I can remember, I expressed my Judaism through my Zionism, and my lifestyle would be hypocritical on the streets of New York on London. From a pre-bar mitzvah age, I knew I would live in Israel one day - how could I deny myself my dream when it is so easy to accomplish.

2. I can wear a kippa with pride. I have a sense of security on the street. Sure, there are different threats, but I don't worry about getting mugged. I can walk the streets of Jerusalem at night. The police and security forces are my brothers, not foreigners.

3. G-d said so. We were given back the land, and the torah commands Jews to live in the land. Abraham "lech lecha"ed to an unknown land, and if I can't have even a little bit of faith, there would be a void in my life. I am far from being the best Jew in the world, the term modern othordox probably fits loosely, but my heart is in the right place.

4. Ancient and modern history is documented with almost single step I take. Be they plaques on street corners, or living remains of a time that once was. I can live history.

THE THINGS I LOVE ABOUT ISRAEL
5. Pre-aliya, I would make toast, perhaps fry an egg if I wanted an easy meal - but that changed in Israel. No quick meal is complete without a Pitta. Everything and anything goes well, be it peanut butter, baked beans or shwarma. No meal is complete without!

6. In comparison to the level of care I know from before, I can not complete this list without mentioning medical care in Israel. It's something I haven't needed a great deal of, but from my limited experience, have definitely come to appreciate.

7. The care for one another. If you drop your wallet in town, you really might get it back. On a larger scale, during last summer's war, the entire country rallied round and opened their home, gave their clothes and volunteered to support the victims of the war. We see the same now in Sderot.

8. Jewish life is all around. I can easily to identify as a Jew, and when chagim come around, the entire country knows it. No need to explain to a boss why you need a day off mid-week just before a crucial deadline, because the deadline probably wont exist!

9. Speaking Hebrew.... it's not just a language, it's a language resurrected by pioneers of the land. Just as we have developed the state, we have developed our native tongue, and the efforts of those like Eliezer Ben Yehuda are alive today.

10. My social life is comprised of scores of people from around the globe. Together, we have our own community and support network. Sharing our previous experiences and upbringing is an education in it's own. After time, our friendships grow stronger, and now we can share our own "remember when..." stories from the early steps of our klita [absorption].

11. Our land may be small, but that's a great advantage. I can wake up camping on the coast, and by lunchtime be jeeping in the dessert or hiking through woodland. A vacation doesn't need to be two weeks in a foreign land (although that's nice sometimes too), there is so much beauty to discover and experience here, and all you need is an overnight bag.

12. Family isn't just blood - it's a phenomena that runs much deeper, and even throughout the passage of time. Personally, my Mum living in the same city is a blessing I would never change, but for everyone making aliya "on their own", there is an extended family waiting to take you in.

Sure, it might be harder to save up for that second home or dream vacation, but why do I need a lavish vacation or luxury car when every single second, every moment of my day, I am living the ultimate dream.

"If you will it, it is no dream."

Now it's time to hear your's - I tag Valley of Ghosts, Lizrael, Gila, Dot co Dot il and Calev.

The original message text is here:

Today I received an email from Dudy Stark of Nefesh B'Nefesh:

This coming Shabbat, the Torah portion , Shelach, that recalls the sin of the spies, is read. These were the 12 men that Moshe sent to scout out the Land of Israel before entering. When they returned, their reports were distorted and negative and caused a 40 year delay before the Children of Israel could enter.

Today despite the challenges that come with living in Israel, we are witness to all that is good and special about living here and it is in our ability to tell our family, friends and neighbors abroad what those things are.

Nefesh B'Nefesh is initiating a simple project this week called "12 to 12". We are asking every Oleh to compose a list of 12 great things you appreciate and love about living in Israel and email your message to 12 (or more) friends abroad.

If you send this out to your friends, please CC 12to12@nbn.org.il when you send it out

Journeys

2007-06-01T05:14:00.000-07:00

The general feeling in "the circle" this week, is exhaustion. When I woke up on Sunday morning, I was shattered, dreaming of Shabbat before I had even reached the office. In less than four hours, I'll be there, and I am ready to embrace 25 hours in the spiritual realm.

Perhaps Shavuot threw the body clock off, a mini Shabbat, just before the real thing, and now we're in the home stretch to Ellul and repentance. It was also a week of celebration, and partying. Two close friends married each other on Sunday night. On the other side of the emotional spectrum, there were "leaving parties" for other friends.

Dancing at a wedding makes me happy, the joy set the tone for a great week, but there is something wrong the words "leaving" and "party" in the same sentence. There should never be a celebration when someone is leaving Israel - and unfortunately, I know three people packing up and going back to the US in the coming weeks.

This weeks parsha will continue to relay the travels of the Jewish people through the desert. The levi'im start to serve in the miskan as G-d protective clouds sheild the nation from the risks of the wilderness. At the end of the sedra, we see this protection isn't enough, we wanted the meat to eat - so G-d sent it.

G-d kept us alive, back in the days of the t'nach [bible] when our leadership was strong, and later in history when things weren't so great. For generations people prayed for the return to Zion, the ability to live in Jerusalem, lhiyot chofshi b'artzenu, and just like G-d did in the wilderness, he answered our prayers and gave us the state of Israel.

Everyone's journey is different, no one can tell you what is best, or how you need to reach it. I can't say "don't go" - but I can say "don't forget".

I want to wish my friends that are leaving a successful journey in America. I hope the hiatus from Israel is short, and you accomplish your goals quickly, but at the same time, I want to remind you not to get too comfortable there. Don't get swept up in the lifestyle in the US, and keep the ultimate goal in mind.

You will be missed here, by your friends, and by the land. Be blessed with happiness, success, and may all your dreams come true, but don't lose site of the destination. Destination Israel.

Ctrl + Alt + Delete

2007-05-21T00:49:00.000-07:00

Time has passed, the public has become passive. I guess it was inevitable, perhaps that is just why Olmert didn't step down in the face of national outcry. He knew it wouldn't last.

Are we really that fickle? Can we put aside all our difference and flock to Tel Aviv to stand up for what is right, but back down as soon as we don't get our own way. Perhaps, deep down, the disposable society we have become has thrown out the desire for a new government.

When signing a petition on a Jerusalem street, a passer-by refused to add his name as "it wouldn't make a difference". I told him what I thought of his view... He was right - if everyone chose to do nothing, there would be no change.

We, the people that care about the state of Israel, need to shake the voter apathy and stand up for our beliefs.

We have no control, there is little alternative. What else is left? It's not like me to re-post someone else's work, but Lizrael's post is genius, and makes light of the situation we are growing to tolerate.

If only it was that easy.

One Belief

2007-05-15T02:32:00.000-07:00

Tonight we mark Forty year since Jerusalem was reunified. Forty years since out capital became one. Forty years is a while and many wonder if we have found stability in our eternal capital.

Putting the politics aside, we should remember that we all have one focus, so for one day, let's try get along. Put aside the lunchtime discussion about the charedim, students or left wing. Forget about the secular guy that cut you off as you drove in or the kibbutznik that ripped you off. Just remember that we're all Israeli's, we're all Jews, and down the line, we all want one thing.

Jerusalem is viewed by many as the soul of our country, and out country the soul of our religion, so until we're at peace within the city, can't accomplish much as a nation.

Chag Sameach. Let's work on being one.

Music to my Ears

2007-05-09T05:45:00.000-07:00

Israel could be compared to many other Western countries, we have advanced technology, cell phone operation, a strong currency and many are able to live at a fairly good standard of living. On the other side of the coin, many live in poverty, services (and students) strike at will, and the banks have a mind of their own.

Although I wasn't a regular concert goer in my pre-aliya days, it was nice to know I could go to a gig as and when I wanted to. On the whole, I am content with my CD collection (hmm... some would consider CD vs MP3 arguably third world!) or the radio, but the occasional live music event would be great.

