Sabra at heart

Ahuvah's Collaboration

2009-10-29T00:51:00.004+02:00

I have a new blog - one that focuses on an area that i am very passionate about - technology. I am the kind of person that loves new technology even though i know nothing about computing/programming or engineering.

But that never stopped anyone from loving technology least of all this gal.

so come mosey on over to my newest blogging venture Ahuvah's Collaboration. it is a work in progress - and have yet to link to all my favorite blogs/sites/etc. kinda daunting since i have so many but i will whittle them down and post them up on the new blog.

i will continue to blog here about israel but keep the technology talk just for the other blog.

Shift Happens - Are you Ready For It ?

2009-10-21T19:47:00.003+03:00

I love these videos that showcase the immense growth of the internet. These numbers are insane - watch and pay attention.

Truly Inspirational Work of Art

2009-10-18T11:22:00.004+03:00

I nearly held my breath the entire time I watched this video. Beyond words.

COMBO a collaborative animation by Blu and David Ellis (2 times loop) from blu on Vimeo.

(ps thanks to Sarah from Oh So Arty for sharing this with me)

Every Man Has a Name by Zelda

2009-10-15T11:46:00.006+03:00

I dont know when or why it started but sporadically I come across a piece of poetry displayed at a bus stop instead of an advertisement. I have come across this poem a handful of times and every time I see it I feel the inexplicable pull to stop and read it the poem in its entirety (in Hebrew). I dont know why this poem touches me deeply but it simply does.

“Every Man has a Name”

Every man has a name
Given him by God
And given by his father and his mother
Every man has a name
Given him by his stature and his way of smiling,
And given him by his clothes.
Every man has a name
Given him by the mountains
And given him by his walls
Every man has a name
Given him by the planets
And given him by his neighbors
Every man has a name
Given him by his sins
And given him by his longing
Every man has a name given him by those who hate him
And given him by his love
Every man has a name
Given him by his holidays
And given him by his handiwork
Every man has a name
Given him by the seasons of the year
And given him by his blindness
Every man has a name
Given him by the sea
And given him
By his death.

Zelda [Mishkovsky]

The poem was written in Hebrew and if you'd like to read it in Hebrew click here

(Flickr Image Courtesy of Dave Ward )

If only I could send this to clients

2009-10-06T15:02:00.001+03:00

Clients!!
Originally uploaded by Kate_A

SPLAT! goes the client who hates ideas.

Proud of My Prime Minister, Benyamin Netanyahu

2009-09-25T18:22:00.001+03:00

Thursday, September 24, 2009
PM Netanyahu's Speech at the UN General Assembly

PM Netanyahu's Speech at the UN General Assembly

Transcription

24/09/2009

Mr. President,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Nearly 62 years ago, the United Nations recognized the right of the Jews, an
ancient people 3,500 years-old, to a state of their own in their ancestral
homeland.

I stand here today as the Prime Minister of Israel, the Jewish state, and I
speak to you on behalf of my country and my people.

The United Nations was founded after the carnage of World War II and the
horrors of the Holocaust. It was charged with preventing the recurrence of
such horrendous events. Nothing has undermined that central mission more
than the systematic assault on the truth.

Yesterday the President of Iran stood at this very podium, spewing his
latest anti-Semitic rants. Just a few days earlier, he again claimed that
the Holocaust is a lie.

Last month, I went to a villa in a suburb of Berlin called Wannsee. There,
on January 20, 1942, after a hearty meal, senior Nazi officials met and
decided how to exterminate the Jewish people. The detailed minutes of that
meeting have been preserved by successive German governments.

Here is a copy of those minutes, in which the Nazis issued precise
instructions on how to carry out the extermination of the Jews. Is this a
lie?

A day before I was in Wannsee, I was given in Berlin the original
construction plans for the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. Those
plans are signed by Hitler's deputy, Heinrich Himmler himself. Here is a
copy of the plans for Auschwitz-Birkenau, where one million Jews were
murdered. Is this too a lie?

This June, President Obama visited the Buchenwald concentration camp. Did
President Obama pay tribute to a lie? And what of the Auschwitz survivors
whose arms still bear the tattooed numbers branded on them by the Nazis? Are
those tattoos a lie?

One-third of all Jews perished in the conflagration. Nearly every Jewish
family was affected, including my own. My wife's grandparents, her father's
two sisters and three brothers, and all the aunts, uncles and cousins were
all murdered by the Nazis. Is that also a lie?
Yesterday, the man who calls the Holocaust a lie spoke from this podium. To
those who refused to come here and to those who left this room in protest, I
commend you. You stood up for moral clarity and you brought honor to your
countries.

