Blogs from Tel Aviv, Tel Aviv District, Israel, Middle East - page 16

I got my kibbutz placement. I will be going to Kibbutz Baram on Monday. I should have been tipped off to the somewhat bum operation when I walked into the building where the kibbutz volunteer office is located. I walked up to the receptionist, conveniently located behind bullet proof glass, and asked brightly where I might find the volunteer office. Based upon her reaction one may have thought I was asking where I could find the slaughtered pig and milk factory. I received a terse, "Not here" and a backward flick of her head towards what I could only assume was the kibbutz volunteer office. Located on the lower level, the windowless office is staffed by two women, one morbidly obese and the other rail thin. There was one additional room with "Manager" written across the ... read more

Here is more or less the itinerary of my last week or so in Israel. Thank you Katherine and Erica for organizing this! I wouldn't have remembered other wise. As you can see, it was packed to the brim. Sunday Arrive at hotel in Jerusalem Dinner and Icebreakers Monday Panoramic view of Jerusalem Tour of the Old City and Wailing Wall Short hike through arab village (name anyone?) Long bus ride up to the Golan Heights Evening at Kibbutz Gadot Night out at Kibbutz pub (bar in bomb shelter, ha.) Tuesday Half-day Canyon water hike in the Yahudia and Kazerin canyons of the Golan Heights - swimming in water falls. Rafting the Jordan River Boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, Tiberias Camping at Antina campsite Campfire fun Wednesday Hike in Amoud Wadi near Tsfat (forested ... read more

Dutch Version: Het wordt weer eens tijd om wat fotootjes up te loaden. Geen lange verhalen deze keer, gewoon een impressie van de laatste maand (of iets langer). Ik ga nog steeds 3 ochtenden in de week naar hebreeuwse les, werk een paar uur per dag als telemarketeer voor de nederlandse markt. Tussendoor maken we uitstapjes en we hebben in de maand april en begin mei zoveel joodse feestdagen, vakanties etc. achter de rug dat ik de tel een beetje kwijt was. Nu is het weer even rustig na de grote afsluiter van het 60 jarig bestaan van de staat Israel net bij ons om de hoek, groot feest!!! Mijn visa aanvraag (voor werkvergunning etc.) is geweigerd omdat ik een lullig stempeltje miste op mijn geboortecertificaat dus dat was toen snel klaar, fuck zo blijf ik ... read more

As the sun sets, and Israel's 60th anniversary officially draws to an end, my sunburned self and friends sit on our upstairs mirpeset (patio) and sing and dance our hearts out to 80s music. Perhaps not a "normal" way to bring this momentous day to a close, it seems a fitting end...dancing and singing...for a day most of the world never dreamed could happen. And on this day, which began in the night with a tekes (ceremony), after a national day of mourning those who had the courage to stand and fight, and were killed in doing so, we celebrate. But, the real question is...what exactly are we celebrating? In the Jewish tradition we are fastidious about marking occasions, events, lives, deaths, and time periods. 30 days after a death is considered the "shloshim" the time ... read more

Nachdem es die letzten Tage einfach nur zu heiss war (um die 35 Grad aber gefuehlte 40) ist heute wieder das Wetter human geworden und ich moechte ein paar Fotos von einer sehr schoenen ruhigen Gegend zeigen. Man glaubt es nicht aber diese Nachbarschaft liegt mitten im Zentrum, zwischen 2 Hauptstrassen, direkt hinter dem Markt, und nahe am Strand. ... read more