Last month, media outlets picked up on the fact that both the Rolling Stones and Britney Spears are planning to perform in Israel. This was seen as a huge milestone as big names had been canceling gigs, or avoiding scheduling dates in Israel since the intifada. There is an optimistic feeling that bands will start to include Tel Aviv on Jerusalem for their tour venues.

A new website, bo'ya'manyak seeks to change this attitude.

The concept of the site is simple: Choose an international performer you would like to see in Israel, and name the highest price you are willing to pay per ticket. That's all – now you're part of the revolution. The website's homepage features a list of favorites at any given moment. YNET

The request-a-gig concept sounds like a great idea, and in the long run, perhaps these guys could become the .co.il of ticketmaster, and they certainly have an Israeli spin. I don't imagine an Amercian or British website called "Come here you jerk" getting much positive coverage, but the chutzpah that we love sure does help to get things done our way.

Who knows if this will change... but if I get a chance to see Green Day live in Israel, I will never ever have to leave this beautiful country ever again.

14.05.07 All of the State of Israel in Black

2007-05-08T04:05:00.000-07:00

Translation to follow. Please publicize.

On the 14th May 2007, all of Israel's citzens will wear back shirts to mark the many months since the Israeli soldiers were captured.

In July 2006, ten months ago, Ehud Regev, Gilad Shilat and Ehud Goldwasser were captured. Almost a year later, no one has heard anything from them. We don't know where they are, if they are alive, what their conditions are, or what happened to them during this period. Almost a year and their families don't function, and do everything to return them to their homes. Almost a full year and no one does anything to bring them home.

Almost a year has passed, and no one knows when this nightmare will be over. We can not let this subject go unnoticed from the daily agenda!!

We, the citizens of Israel unite together, and do everything, in order that the soldiers will be returned to their homes quickly.

These three soliders went out to defend our country!! To defend us!!

On 14 May 2007, Monday, we will all be in black shirts, and we call to you, Ehud Olmert, return these soldiers to their homes, and the normal lives their had before.

Please publicize this to all who you know, however you can.

New Kid on the Blog

2007-05-05T23:19:00.000-07:00

If anyone is best qualified to comment on new and exciting things happening in the world of blogs, I certainly am not the one. I just updated my links and deleted blogs that had been left untouched for as long as two years, but inspired by one of my mates, I feel an upsurge in blogging is around the corner. After all, the country is at a crossroad, so my opinion is obviously of interest to the world - right?

So while I toy with the idea of writing more often and dividing my hobby hours between my D-SLR and my dot com desires, it is a great honor to welcome my friend to the world of blogging.

In the Shadow of the Valley of Ghosts is a well written, funny and enjoyable blog, and I wish my mate much success on this new found venture into geekiness... but one piece of advice, quit writing blog posts in the margin of the newspaper on the way into the office!

The Morning After

2007-05-04T05:52:00.000-07:00

During my lifetime, the British government has switched hands once. I was born under a Conservative government, and one beautiful day in 1997, Tony Blair's New Labour party was handed the keys to Parliament and has successfully run the country to this day. Sure, there is the odd hiccup or disagreement, but nothing worth writing home about.

Israeli politics doesn't have that stability, and although everyone hates the annual, bi-annual election fever, it is time we head down that road. Our situation reminds me of "a new king arose and he did not know Yoseph" Shemot 1:8. Olmert assumed power on Sharon's popularity, but is clueless. The Winograd report tells us he acted with haste, and did not turn to those in the know for advice. A war was launched without considering the consequences, and Olmert is too stubborn to admit he messed up and it's time for him to go.

The course of history has been changed in Kikar Rabin before, and last night, Israel tried to change the course of today's history. I was one of the hundreds of thousands who went to Tel Aviv for one purpose. To be counted and the sight before me when I arrived was one I had never seen before. Chilonim and dati'im embraced a common goal. The left and the right stood side by side. Kikar Rabin was filled to capacity with Jews, Israelis, from all over the country, and olim from all over the world, united to tell the government, Ad Kan (Untill Here)!!!

No one expected this mornings front pages to feature Olmert's departure from office, but now he knows how I feel, along with a good proportion of the country, and the decent thing for him to do would be to step down.

It's got to hurt a guys ego when that many people think you're utterly enept!

Olmert Go Home

2007-05-03T16:17:00.000-07:00

100,000 is a large number.... so when they gather, from all over the country, and unite, despite political, religious and geographical divides, you know they are serious.

I just came back from the hafgana in Tel Aviv aimed at telling Ehud Olmert what the people thing of his leadership.

Check out my photos at http://tinyurl.com/2casmz while I formulate my thoughts on the events of the last few days.

Olmert, if you are reading this - go home.

National Draft Order

2007-05-01T06:21:00.000-07:00

"Coming to Rabin Square on Thursday is a national draft order," said Dayan. "The Winograd Committee has said its piece; now the public must say its. We, members of a public coalition, will not allow the conclusions to dissolve. The prime minister and defense minister who failed in making fateful decisions, in using the military and in abandoning the home front, must resign immediately." http://tinyurl.com/26ealn

Yesterday was an important day for Israel. The sugar coating was blown off the truth and the Winograd Committee released their initial, partial report, focusing on the first five days of the Second Lebanese War, and Olmert is still holding on to office with a smug sense of satisfaction.

Pirkei Avot states habayshan lo lomed [the embarrassed person doesn't learn], but we can not let this happen to Olmert once again. A Channel Two poll released this morning showed that zero percent - no one - would vote for Olmert if elections were held tomorrow, and yet, Kadima sit tightly in their seats, knowing that their party of opportunists and lime-light seekers is doomed should the Israeli public be allowed to head to the polls again.

Zero percent. That is not a result I have seen published before. We're not talking about a drop in the polls or a loss of respect. We're talking about utter disgust, and yet the voting public are too apathetic to pressure for a change of leadership.

On Thursday, many will gather in Kikar Rabin (Tel Aviv) to show their feeling. The protest has been organized to bring our feeling to the attention of the men with the blood on their hands. Olmert acted in haste, and without experience, but even worse, he didn't seek advice from those more experienced, and in order to preserve any shred of respect he may have left, it is time for him to step down.

Make your voice heard and be counted.

Festive Coke

2007-04-25T12:55:00.000-07:00

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

2007-04-23T09:22:00.000-07:00

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

2007-04-12T03:34:00.000-07:00

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!

Springtime Photography

2007-03-28T12:50:00.000-07:00

Bus journeys, weddings, all good reasons to carry a camera (click on the images for a larger view). Chag HaAviv is around the corner, enjoy and have a chag sameach!

Lshana Habah B'Yerushlaim Habenuya!

The Old Jerusalem Train

2007-03-12T07:24:00.000-07:00

It's a beautiful day in Jerusalem, take a look...

Roll with it...

2007-03-11T04:28:00.000-07:00

When water starts dripping through the ceiling, its ususally a sign of bad things to come. When it starts to seep from the outlets [plug sockets], you really know you have problems.

You can either get pissed off, or you count your blessings.

I am fortunate to have an excellent landlord and very kind neighbours who have all rallied round while water poured took over my apartment, fused the electricity and provided a welcome distraction to unexpectedly getting dumped on Saturday night.

The past thirty hours have been an eye opener. A good friend and I were emailing last week about how we have all become grown ups, and this ordeal has certainly been an experience that will linger in my mind much longer than the mouldy smell in my apartment.

I am blessed with awesome friends who will get me drunk - and take care of me - when I need it most. Knowing there are always family and friends that will drop everything for you when you need it is the best cure, and nothing can put you in a better mood when everthing is flooding.

Purim Fever

2007-03-06T03:56:00.000-08:00

Purim is over for another year and has faded into a drunken haze. Good thing for cameras really!!