But to those who gave this Holocaust-denier a hearing, I say on behalf of my
people, the Jewish people, and decent people everywhere: Have you no shame?
Have you no decency?

A mere six decades after the Holocaust, you give legitimacy to a man who
denies that the murder of six million Jews took place and pledges to wipe
out the Jewish state. What a disgrace! What a mockery of the charter of the
United Nations!

Perhaps some of you think that this man and his odious regime threaten only
the Jews. You're wrong. History has shown us time and again that what
starts with attacks on the Jews eventually ends up engulfing many others.

This Iranian regime is fueled by an extreme fundamentalism that burst onto
the world scene three decades ago after lying dormant for centuries.

In the past thirty years, this fanaticism has swept the globe with a
murderous violence and cold-blooded impartiality in its choice of victims.
It has callously slaughtered Moslems and Christians, Jews and Hindus, and
many others. Though it is comprised of different offshoots, the adherents
of this unforgiving creed seek to return humanity to medieval times.
Wherever they can, they impose a backward regimented society where women,
minorities, gays or anyone not deemed to be a true believer is brutally
subjugated.

The struggle against this fanaticism does not pit faith against faith nor
civilization against civilization. It pits civilization against barbarism,
the 21st century against the 9th century, those who sanctify life against
those who glorify death. The primitivism of the 9th century ought to be no
match for the progress of the 21st century. The allure of freedom, the
power of technology, the reach of communications should surely win the day.

Ultimately, the past cannot triumph over the future. And the future offers
all nations magnificent bounties of hope. The pace of progress is growing
exponentially. It took us centuries to get from the printing press to the
telephone, decades to get from the telephone to the personal computer, and
only a few years to get from the personal computer to the internet.

What seemed impossible a few years ago is already outdated, and we can
scarcely fathom the changes that are yet to come.

We will crack the genetic code. We will cure the incurable. We will
lengthen our lives. We will find a cheap alternative to fossil fuels and
clean up the planet.

I am proud that my country Israel is at the forefront of these advances - by
leading innovations in science and technology, medicine and biology,
agriculture and water, energy and the environment. These innovations the
world over offer humanity a sunlit future of unimagined promise.

But if the most primitive fanaticism can acquire the most deadly weapons,
the march of history could be reversed for a time. And like the belated
victory over the Nazis, the forces of progress and freedom will prevail only
after a horrific toll of blood and fortune has been exacted from mankind.

That is why the greatest threat facing the world today is the marriage
between religious fanaticism and the weapons of mass destruction, and the
most urgent challenge facing this body is to prevent the tyrants of Tehran
from acquiring nuclear weapons.

Are the member states of the United Nations up to that challenge? Will the
international community confront a despotism that terrorizes its own people
as they bravely stand up for freedom?

Will it take action against the dictators who stole an election in broad
daylight and gunned down Iranian protesters who died in the streets choking
in their own blood?

Will the international community thwart the world's most pernicious sponsors
and practitioners of terrorism?

Above all, will the international community stop the terrorist regime of
Iran from developing atomic weapons, thereby endangering the peace of the
entire world?

The people of Iran are courageously standing up to this regime. People of
goodwill around the world stand with them, as do the thousands who have been
protesting outside this hall. Will the United Nations stand by their side?

Ladies and Gentlemen,
The jury is still out on the United Nations, and recent signs are not
encouraging.

Rather than condemning the terrorists and their Iranian patrons, some here
have condemned their victims. That is exactly what a recent UN report on
Gaza did, falsely equating the terrorists with those they targeted.

For eight long years, Hamas fired from Gaza thousands of missiles, mortars
and rockets on nearby Israeli cities. Year after year, as these missiles
were deliberately hurled at our civilians, not a single UN resolution was
passed condemning those criminal attacks.

We heard nothing - absolutely nothing - from the UN Human Rights Council, a
misnamed institution if there ever was one.

In 2005, hoping to advance peace, Israel unilaterally withdrew from every
inch of Gaza. It dismantled 21 settlements and uprooted over 8,000
Israelis.

We didn't get peace. Instead we got an Iranian backed terror base fifty
miles from Tel Aviv. Life in Israeli towns and cities next to Gaza became
a nightmare.

You see, the Hamas rocket attacks not only continued, they increased
tenfold. Again, the UN was silent.

Finally, after eight years of this unremitting assault, Israel was finally
forced to respond. But how should we have responded?

Well, there is only one example in history of thousands of rockets being
fired on a country's civilian population. It happened when the Nazis
rocketed British cities during World War II.

During that war, the allies leveled German cities, causing hundreds of
thousands of casualties. Israel chose to respond differently. Faced with
an enemy committing a double war crime of firing on civilians while hiding
behind civilians - Israel sought to conduct surgical strikes against the
rocket launchers.

