Hanukkah

For those of you who are interested in some Jewish tradition, here’s a video featuring yours truly lighting the Hanukkah candles:

I’ve been to a house party on the 8th day of Hanukkah. The hostess, Gitit, insisted that we’ll put our beverages aside, stop chit-chatting for a few minutes and light the Hanukah candles. I volunteered to make the blessings, and Mr. Lerman captured the moment and Youtubed it.

I don’t like Hanukkah, since there’s no vacation from work!

Rubble or Art?

Take a look at this picture:

Damaged Building or Art

This is an art gallery in Tel Aviv near my house. It’s wall looks as if it was hit by shells and bullets. Well, it’s not. It’s like that by design!
It’s a strange place. There is always someone at the front desk, yet I’ve never seen anybody enter the building.

Here’s another picture of the building:
Gallery

Only in Israel: Local Beer is More Expensive

I’ve already praised the Israeli “Dancing Camel” beer. It’s a tasty unfiltered beer that is a good competitor to the Belgian beers that I love.

Unfortunately, it became expensive. At my local bar, called “Armadillo”, they sell a pint (about 500ml) for 30 shekels. $7.5 for a local draft beer is way too much. It’s the most expensive beer in this bar. It tops beers that are imported from Europe (such as Weihenstephan , and naturally tops beers that are produced here, such as Danish beers Carlsberg and Tuborg. All these beers cost 20-25 shekels for a pint, which is a common price. Beer in Europe is much cheaper.

I asked the bartender about the high price, and she just said: “It’s an expensive beer”. I’m frustrated that a beer that is produced within a walking distance of the bar costs so much. I can understand that it’s a “boutique” beer – not a beer made in mass production, but it’s local!

So, I didn’t dance with the camel, but found comfort in my Weihenstephan. The high price of Dancing Camel remains unsolved.

Cheers!

Drinking in Armadillo

Free Hugs Anniversary

The Free Hugs movement / campaign / initiative / whatever celebrated it’s one year anniversary. A small street party was thrown in Rabin Square.

Free Hugs Anniversary

More Free Hugs Pictures.

I got to know the Israeli huggers from the very beginning. I randomly met on the street, took some pictures and posted them. They wanted my pictures, contacted me, and invited me to join their next session.

They offer free hugs every Tuesday afternoon, and I began joining them, later becoming friends with some of them. In the past months, I’ve rarely gone there. The media made a big story, and many people doubted that they’ll prevail. But since October 2006, they’re on the street every week. Additionally, more hugging groups have sprung across the country.

The celebration, this Tuesday, contained mostly mingling, and not too much hugging of strangers. It was fun meeting all the “generations” of huggers. Some of them are deep into “New Age” culture, and some are just “normal” people.

There were special guests from Italy: Luca and Giordano. They are traveling from Italy, overland, across Europe and the Middle East. We all asked them how was Syria for them. The answer was disappointing: They told us that as soon as they appeared on the streets with the Free Hugs signs, the police approached them, fearing that they were starting some demonstrations or public disorder of any kind. So, they didn’t do much hugging over there.

So, this anniversary was fun. The huggers’ dedication, much after Juan Mann’s buzz, is very impressing.