Shuk Shopping

2007-02-23T05:56:00.000-08:00

When a mate tried to convince me to venture to the Shuk [market] with him this afternoon, I thought he was crazy, but that guy has a way of getting his ways, so of to that side of the city I ventured... camera in hand. Much to his annoyance, I was by his side, SLR in hand, trying to work the camera and get something worth sharing.

The results aren't anything to wow about, but for one of the first times since I started using the "big camera" I got shots in focus that express something of Friday life in Jerusalem. Between the camera and my ever-ringing cellphone, I am not sure what drove my mate crazier, but the pics are now online at http://tinyurl.com/3xxeda

I have scores of photos on my computer waiting for upload, I will get round to it... I promise.

Shabbat Shalom!

White City Photography

2007-02-11T08:15:00.000-08:00

Jerusalem Winter Ball 2007

2007-02-09T02:00:00.000-08:00

Jerusalem Winter Ball Photos now!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/yos/sets/72157594525988486/
www.BritishYosef.com

New Toy... Call Me!!!

2007-02-07T15:06:00.000-08:00

I have reached another milestone and made one of those long talked about purchases that will probably revolutionise my life.

My new skype-phone means I can use a cordless handset for my skype calls, which in plain English, means my UK line, and my US line, are fully functional using the same handset as my regular land line.

No excuses, give me a call (and if you need the number, drop me an email)!

Both Sides of the Story

2007-02-04T06:38:00.000-08:00

It's always good to shop around when reading the news so you can get try and get a balanced idea of what is going on in the world. I generally check a few sources if I am in the news-sort-of-mood, and the Sunday afternoon headlines obviously have very different sources.

Clear as crystal...

Olmert, bow your head.

2007-02-01T02:04:00.000-08:00

Sabra at Heart has voiced the sentiments of many this morning. The time has come. Olmert needs to go. No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, you must agree that the Prime Minister needs to command the respect of the country. When that is not the case, change is due.

In my opinion, Olmert's resignation is overdue for a number of reasons but for for now I'll keep them to myself, (I am writing from work and by 6pm tonight I must get the weeks tasks finished or it'll be a work-from-home-Friday) but have a think. Are you really happy with the corruption of the leadership, and the deceit the country's figurehead stands for?

Click here to sign the petition calling for Olmert's resignation.

Our baby state has had to fight for it's life from the moment of it's conception. We have stayed alive and reached adolescence, and we must continue to focus on the aim of a stable, safe, and secure country for those of us who live here now, and every single Zionist round the world whose eyes focus on our land and hearts call it home.

Before we could recover from the disengagement, we were hit by war, but rather than having a determined leadership, familiar with the dangers of Middle East captaining our ship, our Government is made of opportunists and pacifists.

Put the politics aside for a minute, and foucs on the root of the problem. Very few card-carrying Israeli's respect Olmert. The least we deserve is the chance to make our voice heard.

Read Sabra at Heart's Post: The Call for Ehud Olmert to Resign NOW here.

Break from Routine

2007-01-29T11:12:00.000-08:00

Every so often, it is good to take a break from the norm. Do something differently or take some time away. Knowing I had a doctors appointment I had to make at 4pm, and other errands and tasks that needed to be completed beforehand, I took a day away from the 6.30am alarm clock and didn't go into work. My 10am wake up came at the same time as news from Eilat filtered through to the news channels.

Three murdered by a suicide bomber.

This evening, I had an email waiting from a friend in the US. A friend in touch with her feelings and knows where she should be living, but has things she wants to finish up before making aliya. The email touched me, there was an expression of love for the land that is ours, there was an expression of desire to be here, and an expression of confusion at the mindless murder that takes place.

We don't always know the reasons why, the when or the how, but one thing I know for sure. We need to look to the day when this sort of thing stops happening. The day when kassam's aren't flying into our boarders from a territory given to a hostile neighbour with no historic claim. The day when the country isn't at risk from aeriel attack and summer vacations can be a relaxing break and not a war.

That day will come, but until then, we must hold our breath and remember where we should be.

It's a Sad day for Israel

2007-01-24T22:42:00.000-08:00

Prime Minister Olmert was partly right in his speech delivered in Herzliya. It is a sad day for Israel. We should all be worried about the country we're living in and the way man is interacting with his neighbour. It's a sad day when Olmert, the Government and the citizens of Israel have forgotten the basic human right of "innocent until proven guilty".

HERZLIYA, Israel (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert called in a speech on Wednesday for President Moshe Katsav to resign over allegations of rape and sexual assault.
Citing the attorney-general's threat to indict Katsav, Olmert said: "I have no doubt in my heart the president cannot continue to carry out his duties and that he must leave the presidential residence. This is a sad day for the State of Israel."

I don't know the full story, none of us do, but Katsav has been hung, drawn and quartered before given a chance to clear his name. Perhaps these charges are nothing more than a conspiracy, or exaggerated claims, or he could indeed be guilty, but the lack of respect the country is showing the President of the State of Israel is embarrassing.

When in the public eye, maybe one should step away from the limelight in order to focus on the scandal, clear their name or face the penalty, but Olmert should be offering support and courage to the defendant, until proven guilty, rather than pushing him out of office six months before his term is due to finish.

If Katsav is found guilty, the current barrage of condemnation will surely reach the international media once again, but until that moment, can people try and remember that as of this moment, these accusations have not been proved, and the man standing before us has the right to be considered innocent until the evidence is presented to a court of law who decides otherwise.

1.5 Million Buttons

2007-01-22T02:53:00.000-08:00

I just recieved a forwarded email, and I am always pleased to help out when I feel the cause is worthy. A school in Efrat is trying to collect 1.5 million buttons, one to represent every child killed in the Holocaust. To read more, click on the image below.

If you feel this is worthy, please do help them achieve their goal.

Shavua Tov

2007-01-20T08:33:00.000-08:00

In an effort to make my blog more useful, I have started to add tags to old posts. This will take time, and is far from a priority, but hang on in there, and maybe I will start writing more often too...

Shavua Tov!!

Time for Change? Perhaps Overdue.

2007-01-16T23:41:00.000-08:00

On a personal level, one of the results of last summer's Disengagement, and this summer's war was a feeling of apathy towards the news and current events. Pre-aliya Yosef was all about the News. I would check teletext during every commercial break to see if anything had happened in the world and would follow news stories like a hawk. Now, I check the news on a daily basis, and reserve comment for the issues I really do care about.

This morning I got up and as per usual, put on Channel 10's morning show to catch the pre-7am view of the world, and the news tickers were rolling. Dan Halutz, Chief of Staff of the IDF during the Second Lebanon War, has resigned.

I don't know all the ins and outs, perhaps no one ever will, but Olmert had been advocating for Haltuz to remain in his role.

Living in a society that changes their government more often than most cars require an MOT, it is with reserved optimism that I feel change could be round the corner. Let's give it a week until Halutz is out of his position and has the chance to tell his side of the story. I am not calling for another round of finger pointing and blame shifting, but the chance to vote for a Prime Minister who isn't under criminal investigation and has support of the citizens of Israel is an opportunity I wouldn't pass up.

Best of the Best

2007-01-14T22:57:00.000-08:00

To make viewing easier, I have split my Amsterdam photos into three groups. There are the 500+ that are on a DVD in my house, and two online albums. I linked the "Best Of" album yesterday, but I decided to single out my thirty-odd favourite photos.

You can check out both of these albums by following the links below... and do, there are some very good pictures!

The albums are accessible on flicker via the link http://tinyurl.com/yystz7 - and please feel free to leave comments on flickr.

Amsterdam - Jan 07

2007-01-14T11:41:00.000-08:00

Five days in Amsterdam and I averaged over 100 photographs a day, I filtered out the best and put them on my flickr account, but here are some of my favourites.

Enjoy, and check out the rest of the album here.