That was no easy task because the terrorists were firing missiles from homes
and schools, using mosques as weapons depots and ferreting explosives in
ambulances.

Israel, by contrast, tried to minimize casualties by urging Palestinian
civilians to vacate the targeted areas. We dropped countless flyers over
their homes, sent thousands of text messages and called thousands of cell
phones asking people to leave.

Never has a country gone to such extraordinary lengths to remove the enemy's
civilian population from harm's way. Yet faced with such a clear case of
aggressor and victim, who did the UN Human Rights Council decide to condemn?
Israel.

A democracy legitimately defending itself against terror is morally hanged,
drawn and quartered, and given an unfair trial to boot.

By these twisted standards, the UN Human Rights Council would have dragged
Roosevelt and Churchill to the dock as war criminals. What a perversion of
truth! What a perversion of justice!

Delegates of the United Nations,
Will you accept this farce? Because if you do, the United Nations would
revert to its darkest days, when the worst violators of human rights sat in
judgment against the law-abiding democracies, when Zionism was equated with
racism and when an automatic majority could declare that the earth is flat.

If this body does not reject this report, it would send a message to
terrorists everywhere: Terror pays; if you launch your attacks from densely
populated areas, you will win immunity.

And in condemning Israel, this body would also deal a mortal blow to peace.
Here's why. When Israel left Gaza, many hoped that the missile attacks
would stop. Others believed that at the very least, Israel would have
international legitimacy to exercise its right of self-defense.

What legitimacy? What self-defense?

The same UN that cheered Israel as it left Gaza and promised to back our
right of self-defense now accuses us -my people, my country - of war crimes?
And for what? For acting responsibly in self-defense. What a travesty!

Israel justly defended itself against terror. This biased and unjust report
is a clear-cut test for all governments. Will you stand with Israel or
will you stand with the terrorists?

We must know the answer to that question now. Now and not later. Because
if Israel is again asked to take more risks for peace, we must know today
that you will stand with us tomorrow.

Only if we have the confidence that we can defend ourselves can we take
further risks for peace.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
All of Israel wants peace. Any time an Arab leader genuinely wanted peace
with us, we made peace. We made peace with Egypt led by Anwar Sadat. We
made peace with Jordan led by King Hussein.

And if the Palestinians truly want peace, I and my government, and the
people of Israel, will make peace. But we want a genuine peace, a
defensible peace, a permanent peace.

In 1947, this body voted to establish two states for two peoples - a Jewish
state and an Arab state. The Jews accepted that resolution. The Arabs
rejected it. We ask the Palestinians to finally do what they have refused
to do for 62 years: Say yes to a Jewish state.

Just as we are asked to recognize a nation-state for the Palestinian people,
the Palestinians must be asked to recognize the nation state of the Jewish
people. The Jewish people are not foreign conquerors in the Land of
Israel. This is the land of our forefathers.

Inscribed on the walls outside this building is the great Biblical vision of
peace: "Nation shall not lift up sword against nation. They shall learn war
no more." These words were spoken by the Jewish prophet Isaiah 2,800 years
ago as he walked in my country, in my city - in the hills of Judea and in
the streets of Jerusalem. We are not strangers to this land. It is our
homeland.

As deeply connected as we are to this land, we recognize that the
Palestinians also live there and want a home of their own. We want to live
side by side with them, two free peoples living in peace, prosperity and
dignity.

But we must have security. The Palestinians should have all the powers to
govern themselves except those handful of powers that could endanger Israel.

That is why a Palestinian state must be effectively demilitarized. We
don't want another Gaza, another Iranian backed terror base abutting
Jerusalem and perched on the hills a few kilometers from Tel Aviv.

We want peace.

I believe such a peace can be achieved. But only if we roll back the forces
of terror, led by Iran, that seek to destroy peace, eliminate Israel and
overthrow the world order.

The question facing the international community is whether it is prepared to
confront those forces or accommodate them.

Over seventy years ago, Winston Churchill lamented what he called the
"confirmed unteachability of mankind," the unfortunate habit of civilized
societies to sleep until danger nearly overtakes them.

Churchill bemoaned what he called the "want of foresight, the unwillingness
to act when action will be simple and effective, the lack of clear thinking,
the confusion of counsel until emergency comes, until self-preservation
strikes its jarring gong."

I speak here today in the hope that Churchill's assessment of the
"unteachability of mankind" is for once proven wrong.
I speak here today in the hope that we can learn from history -- that we can
prevent danger in time.

In the spirit of the timeless words spoken to Joshua over 3,000 years ago,
let us be strong and of good courage. Let us confront this peril, secure
our future and, God willing, forge an enduring peace for generations to
come.

