My second video blog!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=qi_b5ylDQMw

Hamas - A pain in the arse!

Finding it  lot easier to speak my blog than actually write it all out! So here goes - my first video blog!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ldPOuuwfV30

In love with Amsterdam

I am very much aware of the fact that I come from a small, dusty little place in the desert where politeness is rare and rain is even more rare, but arriving in Amsterdam yesterday was like walking into a dream sequence from a movie. Compared to the humid heat of Israel, Holland's weather is heavenly. The weather may not have seemed like anything special to the locals, but to us the cloudy sky, light drizzle and cool breeze was a form of therapy.

Once we recovered from the weather surprise - we begin to look around and notice the quaint little streets, canals and bicycles. Bicycles are everywhere - old ones, new ones, all sorts. What impresses me the most about the cyclists is that sturdiness with which they seem to travel - the bikes mostly have a very comfortable, old fashioned design - and the riders pedal slowly and seem to move almost effortlessly.  

Almost every sight one comes across is so breathtaking, they look like they should the subject of a postcard or puzzle. Streets and canals look so gorgeous, they should have rows of painters and photographers busy trying to capture them. The canal boat houses each have their own distinct characters, some new, some barely floating. There are many tourists about, but then why wouldn't there be. This place is special.



         

The challa stand-off

It wasn't that he could not understand me. My Hebrew might be shocking, but I manage to make myself understood with most Israeli’s. I could even say the Hebrew words without too much of an Anglo accent. So why was this guy not hearing the words coming out of my mouth? We just locked eyes and that was it. No one was going to back down. The last challa at the bakery and we each had a hand on it.
It was still warm from the oven and very soft. If either of us pulled, it would be the end of the challa. It was a true stalemate .. or should I say, fresh mate. The other shoppers around us were frozen in anticipation of what would happen next. You could have cut the tension. with a knife. A bread knife that is.  
Sheli - I repeated slowly. Surely he understood. That is Hebrew for ‘mine’ for those who don’t know the language. He growled and snarled, but I was not going to be scared off by these tactics. He had already tried the shouting thing, but I had held my ground. Israeli’s often make a lot of noise to get their way, but it’s just a scare tactic. Its the quiet Israelis you need to be scared of. So the staring and low growling went on.
It was time for my Anglo tactic and I switched to English. ‘Listen old chap, I had my hand on this challa before you did. Now you can let me have it or you can bend over and let me ram it up your behind’. The growling stopped as his brain attempted to register what I had just said. It had sounded polite enough and from the look in his eyes, I knew he had no idea what I had just said. The tactic had worked. I was now the superior being. He was a mere local. I was the one from over the great sea, from a land where people queued in single file and did not argue with policeman. In his confusion he lost focus and tried to behave more politely, even smiling slightly. It was then I slipped the challa out from under his hand and into my trolley. Shabbat Shalom bud!

On Israel's sandy ground, major dreams for minigolf | The Times of Israel

An  article about my big plans to build a mini golf park in Israel -

On Israel's sandy ground, major dreams for minigolf | The Times of Israel

Purim 2012

Purim is a festive holiday in Israel. For the kids and some adults, it means going to school or work dressed up in a costume. One drives down the road on Purim and sees kids wandering to school looking like policeman, super heroes, draculas, devils, etc. Its very entertaining and probably the closest thing we have to Halloween. We even give each other gifts and food .. but then all Jewish festivals involve food!

So that is what modern day Israel has made of Purim. But what's it really about? The religious festival that Purim is based on the book of Esther from the old testament. Yes, I had to look it up on 'Wikipedia'! It tells the story of a Jewish girl named Esther, who became queen of Persia and thwarted a plan to commit genocide against her people in about 486-465 BCE. So Purim basically commemorates the victory of the Jews over adversity, in that case Persia's evil strongman Haman, whose plan was to exterminate all the Jews .. the entire Nation of Israel.

So here we are again ... almost 2500 years later and we find ourselves in a similar situation. Israel finds itself surrounded by modern day "Hamans", otherwise known as Hamas, Hezbollah and today's evil Iranian regime with its ruthless dictator. All these 'Hamans' openly call for the destruction of Israel. Iran is even ignoring international pressure and continuing to push to gain nuclear arms capability.

I guess the question is - will history repeat itself? Will Israel have to defend itself against a threat? The world is applying sanctions and dithering about - having almost no apparent influence on the Iranian regime. I wonder if the USA would be so calm about the situation if Mexico was developing nuclear arms and threatening to destroy them. I guess a pre-emptive strike would be ok then?

I grew up in a place where everything was ordered and calm. I understand how many people in the West live everyday without any threat of chaos or destruction. There is no-one threatening you. No need to look over ones shoulder. That is how it should be. Unfortunately in Israel, we face a different reality. We have many crazy neighbours who cover up their own failed states by misdirecting their people's attention with hate and aggression. Personally, I don't believe the people themselves have a problem with us ... thorough propaganda has done its work. Most people just want to live and work in peace.

I know the world will not understand if Israel carries out a pre-emptive strike on Iran, but that is irrelevant. We exist in a different reality here. Israel is a modern state with its own share of internal problems. We do not want to attack Iran, but we appreciate the threat of a mad man with a nuclear weapon - it is very real. It is not some movie plot. Yes, the Arab world will hate us even more. So what's new? They failed to sort it out between themselves and we cannot afford to sit back and wait to see if he will pushes the button. Jews put saving life before all else. Happy Purim everyone!