Pro's and Con's of the Holy City

2007-01-03T04:17:00.000-08:00

Jerusalem may be beautiful, and I do enjoy living here, but more and more often, I have the feeling that I need to get out. Everywhere I turn, I hear English. On Saturday night I went to an Idan Raichel concert, had a great time and enjoyed the live music. Between songs, Idan Raichel shared some stories with the crowed, and there was a circle of laughter, twenty seconds later, there was another after the Anglo's in the audience had the tale translated to them.

Yesterday I was in Rishon L'tzion for lunch, there wasn't an English speaker in site, and the fellow travellers on the Jerusalem - Lod buses I travel on certainly speak mother tongue Hebrew. Sure, most of these people are born Sabra's, and it takes time to learn a new language. I have no qualms with people that make the effort to learn Hebrew, but I that the proportion of non-Hebrew speaking olim hints a lack of effort rather than a true inability.

I wrote about this subject back in 2005, and it still annoys me today.

There is another reason to get out of Jerusalem. Municipal taxes are insane. I paid my arnona bill today, it stood at close to 7000NIS, which is higher than the average salary here. Co-workers of mine in Yafo, Tel Aviv and Modiin pay a third of the taxes those of us in the holy city pay, and once the discount for olim runs dry, that's a very large extra expense. Jerusalem was never going to be my home forever. I have no immediate plans to leave either, but when Arnona is due once again, we'll have to think if it's worth paying an extra $1500 a year to live in the midst of an island of English speakers.

The plus side is the history, the views and the environment. Some of which I was able to capture as I walked through Gan Sacar at 7am the other morning.

Check out the rest on my flickr pages.

Caught on Camera

2006-12-31T05:18:00.000-08:00

My desire to blog is dead, and for a long time has been replaced with my eye for photography. I have uploaded four new albums to my flickr account this week, and I am proud of some of the results.

Please check my flickr to see the rest.

For the Miracle
Chanuka at the Kotel, from the Album Great Shots from Dec/06.

Idan Raichel Project
Live at the Ma'abada, Dec 30 2006, from the Album Idan Raichel Project Dec/06.

Street Poi
Emek Refaim Chanuka Street Festival, from the Album Chanuka & Winter Dec/06 .

Goodbye 118a
Taking time capture my old apartment before moving, from the Album Moving Home Dec/06.

White (post) Christmas

2006-12-27T07:38:00.000-08:00

As I through Gan Sacer on the way to work two days ago, the park was dusted with frost. The trees were swaying gently in the morning air and my breath drifted in front of me as I walked. Jerusalem was ready for a crisp, clean winters day. Later than expected, it felt like winter, and of course, there was talk of snow.

As I jumped on the bus on the way to work this morning, the skies were grey. Water was gushing along the roads and I was covered from head to toe in various plastic garments. Braced with the confidence of Aquaman, I got on the bus and there was still talk of snow.

There was no snow. The day off was cancelled, and off to work we went.

All the Jerusalemites in the office were constantly in touch with friends back in the city, IM reports advised us of the weather, and the final say was left up to Kotel Cam. As it 3pm, we decided to head home so to avoid the traffic. As we travelled along Route 443 the rain was constant, until we peaked on a hilltop, and everything in front of us was white.

The next few months look to be predictably wet. The snow has already started to melt and scared Israeli drivers are getting used to the wet reality. Winter is truly here.

Holy Mount

2006-12-20T05:34:00.000-08:00

Holy Mount,
originally uploaded by BritishYosef.

A small selection of Chanuka pictures are now online over at my flickr - http://tinyurl.com/y9xd67

Check them out, I know I am biased but there are some pretty good shots there.

Internet and Phone Options

2006-12-12T04:41:00.000-08:00

This post is something of a reference point. I have a reputation for knowing about phone and internet packages, and over the last week, five or six people have asked me for my point of view as they sign up or renew their communications bundle.

If you're new in the country, or just unsure how it works, I hope to break it down right here. This information is from memory and will probably go out of date, but right now, it's fresh stuff.

Bezeq Telephone Lines: Israel currently has two options for landline phones. You can go with tradition and order a Bezeq line, with your regional area code (02, 03, 08 etc) and pay something in the region of 50NIS a month for line rental, and pay per minute for calls. If you are a light user, they have a package called "Kav Kal" for 25NIS. Good if you just want an incoming line but not to good for normal phone use as per-minute calling is more expensive.

HOT Telephone Lines: The other (and IMHO better) option, is a landline through the cable company HOT. You do not need to be a cable customer to order a line. Rather than having a geographical prefix, your line will start with 077. If you move, you can take the number with you, even if you move to another city. They offer much better value for money too. Your line rental of 49NIS/month includes 2000 minutes of free landline calls, to Bezeq and HOT lines, so you know how much your bill will be. Extra minutes are 0.12NIS a minute, and cell calls are charged at 0.49NIS which is less than most cell plans.

If you want to reduce the line rental, you can have a plan for 10NIS less and have your minutes allowance reserved just for HOT 077 lines.

Alternatively, you can order a low user plan which is somewhere between 10-15NIS, and pay 0.12NIS/0.49NIS for landline/cell calls throughout the country.

Internet Service: I have a feeling Israel does this differently too, but I never order internet in the UK. In order to have an internet connection here, you need to order two things. You need the capability to run the internet, and then a service provider. These are going to be from two different companies.

The capability, or internet line, can be purchased from either HOT or Bezeq. As far as I am aware, Bezeq will make you order a landline as well as an internet line. HOT come up trumps here too and let you just order the internet line. They do give discounts (5NIS/month) to TV subscribers, but nothing to write home about.

One you have the capability to run the internet in your home, you then need to order the service, know as the Sapak. You are free to choose who you order this from. Netvision has a good repuation, and at the moment (12/12/06) have an for HOT customers. I use Bezeq Ben Leumi/014 (who are not the same company as Bezeq the phone company) as my Sapak, but when you call to order, haggle. Tell them you got a cheaper deal with another company, they will usually drop the price.

Useful contacts:
HOT - 1800 077 077 - www.hot.net.il
Bezeq (phone company) - www.bezeq.co.il
Netvision - 1800 017 017 - www.netvision.net.il
Bezeq Ben Leumi - 1800 014 014 - www.014.co.il
012 - 1800 012 012 - www.012.co.il
Smile - 1800 200 300 - www.015.net.il

Summary: This information is a result of my own experience and research. I personally use HOT for my telephone and internet services and am very pleased with the services I recieve. This doesn't mean Bezeq don't do a good job, I just have no experience with the company. After number crunching, I believe HOT will save you money.

Try it and see what happens, and please feel free to reference this article to anyone changing their service or new in town. Hat Tip to Natan for suggesting I this online.

First Steps

2006-12-07T02:24:00.000-08:00

Did I mention I signed the lease for my new apartment?

It seems like the last two months have been busy with the self imposed apartment hunting, and as glad I am to be moving next week, I realised that really am going to miss the neighbourhood that I am leaving. Baka has been my home since my second week in Israel. Five months at Ulpan Etzion were followed by a move round the corner in a shopping cart. Eighteen months later, I have accumulated much more, received a lift, and got hold of furniture. It's going to take more than a shopping cart to carry out this move.

While I do have many good friends in the area I am moving to, and numerous on the same street, I am going to miss the Derech Bet Lechem crowd that I have discovered over the last four or five weeks. At least my new place is just a half hour walk away. By this time next week I will imagine I will have boxes scattered all over the place and be cursing the decision to move.

Aliya is all about stages. The first year is said to be the worst, although that wasn't the case for me. In one respect my move will mark the beginning of a new chapter and as my second anniversary in Israel fast approaches, trying something new seems appropriate.

This week I accomplished a few other things for the first time. I now carry an international MasterCard, that can be used both in Israel and abroad. For those of you reading this from other countries, this will not sounds like much of a feat, but banking here is not like the Western world, thus my MasterCard is noteworthy.