(speech was found here via Supergreek)

My Rosh Hashana Tradition- Pomegranate Cake

2009-09-21T09:42:00.003+03:00

I guess making Pomegranate Cake two years in a row constitutes a new Rosh Hashana tradition. Now I have never claimed to be a baker but as one of my friend's said over the holiday- maybe this should be my claim to fame.

In any case, I thought I'd share with you my recipe.

Ahuvah's Rosh HaShana Pomegranate Cake

Makes 2 8" cakes or 1 8" layer cake
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Ingredients:

* 2 2/3 cups cake flour
* 2 t. baking powder
* 1/8 t. salt
* 1/2 cup margarine, slightly cooler than room temperature
* 2 cups and granulated sugar
* 1 t. vanilla extract
* 2 tablespoons of pomegranate syrup
* 4 large eggs
* 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, soy milk or rice milk

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 F. Lightly grease (with dairy-free margarine) two 8" round cake pans, line with greased parchment and lightly flour, tapping out excess. Set aside.

2. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

3. In another medium-large mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer, beat together the soy margarine and sugar until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the vanilla, beating until well combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between additions.

4. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the margarine mixture, followed by 1/3 cup of the almond milk, and continue adding the remaining ingredients in two more additions, beating well before adding the next. Mix until just combined.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared pans, smoothing the tops with an offset spatula. Bake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.

Allow the cakes to cool for 10 minutes in the pans before transferring the cakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

Once cool, mix one large packet of powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon of pomegranate syrup. mix well and add a bit of water to thin it out. it should be a nice sticky paste. pour on the cake and let it harden.

Happy and Healthy New Year 5770

2009-09-17T13:01:00.002+03:00

Talking Twitter at the Nefesh B'Nefesh JBloggers Conference

2009-09-13T23:45:00.001+03:00

This years Nefesh B'Nefesh and WebAd JBlogger Conference was worlds apart from last years event. It is my understanding that all of the workshops catered to the novice blogger/tweeter. I hope that one day we can create a more expert track for those bloggers/tweeters who have surpassed class 101.

Here is my presentation from the JBloggers Conference. I finally got to talk about my addiction in hopes of convincing others to become addicted as well. I got some feedback that reminded me of a lightbulb going off over the person's head- "AH HA! Now I get it" and I even got a few people back onto twitter who were overwhelmed. Go Twitter Team!

Twitter For Beginners

View more documents from israluv.

Being Sick is No Fun

2009-09-10T23:22:00.005+03:00

I have strep throat - a yearly occurrence for me. Every year I feel the sore throat creeping on me and I just close my eyes and pray that it is just a sore throat and not anything more serious.

Sadly this time it was not just a sore throat but strep. I can pretty much diagnosis myself when I have strep due to my lovely large tonsils. All I have to do is go AHHHHHHH while looking in the mirror and I can see the evidence of strep.

I had a sore throat for a few days but figured it was due to lack of sleep and nothing more serious. Wednesday morning I took a look at my throat in the office and went "uh oh" time to go the doctor.

Now let me tell you a bit about the medical system here in Israel. It is socialized medicine. Now I really do not understand enough about the medical world either here nor in the States. Here I am part of Maccabbi insurance group (we have three choices) and I had yet to find a doctor in Tel Aviv.

The Maccabbi system is that you can only change primary physician once every quarter (and i have no idea when the quarter begins or ends) but I was on a desperate hunt to find a doctor with evening hours near my home. Here you call up the Maccabbi main office to find doctors with available appointments. They have a roster of all doctors but they cant do a search and provide a listing of doctors in one specific geographical location, rather it is by city. How very unhelpful of them.

Luckily for me I was in the office and my dear co-worker Ilan made phone calls to deal w/ the bureaucratic maze better known as Maccabi Health Insurance. Every available appointment was during work hours (and I wanted to see the doctor after work. Right now its crazy at the office) and in my area. Alas it was not meant to be. We found a doctor near my house but the only available appointments were during the day so I reigned myself to having to leave the craziness of the office behind and go take care of myself.

I reached my new doctors office and was quickly ushered into the doctors office (fuss, no wait) and we went through a bit of my medical history. I started panicking a bit - you see I am deathly allergic to penicillin and sulfate based medications and the last time I went to the doctor they prescribed a med that had I taken it w/o looking at it I would've ended up in the hospital or worse.

Now I am quite aware of what types of meds I cannot take but I am unfamiliar with the generic names of the medications I can take. I figured that once I brought my US medical file with me to the doctors office - I would no longer need to fear for the wrong prescription.

How wrong was I.