In four days, nine hours and ten minutes, the Goralah HaGadolah will be drawn, and after hearing the חמישים מילליום הלוואי עלי jingle during every commercial break on TV and radio, I caved and purchased a lottery ticket. I approached the orange lottery selling booth in the middle of the street, and instantly felt like an oleh. Playing the lottery is not difficult, but when you have never done it before, you have to find out how. It transpires that it is just like the National Lottery in the UK, same coloured tickets and all, but the interaction was one of a kind.

My third first of the week actually happened before the other two. A friend of mine held a viewing for his Hitnatkut movie. Since the Disengagement of 2005, not much has been said or done to bring it to my attention, but this piece was great. If I get round it it, I will post my feelings of the political sham we are witnessing and describe my dislike of Olmert and the danger he poses to Israel, but for now, let me just say the documentary I watched was an excellent piece of Media.

Another week is coming to a close, Thursday night is party night, Shabbat is for the recovery, and next week I really need to start packing.

Stand Up Comedy and a Torah

2006-11-23T01:35:00.000-08:00

I've got quite into Israeli TV over the last week. Other than a great wait to maintain my grasp of the language, it's cheaper than spending a few nights a week nurturing a chetzi in a bar, and supermarket beer is much cheaper. Last night's "The Day That Was" on Channel 10 covered topical stories from Israel, and the Jewish world, including the headline "Does this video show the Lubavitcher Rebbe is actually still alive".

Tonight will be a stint of Adi Ashkanazi, her humour, although sometime tasteless, is a great way to start the weekend.

As you fly into Paris, you have a view of the Eiffel Tower. In Venice, the beauty of the canals. As El Al starts to descend over Tel Aviv, all you see are Dudei Shemesh (water heaters), and you think וואי, ברור שיש שם מים חמים!

Channel 10's televised version of the BBC Radio show "Whose Line is it Anyway" was full of Israeli/Jewish jokes, be it making fun of Ashkenazim or throw away lines of scripture or prayer to enhance the script. Being a less observant Israeli-Jew is clearly different from being a less-observant Diaspora-Jew, and it is clear to me which will hold on to their heritage in the long run.

YNet, one of Israels leading daily papers and news websites were carrying a story that a friend forwarded to me this morning, write a commemorative Sefer Torah via the internet. I normally delete the forwards as I get them, but this time the email grabbed me.

Ot Ba'Torah (literally, A letter in the Bible - website plays music when loaded so be warned if you're at work. English version here) are offering the oppertunity to write a letter in a Torah Scroll. The completed scroll will be donated to soldiers to mark Israel's sixtieth anniversary in a few years time. Each letter costs just 18NIS (US$4) and if you get in their early, you could probably find yourself a verse of group of words that means something to you.

We live in a world enveloped in technology, what can be better than when this technology feeds you items of interest, and are not scared to poke holes in everything around them. For those of you who (speak Hebrew and) own a TV, check out Adi Ashkenazi on Channel 2 at 9.00pm tonight for a brutley honest view of Israel, then go spend a couple of bucks on a letter in a Torah Scroll.

Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving!

New Photos

2006-11-21T23:38:00.000-08:00

Two new albums are online over at my flickr account. You can see them photos of David & Sarah's wedding, and other random snaps from the last few weeks.

Work has calmed down, the apartment hunt looks like it is over, watch this space, and my laptop blew up. Will keep you posted.

Office Space

2006-11-14T11:05:00.000-08:00

I've got a pretty good job. I can't complain about the salary or colleagues. Conditions are great and, within reason, I have a lot of flexibility. We're a department that get on well socially, and glue excellently professionally. The only down side has to be the daily commute.

Today was different.

For the first time since I joined the company, probably around seven months ago, work was not fun. Sure, there are days that the work is dull, but that's what the internet is for. Today I left work feeling like it was a different office.

Perhaps too many people came to the end of their tether, or maybe the straw that broke one camels back gave license for the entire herd to stampede, but by the time we closed the frosted glass doors behind as and descended in the elevator, we were pleased to be out of there.

All workplaces have office politics. Perhaps it is better that these releases occur on a smaller, yet more regular basis rather than getting bottled up and having a department wish the day had never happened.

I am hopeful that it was just today. On the other hand, a guard has been let down, a charade may have been dropped, and rather than this being a frustrated release, I am worried of this becoming the new face of the workplace.

Midweek is passing us, the week is almost over. Roll on Thursday so we can party and put all this behind us.

Sex and this City

2006-11-05T13:40:00.000-08:00

I just deleted a post about this weeks Gay Pride march. I am going to save my thought till after the event, then may, or may not, publish them. What I will say is this.

Jerusalem may be the holy city, but in reality is it just another modern metropolis. Ok, there isn't a train line or 24 hour gas stations on every corner, but Jerusalem is just like many other modern cities round the world. There is a diverse population, a strengthening economy and a strong night life. Judaism has become a very diverse religion, the boundary of acceptable behaviour has been stretched to the point where many can live a secular and religious lifestyle side by side.

Is there really a reason not to allow the Gay Pride event not to take place?

Although I don't feel ones sexuality is something that should be flaunted publicly, be you gay or straight, people like to march, people like to party. Whether or not anyone has the right to hold the march is a different story. If you ask my honest opinion, I would say I would prefer the march not to take place in Jerusalem, primarily because it makes the whole event much more political, but I hope this event is allowed to pass peacefully.

Israel has enough problems, no need to hate other Jews just to prove a point.

New Camera

2006-10-27T02:49:00.000-07:00

Pay Up,
originally uploaded by BritishYosef.

After three years of talk, I finally got myself a new camera. My flickr is proudly presenting the results of the test run. Check it out.

Shame about the Landlord

2006-10-20T00:55:00.000-07:00

Moving house is meant to be stressful, it's supposed to be a big deal but in the past I have always been lucky. I moved into my current place after friends had an opening, signed a lease six months later, and my landlady and I get on amazingly. I send her money, she fixes things ... walla.

Now I have a moving story.

After seeing five or six apartments on Tuesday, we found the place we liked. Not only did we like the place, but it was ideal. It met all our needs and had more space than we knew what to do with. The location was ideal, right in the heart of Katamon (Palmach) yet set away from the street in a secluded garden. There were two lounge areas, a kitchen, three bathrooms, kitchenette and massive bedrooms. The garden was equally as large, and the neighbouring building was unoccupied so there could be no noise issues.

We negotiated the price and managed to get $200/month off the asking price, and made our deposit and signed an agreement stating the apartment was ours. I went to work on cloud nine. My minds eye had decorated, arranged, invited, partied, and was already living in the new apartment. We gave little thought to the fact the landlord was a little odd, and used words like vibe, karma, jingle and zone way too often.

At 4pm, Mr Landlord "gave me a jingle" on my cell phone and told me the deal couldn't go through. He wasn't giving me any straight answers and started referring outstanding debts, lawsuits, problems with the Vaad Bayit (maintenance officers for the building) and other loose, meaningless statements.

Angry that this deal wasn't going through, I met Mr Landlord to try and get to the bottom of this and make our agreement stand, or at least get the deposit back.

To cut a long story short, Arnona hadn't been paid for three years, water bills for a year, he was being sued, and to top it all off, it wasn't his property to rent out. Mr Landlord was a tenant himself, and wanted to quick cash. IT WASN'T HIS HOUSE! Don't worry, it gets better.

He spent some of our deposit.

By now I have run out of words. I'm dealing with a guy that doesn't have a grasp on logic. His lack of understanding made it acceptable to spend our money, and then return some of it to us when he realised his scam would come back and bite him on the arse later on. The fake landlord guy is eager to return home, someone is coming round to buy his guitars from him, so I figured this worked to my advantage. I was happy to come with, and when the sale went through, I would take some of the guitar money to make up for the money he had stolen. More excuses and white lies... I go back to his house anyway.

Having taking his TZ number, Date of Birth, Bank Details, Friends phone numbers, and another document in which he promised to pay, I wasn't sure what else I could do, so I went to chill at a friends apartment.