You see, here all the notes the doctor takes when meeting the patients is located solely in that doctors office and not in my "main file". In order to receive treatment you need to present your medical insurance card, have the doctor swipe it and my file pops open on the doctor's computer. It shows the basic information of the last doctors visit, my weight/blood pressure/cholesterol but no mention of my medical allergies.

Umm what the heck?!

Why is it that I need to know the name of every single medicine I am allergic to for a doctors appointment? Shouldn't it be in my universal file? What happens if G-d forbid I was in the hospital unable to speak for myself and they looked at my file and decided "she could use a good dosage of penicillin"?

I mean seriously folks - in this day and age, is there no way to at least sync my medical allergies with my permanent file? i know there are issues of access etc but wouldnt you think this area is one area that does not fall under the category of "gray" ?

So now I am trying to figure out a way to keep my medical information available via my mobile device so that when I am at least able to verbalize my allergies all I have to do is look up the medications that I cannot take and have a list of medications that I can take. Sighhhh

I decided that if the medication wasnt on my safe list the best idea was to pop the first pills at the pharmacy. At least there if I passed out I wasnt alone and had a greater chance of someone calling an ambulance. Taking the meds at home, alone, was not an option for me.

And as you can see the doctor didnt make a mistake this time-I just hope the measly 5 days on the medication eradicates the strep lodged in my throat.

flickr pic by DaDaDreams

I have lots of work and cannot be sick. No time for that!

Song Lyrics are My kind of poetry

2009-09-02T12:27:00.003+03:00

"Love Rain" by Jill Scott and featuring Mos Def

Love rain down on me,on me,down on me

Met him on a thursday,sunny afternoon
Cumulus clouds, 84 degrees
He was brown,deep
Said he wanted to talk about my mission
Listen to my past lives (Word?)
Took me on long walks to places where butterflies rest easy
Talked about Moses and Mumia
Reparations,blue colors,memories of shell topped adidas
He was fresh,like summer peaches
Sweet on my mind like block parties and penny candy
Us was nice and warm,no jacket,no umbrella,just warm
At night we would watch the stars
And he would pyhsically give me each and every one
I felt like cayenne pepper,red,hot,spicy
I felt Dizzy, Sonya, heaven, and Miles between my thighs
Better than love,we made delicious
He me had,had me he
He made me tongue tied
I could hear his rhythm in my thoughts
I was his sharp, his horn section
His boom and his bip
And he was my love

Love rain down on me,on me,down on me

The rain was fallin and,and slowly and sweetly and stinging my eyes
And I could not see that he became my voodoo priest
And I was his faithful concubine
Wide open,wide,loose like bowels after collard greens
The mistake was made
Love slipped from my lips
Dripped down my chin and landed in his lap
And us became new
Now me non-clairvoyant and in love
Made the coochie easy and the obvious invisible
The rain was falling
And I couldn't see the season changing
And the vibe slipping off it's axis
Our beautiful melody became wildly staccato
The rain was falling and I could not see
That I was to be plowed and sowed and fertilized
And left to drown in his sunny afternoon
Cumulus clouds,84 degrees,melody

Love rain down on me,on me,down on me [2x]

[Mos Def]
In stretched my arms towards the sky like blades of tall grass
The sun beat in between my shoulders like carnival drums
I sat still in hopes that it would help my wings grow
So then I would really be fly
And then she arrived
Like day break inside a railway tunnel
Like the new moon,like a diamond in the mines
Like high noon to a drunkard,sudden
She made my heart beat in a now-now time signature
Her skinny canvas for ultarviolet brushstrokes
She was the sun's painting
She was a deep cognac color
Her eyes sparkled like lights along the new city
She lips pursed as if her breath was too sweet
And full for her mouth to hold
I said,"You are beautiful,distress of mathematics."
I said,"For you, I would peel open the clouds like new fruit."
And give you lightning and thunder as dowry
I would make the sky shed all of its stars like rain
I would clasp the constellations around your waist
And I would make the heavens your cape
And they would be please to cover you
They would be pleased to cover you
May I please,cover you,please.

Come find out why I hardly blog and mostly tweet.. JBloggers Convention

2009-08-25T10:32:00.004+03:00

Last year I attending the First Annual JBloggers Convention hosted by Nefesh B'Nevesh and WebAds. I left the conference with the feeling of incompleteness. I felt there was so much potential but... but we all need to remember it was the first conference of its kind by the organizers and after seeing the agenda to this years conference I doubt it will leave me feeling incomplete again. I am glad to see some of my suggestions for this year's conference noted and incorporated into the event.