A few hours pass and I meet with the friends I am looking to rent with and explain what went down over the last few hours. Fuming, we drive to Mr Landlords house at around midnight and wake him from his slumber to request the stolen money. Half an hour of discussion pass, and he offers collateral. He wants to pay, but can't, so he asks us to walk to the other end of the garden, he unlocks the door and puts his massage table outside, and once we hear the gate close, we can come back up the garden and take it.

There was no violence, no force, and no unnecessary hard feeling. Mr Landlord agreed that this was the right path to take, and last night he called to arrange a meeting to exchange cash for table.

In all honesty, the guy screwed us over, but something deep down made him call it off rather than seeing through his plan. We could have lost up to $8000 to this guy had the deal gone through, but something, somewhere, made him see this was a bad plan. Don't get me wrong, I do not like this man and never want to see him again, but I must give credit where credit is due and be grateful that he called off the deal.

Some people are shocked that something like this would happen in Israel. Other don't (want to) believe that this guy is an American. Personally, I don't think an Israeli would try a scam like this.

Anyway, it is back to the drawing board as far as apartment hunting goes. At least we came out of it with a story to share and a lesson to learn. Shabbat Shalom.

The Week(end) that Was

2006-10-17T10:49:00.000-07:00

Simchat Torah has traditionally been my least favourite of chaggim. Too many people just use it as an excuse to get drunk and become rowdy and immature. This year wasn't roudy or immature, but I saw the drunkenness from a different light. Plans to go to Efrat were modified and thirty of us headed to Moshav Mevo Modiin for chag.

I am no stranger to The Moshav so I kinda knew what to expect and the inspiration I found on Yom Kippur instilled me as we started hakafot and celebrated the Torah. OK, I don't want to start sounding like a raving hippy, but after a year during which I barely when to shul and was less and less motivated to do the Jewish stuff, but they have some sort of crazy joy that caused that "warm and fuzzy feeling" inside. The climax of the high holy days left me in a good place, and I hope for it to continue.

After shul, we headed to our host's house. The garden had a pagoda set up to keep bugs away from the food, and after the meal, people walked round the moshav, some returned to tents they had pitched wherever they found land, others found a place to crash. Ironically, I slept in a sukka.

I love the city life. I can't imagine not having a supermarket within walking distance or quarter-hourly buses to wherever I need to go, but the Moshav lifestyle is beautiful. Not specifically The Moshav, but the sense of community, safety and security that a close nit community can offer. Everyone has their tafkid, and is there to perform it. When I say it like that, it sounds like creation on a smaller scale.

As the sun set on Simchat Torah and the wine was wearing off, we hit 443 and headed back to Jerusalem. Not only to go home, but for my Birthday Party. Sugar Hill was packed, the bar was pumping, and I surprised, and touched, by how many people showed up to celebrate with me.

In other news, work continues to go nicely and my birthday was marked with a pay rise. We launch the website tomorrow thus the shackles of the Non Disclosure are coming loose. Tomorrow I will check if I am allowed to tell you what I do yet! The day has been long, apartment hunting is exhausting, but I am hopefully about signing a lease tomorrow morning. My 1 November (self set) deadline to move is becoming a reality (If you know of anyone looking to take over a room in a beautiful Baka apartment, send them my way, I need to find a sub letter for my old place).

Shabbat can't come soon enough.

Black Shirt Buddies

2006-10-15T14:01:00.000-07:00

Black Shirt Buddies,
originally uploaded by BritishYosef.

Just a brief note to let you know I have uploaded pictures from my birthday to flickr and facebook. Check them out at www.BritishYosef.com

Hope you all had a great simchat torah, I will share my experience as soon as the hangover wears off ;)

Five Year Plan

2006-10-07T10:51:00.000-07:00

Not only is it the start of a new year for all, but this week brings my own year to another beginning. As sun set on Jerusalem last night and everyone entered their sukkot, my Hebrew Birthday started, and as of Wednesday I will be a year older in the diaspora world too. The New Year and Birthday combo provide an excellent opportunity for a fresh start and new direction, and I am planning to do just that and write myself a new five year plan.

First of all, I will not be going to university this year, instead I intend to sit the psychometri and get into a course I really want to study rather than the options the Hebrew U presented me with. All being well, I know exactly which university and degree I have my eye on, and I even have some back up plans too. I plan to register for a psychometri course and take the test at the first opportunity.

Secondly, I am moving. The time has come for fresh walls and a new living scenario. For now I have ruled out Tel Aviv and wish to relocate within Jeruslaem. Katamon is a large factor in my desire to move. I spend a lot of time walking to and from the neighbourhood, many of my friends live there, and I want to be closer. If you know me well, the chances are you'll have heard another of the big factors behind me wanting to move.

The coming year will give me the chance to work, study and save some cash to aid me through school the year after. All being well, I hope to visit the US this year, and somewhere down the line a visit to the Queen's England might be on the cards. There have been talks of going to Italy and or Amsterdam with friends, but I doubt I will be able to afford four international trips in one year. One thing at a time.

One other change is on the cards. The blog.

For a while I have contemplated an end to my blogging. For now it will be a slowdown. The initial aliya-wow stage had plenty for me to write about, for that reason I want to keep my archives online for anyone seeking aliya information. I know for some this is like a group email delivered to your inbox so I will update every month or so. For more regular contact I guess we'll just have to email or speak to each other!

Technically I am still an Oleh Chadash, but the chadash is wearing off and it is time to change gear. I have found direction and I feel confident that the powers that be will give me the green light. The new year is upon us and I am ready to make it the best year yet.

Shake It

2006-10-06T00:45:00.000-07:00

May your Sukkah be filled with warmth and happiness this Sukkot.

Signed, Sealed, Delivered?

2006-10-02T12:47:00.000-07:00

Last year it was something new, and to be honest, something I didn't like. This year it was something that I couldn't wait to see again, and yet I will never be able to photograph.

Unlike any other country in the world, Israel stops for Yom Kippur. Schools close, public transport does not run, and even the airport shuts down for twenty five holy hours. Religious or not, Yom Kippur means something, it's either a day spent in the Bet Kenesset [synagogue] fasting, praying and asking for another year, or it's a day spent on the street, riding the bicycle as there are no cars on the roads.

Leaving Shul after a moving Kol Nidre service, Emek Refaim [a main street in Jerusalem] was alive with life as usual, but no cars, no cafe's, no take outs. The entire street, pavement and road [in British pavement means sidewalk], was full of pedestrians and kids on bikes, celebrating chag haofanyim. It's a Kodak moment that will always stay in my mind.

As for Yom Kippur itself, I hope I did good. Ask me in just under a year and I'll tell you how it went! I hope you all had a meaningful day, may all our prayers be answered.

New injury for the New Year

2006-09-27T02:10:00.000-07:00

Can't type much, hand hurts. I do have a picture of the gash on my right hand but figured the squeamish might not want to see it. Once again I have had stitches in my right hand, three more bringing the life long total up to eleven.

Nothing as serious as last time, but slicing the fleshy "below the thumb" area on both of my hands with as an apple slicer split as I used it while trying to make apple crumble a few hours before Rosh Hashana earned me a visit to Terem (the emergency clinic).

Went back to work today after watching Series 2 of Lost in a day, quite frankly the house got dull and even though I am pretty useless at work, the Lod scenery really appealed this morning. We'll see about the rest of the week.

One other major update, after much nagging from many people, I managed to join Facebook. Yey?

שנה טובה

2006-09-21T12:18:00.000-07:00

May everyone have a sweet, good year, and days of peace and success.

What I do at Work

2006-09-18T02:42:00.000-07:00

Due to the confidentiality agreement, I can't really say what I do, but it does involve a very big database, occasional kick about, and all sorts of colloquial office-isms. Right now we're waiting for Moshiach to eat lunch, later we'll have a meeting in the Goldfish bowl.