This year the agenda looks great with a variety of panelists, sessions and a wide range of diversity. They even included (a microblogging service) into the agenda and guess what - I am leading the Twitter sessions. I am doing my happy dance- i finally get to "talk twitter" and hope to open up your minds and fingers to the wild wild world of twitter.

and all of you who read my blog know that my heart now belongs to Twitter but I still have a *little* bit of love left for blogging.

Take a look at the agenda... see which sessions fit your needs... and if you want to hear me talk about how Twitter is NOT freakin Facebook status updates then sign up HERE

I will be tweeting throughout the conference except while speaking - cuz that is just too difficult to do.

Twitter, Hitler and Spammers

2009-08-19T15:19:00.002+03:00

I apologize for the Hebrew subtitles and the fact that unless you are involved in the Israeli twitter world you might not get the jokes in this video but it brought tears to my face from laughter.

Out with the Old and in with the New

2009-07-31T16:03:00.002+03:00

My old roommate moved out on Thursday and my new roommate moved in today.

Cannot wait for this journey to begin.

Dance Down the Isle

2009-07-23T20:28:00.003+03:00

Now this is how I plan on walking down the isle in my imaginary wedding. in reality i have very religious family and this would not be appropriate. but in my head- anything goes.

Part Deux of Taba

2009-07-16T16:02:00.004+03:00

Its been over a week since me and Channah returned from the Hilton Taba and all I want to do is return to paradise.

But sadly life gets in the way of the non uber rich and heaven here on earth.

So back to our trip..

Day Two -

We woke up at around 8sh and said today we are not going to make the same mistake we made (inadvertently) yesterday. We are going to head to the pool, put our towels and some personal items on our chairs so that when we make it out to the pool we have chairs.

Now if you didnt know this already- it is normal for people to place their hotel (aka identical) towels on beach or pool chairs and walk away for a couple of hours and return expecting their towels to still be there. Umm in what world can you walk away for two SOLID hours and expect your hotel towel to still be there? I got yelled at on the first day when later in the afternoon I removed towels from some vacant chairs and after two hours of using the chairs the previous guests using the chairs returned and told me to get off "their chairs". excuse me?!

so this time around we were not going to be "friers" and found empty chairs under the sun to reserve and off to breakfast we went.

After breakfast I had a meeting with Martin, the GM of the Hilton Taba. It was a chance to get a better idea of the hotel and the staff. I have to say it was quite interesting to hear information that normally one would not hear. For example - they have a staff of 415 but at max capacity 400 guests. That means that there will always be more staff then guests. And did you know that the staff all have degrees in hospitality management? No wonder they are so welcoming and accommodating - they had proper training.

The Hilton Taba is also eco friendly. Every piece of trash is recycled or sold -metal scraps to Bedouins, leftover and garbage food is fed to the animals in the region, dirty water is recycled to water the lawn, the pool is filled with seawater. Each room has a slot that activates the electricity and you remove the card, the electricity is automatically turned off. Makes me feel better about going on vacation when I know that the location of choice is being responsible to the environment.

Anyway the meeting was fascinating (will write another post on that) and I headed upstairs to change back into my bathing suit and go worship the sun gods.

We literally spent the entire day at the pool. I spent almost the entire time in the pool. It was too freakin hot to sit outside and as a former lifeguard - I believe that you tan better in the pool and not out of it (water reflects sun, etc). I spent hours just floating in the pool and it made me all nostalgic for the good old days when I spent my summers lifeguarding. I really miss being in and around a pool. Maybe next summer I'll lifeguard again - who knows?

Anywhoo... at 5pm Channah and I had booked massages. I booked a swedish massage (I have never had one) and Channah booked the Cleopatra massage. Needless to say they were amazing and parts of our massage experiences were unexpected but quite enjoyable. Especially when I exited the massage room and realize that it had been over two hours. I was told it was only an hour long massage.

We both exited feeling like wet noodles but we needed to eat food before heading to bed. We returned to the room, showered and changed and headed downstairs like zombies. After dinner I wanted one last hurrah and to check out the casino. I have never been in a casino and only once a long long time ago experienced a gambling boat (where I hung out in the disco room). In order to enter the casino you need to present your passport and I had to beg Chans to come upstairs and retrieve the passports and come back down. All she wanted to do was to go to sleep. Lucky for me she didnt really have the energy to argue with me and I got my way ;)

We walked around the casino fascinated by the activity and its audience. Most of the folks there were Israeli's who crossed the border just to gamble. This was the first place within the hotel that spoke Hebrew. It was kinda surreal. We watched folks lose (a lot) and win (not as much) money on the baccarat table. I wanted to gamble a bit but minimum bets were $10 and I wasnt spending more than $10 on gambling on the both of us so we headed downstairs and after watching a bit of Texas Hold'em (i still dont get it) I cashed in my $10 and we went to the slot machines.