What really matters is the fact that I really enjoy my job.

When we reached a significant, and secret, landmark, the evening was marked with an office BBQ, the photos of which you can find here.

War Crimes

2006-09-14T00:15:00.000-07:00

As I did the morning news crawl, a BBC headline caught my attention As yet, I have not had a chance to crawl through the articles, but I did want to share this screenshot.

BBC Article
NY Times
Newsweek
The Independent
Amnesty International

לכל מקום שאני הולך אני הולך לא"י

2006-09-05T03:10:00.000-07:00

If I were to blog about every instance of how small this world really is, I would probably need another blog to document the stories. No matter how easy it is to keep in touch, it's not so easy to keep in touch with everyone. People drift apart, lifestyles change, time zones prove to be a barrier, or sometimes you just know you will go separate ways and go for a beer when you end up in the same place again.

Last night I went for goodbye drinks for a mate who has flown back to the UK to carry on with university (will miss you man, come back soon), he too is outgoing and has a large number of friends and the bar we were at was packed. Among the crowd were friends I knew from the UK, someone I met last week that reads this (Hi Sabrena -here's the promised mention), and a load of students from the Hebrew U summer ulpan, one of whom had a very similar sounding name. This similar sounding name is a guy I went to Primary School with back in Brighton and haven't seen since 1993 when he moved to Scotland and I moved to Manchester, and we seem to have a number of common friends.

For Jews all over the world, Israel is the focus. For some, the coincidental meetings are nothing more than chance, others may say this is the fulfilling of the prophecy of in gathering of the exiles, and to be honest, last night made me think of the latter for the first time.

You don't need to be religious, orthodox or even care to have a connection to the land, in fact many of my friends feel coming to Israel makes them less religious, but there is a common bond and a common mission, to live in Israel and Jews from all over the world are coming home. If for some reason you're not planning on moving, now is the time to start considering it.

ושבו בנים לגבולם

2006-09-01T06:58:00.000-07:00

For a while I have been mentally composing my farewell blog world post, then a week like this comes along and I have many and "only in Israel" moment or something blog worthy to share. Not having a working computer at home right now makes it more difficult to share my news with the world, but I'll try summarise while I boil eggs in the background.

Sunday was a day of bureaucratic monsters, sorting things out with the university and my ishur [permission] for study from the army was not so straight forward. By Sunday I will know what my plans are for the coming year, or at least I hope. How many times have I said that? One great thing did come out of Sunday, I met a reader. It was lovely to meet S, who studies at Hebrew U ulpan with my mate Josh2, and she gave me some very positive feedback about my blogging and may even have given me the wind I needed to carry on posting. Aliya is difficult, and I wish you Mazal Tov on getting here and the best of luck with it all, call if you need anything.

The work week was long. The product I am working on goes to beta on Monday and there is a lot to do. Not getting into the office at all on Sunday did not help either, but I caught up with a week of long hours. Never before have I seen Lod before 8am! I enjoy my job, I really do, it's another one of those small blessings that could easily go un-noticed if I didn't look around.

As Thursday came around, I was falling asleep at my desk, the twelve hour shift I pulled on Wednesday was followed by a commute, four hour sleep, commute and return to work, but as the weekend rolled in on Thursday afternoon, I headed to Tel Aviv for the Hafgana for our missing boys.

It is close to seventy days since the first kidnapping and the world is doing nothing to aid the return of the soldiers. It reminds me of the UN video tape of the last kidnapping that wasn't released until faces were disguised beyond recognition. Standing in Kikar Rabin at a peaceful demonstration gave me time to think about the land I live in. A country where tens of thousands will give up their evening for three young men. A country that cries the same tears bleeds from the same vein. ושבו בנים לגבולם. I have uploaded a handful of pictures from the demonstration and you can check them out at www.BritishYosef.com

A tiring week has been punctuated by all sorts of good news, so Mazal Tov to David Orenstien, Sharon Widdowfield, Natalie Taylor and Devorah Leah Efune, their "s.o.'s" (and families) who all got engaged recently. In addition, the long wait is over and it is a pleasure to wish dotcodotil and his wife a hearty mazal tov on the birth of their first born daughter, Yakira.

May this good news soon be followed by the return of *all* our soldiers that are held in captitvity, and may you have a Shabbat Shalom.

Bring our boys home

2006-08-28T05:23:00.000-07:00

קיבלתי את זה בדא"ל

ביום חמישי 31/08/2006 תערך עצרת הזדהות עם החטופים. העצרת תתקיים בכיכר רבין, ת"א החל משעה 19:00.

נכוחותם חשובה ביותר ! - מחזירים את הבנים הביתה ! אנא העבירו הודעה זאת לכמה שיותר אנשים ! תודה !

I just recieved the above email, it roughly translates to say: Demonstration for the kidnapped soldiers on Thurs at 7pm at Kikar Rabin, Tel Aviv. Bring our boys home and spread the word.

See you there.

Weddings and Photo's

2006-08-18T08:41:00.000-07:00

Mc D's at the Airport
Originally uploaded by BritishYosef.

Just a quick post as shabbat is minutes away. More photos are online on my flickr account, these are from a friends wedding last Monday night. More to come next week, another wedding and a planned trip to Tel Aviv.

Shabbat Shalom!

New Photos on Flickr

2006-08-13T11:01:00.000-07:00

Every so often I get a call from a friend in the UK to tell me I haven't blogged in a while. Something I am quite aware of, but it was his way of saying "hi, how are you?". There are a few reasons I chose to blog less, one day I might go into them.

Internet obsessions come and go, last summer it was blogger, this year it is facebook, and my current favorite is flickr, and I have been spending time making sure there is more material there. Check out some of my new photos, including a wedding I was at last week, and a lovely Shabbat I just spent at En Gedi, except for the slight sunburn.

It was great to be away for a weekend, no need to cook, and spend two days on tiyulim, in the pool, and simply reading a book. I would highly recommend the Eretz En Gedi resort, this was the second time I have visited the place, and would certainly go back again. It's inexpensive but without compromising on quality.

Work continues to be good and even though we're edging towards the end of the summer, more friends arrive this week and the fun is just beginning.

Worlds View of the Headlines

2006-08-06T01:46:00.000-07:00

Three weeks into the escalation on the Northern boarder, everyone has their own theory as to what will be next. Meanwhile, tourists are still enjoying holidays in the centre of the country, and most people have adapted their lives so to keep on living. Some watch the news much more, others self impose a media blackout. In honesty, there is enough out there for you to choose what you want to believe.

Here are a selection of the days headlines:
Fighting to End in Days - Ynet (Israel)
Hopes of Peace Rise - The Times (UK)
UN considers Lebanon truce text - BBC (UK)
IDF to Stay in Lebabnon - Haaretz (Israel)
Fighting Rages as Diplomats debate at UN - CNN (US)
Israeli warplanes strike Beirut as Tel Aviv braces for rocket fire - Middle East Times
Ceasefire? Not so Fast - Ynet (Israel)

The worlds eyes are on Israel, away from Iran, and no one really knows what will happen in the coming days and weeks. As far as I can see, too many civilians have been killed and too many soldiers have died.

War aside, not much has changed in the ten days since I last posted here. I have had a full house with friends here from London, Seattle and San Fran, and tomorrow some more friends from the UK arrive to stay for their summer holidays. Work continues to be good, although I should probably be working rather than writing right now, and the weather is heating up.

On a personal note, things are slowly gearing up for a new chapter in my aliya. University is not far round the corner, and the decision not to move out of my apartment this summer means there is one less thing to worry about until January at least, I just have to focus on making sure the rest of the loose ends tie up nicely.

On Thursday I'll have been here twenty months. Time flies.

Normal?

2006-07-26T08:52:00.000-07:00

Life continues as normal, working in Lod, planning summer with friends here and abroad, and the mid week confusion whether to host or go to friends for Shabbat meals got thrown into the air when I realised four other people are counting on me for meals this weekend. Sometimes the open door policy gets hectic when I don't write down who's coming when!