Yeah we lost all the money (I did win a few coins but kept playing them). It was fun - I gambled and lost (and think its pointless) and we went to bed for our last night in Taba. sob.

Pictures from Taba

2009-07-14T11:34:00.004+03:00

I have yet to write the second and third part of the Hilton Taba expeirience but figured I would share with you the pics taken over the trip. Most of them were taken by my partner in crime, Channahboo

www.flickr.com

israluv's Hilton Taba, Sinai photoset

the only picture we unfortunately did not snap was the man greeting us with the glasses of mango/guava juice and the wet towels. next time!

Taba Baby, T-A-B-A (Day 1)

2009-07-12T10:34:00.006+03:00

(preface: i was invited to enjoy 3 days 2 nights at the Hilton Taba as part of their PR effort using the Israeli blogging world. I was flattered to be invited and of course accepted)

Last week I spent a few days lounging around the pool in the Hilton Taba and it was glorious.

I invited my friend Channahboo to join me as it is her birthday today and I thought it would be a lovely way to celebrate. We bought our tickets for the bus online and took the midnight bus from the Tel Aviv central bus station at midnight. The trip down to Eilat and then over the border into Taba is suppose to take around 5 hours but we arrived in Eilat at 4:30am after a long night of dozing. By the way, the weather in Eilat and Taba is **so much hotter** than Tel Aviv but it has zero humidity.

We arrived earlier than expected and the hotel check in was at 2pm so we figured we'd spend some quality time in Eilat. At 4:30am nothing except for Aroma is open - not even the Three Monkey's (Eilat's famous pub).

We sat outside Aroma and relaxed over cawfee and croissants for a few hours. By the time the sun rose we were both exhausted and desperate to take a nap so we figured we'd head to Taba and see if we could just check in early.

Now in order to get to Taba you need to catch a cab to the Egyptian border and the hotel is situated right on the other side of the border. As we were crossing border control on the Israeli side we were asked for our Israeli passports. Once we crossed over onto the Egyptian side they wanted to see our non-israeli passports. Lucky for me I brought my American passport (I had debated bringing it but thought it might be better to bring it than not to).

On both sides of the border our passports were looked at no less than three times so we just kept our passports in our hands. Once we exited the Egyptian side of the border it was a 2 minute walk to the hotel. The hotel is directly next to the border crossing but you can only enter it through their main entrance which boasts another metal detector and luggage scanner. Security is tight which made me feel safer.

We walked up the main path to the hotel and upon our arrival at the check in desk we were greeted by a waiter with two glasses of cold mango/guava juice and cold towels to wipe our tired grimy faces. First impressions are everything and I knew at that moment that the service at the Hilton would be incredible and boy was I in a shock. Their service was even better than I ever dreamed possible. We both had green bands tied to our wrists to verify that we were guests who "paid" for half board. That meant breakfast and dinner were included in our package but not lunch and all the food/drink we could consume.

Our room wasnt available but they allowed us to check in and told us that at 2pm we could change rooms. We ascended to the top floor of the hotel and our room held a glorious view of the pool and the Red Sea. The color of the water is an incredible blue and I couldnt wait to jump in but exhaustion kicked in and we both agreed a nap was in order. We both layed down and there was a knock on the door from housekeeping asking if we wanted our room cleaned and I laughed and said we just arrived and there was no need. He returned twice, once with robes for the bathroom and hung them the way Napoleon would have been proud and the second time to bring us toothbrushes and razors.

Finally a nap was had by all. We awoke and said - beach time! So Channah and I changed into our swimming clothing, doused ourselves with sunscreen (boo to skin cancer) and headed downstairs. The pool chairs were all taken so we headed to the beach instead.

We were greeted by a hotel employee who grabbed our towels and placed them for us on the beach chairs. No less than 4 people came over to offer different hotel services like scuba-diving, manicures+pedicures, newspapers and massages. Channah signed up for the scuba-diving and we both signed up for massages. If we are on vacation, we should do it "right". A few hours in the sun and we realized that we needed some nourishment and headed over to the Nelson's Pub (a pub in the resort) where we both enjoyed a Micky Mouse (vanilla and cola float) Exhaustion kicked in and we both agreed a late afternoon nap was in order but first we needed to check back in with the front desk to see what the story was w/ our original room. The room was ready but on a lower floor and we decided to stay where we were - the view was too divine.

We napped for a bit a then got dressed for dinner. According to the hotel guidebook you must be dressed up in order to enter the dinning hall. Lucky for us we both brought non-beach clothing and got all dolled up. Now in order to enter the dinning hall you need to squirt a bit of hand sanitizer on both hands. I am not a fan of that stuff but if it keeps the germs out- i am all for it.