As normal as life is right now, I did have my first glimpse of "the war" last night. My Mum's neighbour is hosting a family of 8 in his 2.5 room apartment. His guests are his brothers family from the north whose house was hit by a katushya. They fled south to Jerusalem with one bag and are spending their day glued to the television desperate to find out what will be. If anyone in the Baka neighbourhood has any toys suitable for 6, 9 and 12 year old children, drop me an email and I would be happy to pass them on. Two days after loosing their home, life is far from normal for them, and from a personal point of view, it bought this conflict to a new level. Hopefully the safety of the centre of the country will give them the chance they need to rebuild.

Some are anxious, others are calmer. I find it useful not to be glued to the news. I check every few hours, much less than I used to, and keep focused on the day to day. Some may argue that this technique is denial, but I imagine it's healthier than the constant worry every time you hear an irregular bump in the night.

Wait and see seems to be the game to play. What else is there to do?

Northern View

2006-07-22T22:54:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine headed north last week to report from Haifa. You can watch his chilling piece here. It seems like the country is split on two fronts. Much of it carries on as normal while others have been forced to move away from their cities to the safer centre of the country.

Last night, Jerusalem city centre was full of youngsters enjoying the last night of the weekend, the contrast between this piece and the day to day life I am living is astounding.

Shavua Tov.

"The Situation"

2006-07-20T10:42:00.000-07:00

It's about time I shared my views on the "situation", ten days in, I have had plenty time to think, aclimatise and adjust to the reality.

In moving to Israel, you know you're moving to a region that can kick of at any moment, and sure thing, it has. Overnight the boarder was transformed into a conflict. Families in the north are experiencing something we have never endured before, and a wave of fear shot through many people I know, but only for a short while. Israel is strong, not just militarily, but there is a strong morale, and in Jerusalem it is life as normal.

Over the last week I have had a number of phonecalls from friends due to visit the country. Some booked their trips six months ago, others were here two weeks ago and are heading back soon at the end of the month. If you were planning to move to Haifa, I would suggest relocating, other than that, get over here. If you have fear, don't be scared to show it, but don't be an armchair Zionist either. You can either worry about the tenth day of the violence, or be aware that this is the fifty-sixth year of the conflict, whatever puts you at ease. The centre of the country is functioning as normal, and the north needs our support.

The country is worried for their sons, daughters, brothers, sisters and friends who are serving in the army, but the country is not worried about survival. It's the Israeli spirit that keeps the country going, it's a psychological strength that isn't destroyed by volatility. There are moments that make you gasp. I spoke to a friend who had been at Haifa train station the moment rockets hit and killed eight. On the flip side you have to be able to enjoy the amusing moments like Bush's brutal honesty.

Most importantly I would like to say thank you. Thank you to organisations such as Birthright, FZY, USY, NSY, Bnei Akiva and all the tours that have kept their participants in Israel. These names come to mind as they buses I drove past today. I am sure there are more, and this vote of thanks goes out to you all. Thank you for not canceling groups set to be coming over. On a personal level, thank you for making summer continue as usual. Thank you for not being scared by the media, and for supporting us when the we need it. Seeing the tour buses with their logo banners driving around Jerusalem made me feel the solidarity, and for that I am grateful.

May everyone stay safe, and enjoy a peaceful, restful shabbat.

This One's for Italy

2006-07-10T12:00:00.000-07:00

The World Cup is one of those "must participate" events. For a month, conversation turns to football, and eyes to the host nation, as the best teams in the world, and some others, battle to become best at what they do. Pubs are full, schools and offices start late or finish early depending on match schedules to ensure no one misses out. Flags hang and a strange unity descends on the country as every Englishman remembers 1966.

That's the sort of World Cup fever I am used to. I recall the 2002 tournament fondly, one house party culminating with 7:00am kick comes to mind, but this time around, the World Cup was something different.

A large proportion of the country is focused on the games while others are complaining about the cost to purchase the package, and the pubs do fill up, but for a region with more important things to worry about, you can understand why the country doesn't stop.

Unfortunately I didn't make it to the final. As I arrived in town, I got a call from a friend who had been taken ill and found himself at the Emergency Room, so I jumped in a cab to keep him company and lighten his spirits while he was rehydrated.

On the way home I managed to catch extra time and penalties. I was one of sixteen, including the staff of the local Cafe Hillel who had slipped away to see the all important game, watching the Italian mondial victory in a makolet [corner shop] on Emek Refaim [a local high street].

It wasn't like nipping down to the local with a crowd of friends, nonetheless, Israelis love the football and the small store managed to build quite an atmosphere. The crowd I found myself was quite pleased to see Italy lift the trophy, except for the one French girl found to be sobbing by the chewing gum.

It's all over for another four years, I wonder where I will comment on the next one from.

One Year On

2006-07-07T02:02:00.000-07:00

It's amazing how time can fly. As someone mentioned to me yesterday, we're no longer new in town. We have our locals, friends, and routines. It wasn't till I paid rent this week that I realised I have been living in my apartment for a year, but this time last year was a day that shook me.

Most of the time I can safely say I feel settled here. Yes, there is the occasional wave of "what if I was still in the UK", but it doesn't take too much to remind that I would find it very difficult to live on the Queen's homeland every again. I have even been heard to say that I miss the US more than I miss England and yet I never lived there, but at this hour last year, three hundred and fifty years of English blood in my veins made me identify with the country in a way I had never felt before.

FIRST there was New York, then Bali, then Madrid. But a year ago today London and the rest of Britain awoke to the awful realisation that Islamic terrorism was not a faraway phenomenon. (THE TIMES - full article)

Today the UK remembers the fifty two that died. Maybe this shook me so much because I was visiting England this time last year, and I heard the news as it came in. Stations across the country were evacuated and nerves were highly strung. Sure, the UK has felt terrorism, but this attack was new terror for a new, undefined cause. Terror against the West.

In a video released yesterday by one of the bombers, England's support and financial aid towards America and Israel was used to justify the attacks. Israel has become a political pawn, used by anyone with a problem, be they terrorists claiming to act in the name of religion, or left wing voters that want to solve the worlds problems with hugs and kisses.

Today Israel is mourning too. We mourn the loss of the Yehuda Bassel, killed yesterday to keep the rest of the country safe. Since the turn of the century there have been major terror attacks in America, Bali, Spain, England, Israel and throughout the world. Terrorism has become the norm. To preach for it to end would be unrealistic. Maybe the world has become a more dangerous place, or perhaps the media may just be better at carrying news faster and quicker.

I'm not going to start hanging a Union Jack or Cross of St. George alongside the Israel flag outside my apartment, but today's acts as a reminder as to where I came from, and who I am becoming.

Shabbat Shalom.

A Minute of your Mind

2006-06-28T00:16:00.000-07:00

Something has to be said for a country that can stop and focus on one. We did it in 1994 when one of out own was kidnapped, and now the country is going through the nightmare again. Gilad Shalit has been kidnapped, and our thoughts and prayers should be with him to be safe, and his family to be strong.

Eliyahu Asheri, an 18 year old civillain was kidnapped when hitchhiking home earlier in the week.

If you have a minute and believe in the power of prayer, please take a second to read Psalm 121, below, with Gilad Ben Aviva and Eliyahu Asheri in mind.

שיר למעלות, אשא עיני אל ההרים, מאין יבוא עזרי, עזרי מעם ה' עושה שמים וארץ, אל ייתן למוט רגלך, אל ינום שומרך. הנה לא ינום ולא ישן שומר ישראל, ה' שומרך, ה' צילך על יד ימינך. יומם השמש לא יככה וירח בלילה ה' ישמרך מכל רע, ישמור את נפשך ה' ישמור צאתך ובואך מעתה ועד עולם