I am not such a fan of hotel food or buffets but I could taste the difference between Egyptian produce and Israeli produce. You would think that the veggies would taste similar but they were worlds apart. Israeli veggies are so much better than anyone else.

After dinner we decided to take a walk around the resort and ended up swinging in the hammocks for a bit. The rocking left us wanting sleep and we headed off to bed.

stay tuned for day 2

Stunning - an off broadway play

2009-07-05T12:32:00.003+03:00

I came across a review for "Stunning" on Joanna Wilson's blog called Gotham Gal .

The show is centered around a 16 year old Jewish Syrian woman from Brooklyn who gets married to a middle aged man. The story revolves around her growing up, trying to find herself but within the confines of her marriage.

Sighhhh.

This story hits home for me. I am not sure if I have ever publicly mentioned here on the blog that I was engaged at age 21 to a Syrian from Brooklyn. Thankfully for the both of us the engagement didnt last and we moved on. It feels like a lifetime ago (eight years is a long time) and I am so thankful I ended up where I was suppose to be - living out my dreams here in Israel.

I am not going to discuss on here or offline what happened (as it is too personal) but I really wish I was in NYC to catch "Stunning". Maybe it is a good thing I cannot see it as I presume it would bring back a flood of emotions from that period of my life.

Go see the show ..

Part of the Important Pro Zionist Lobby

2009-06-24T16:24:00.006+03:00

Recently I was going through my blog statistics and came across a link to my blog that I did not recognize.

The link opened up to a wikipedia style website that "documents the PR and propaganda activities of public relations firms and the public relations industry engaged in managing and manipulating public perception, opinion and policy. SpinProfiles also includes profiles on think tanks, front groups funded by industry and industry-friendly experts who work to influence public opinion and public policy on behalf of transnational corporations or other special interests."

I have been placed in the "pro zionist lobby group" due to my involvement with Help Us Win - a joint effort in battling the War on Hamas using social media this past January. Now for all intentions and purposes I am just an individual doing **my personal** PR for Israel. I am not part of a Pro Israel Lobby, a PR professional and I am certainly not getting paid for my participation.

Yet somehow this site has decided to add me to the list of "Pro Zionist" lobby and PR people.

And you know what? I am PROUD to be on such a site even though I think the site is slanted/biased/unedited and not factually correct.

Theodore Herzel and Israeli Flag
kudos to Hadar for this picture

The one thing they did get right - I am a Pro Zionist. I believe in sharing my personal perspective and spin on the situation here. I hope that when people read my blog posts or tweets they realize what I write is MY opinion an not necessarily sanctioned by other members of my society. Its personal baby, personal.

Keep on enjoying my blog posts from this pro-Zionist blogger.

Ooh and you should read the back and forth with the editor of the site. My name was spelled incorrectly, the description of my job is incorrect and there are some lovely spelling mistakes.

check out my pro zionist profile here

ROTFLMAO

2009-06-11T10:37:00.004+03:00

Yes folks, the tile of this post is ROTFLMAO (rolling on the floor laughing my ass off)- as it should be.

Last night I went to "Comedy for Koby" and I spent the evening ROTFLMAO. Avi Liberman an American comic living in LA gathers together his friends and fellow comics and brings them to Israel to raise money for the Koby Mandell Foundation and help us remember what it is like to laugh until tears stream down our faces at a live comedy show.

Rabbi Seth Mandell (Koby's father) opens up the show each year with a few corny jokes that for some reason has the whole audience in fits of laughter. He shares with the audience jokes that Koby used to love to tell. Children have this pure laughter and it is fitting to be sitting in an audience laughing until the tears streamed down our faces while at the same time raising money for an organization names after a little boy who loved to laugh.

Koby

And the tears from laughter flowed throughout the audience. My sides and mouth hurt from laughing so much.

David Crowe, A.J. Jamal
and Jeffrey Ross were mad funny and worth every single shackle, i mean shekel, spent.

****All of the programs that the Koby Mandell Foundation initiate work to bridge the isolation that bereaved children and adults are struck with after the loss of a loved on programs provide emotional, physical, and spiritual healing that create a network of support for families in grief.

In this way, the Mandells respond to pain and suffering with a Jewish response -- to build, to grow, to make meaning out of suffering, to choose life and to help others in this mission.

taptap " Is This Thing On? "

2009-06-01T16:51:00.005+03:00

I have been very frustrated lately with the discussion of twitter here in Israel. It is quite frustrating to read articles or hear about a tv segment discussing twitter by those who are non-users who really do not get the power of twitter and like to dismiss it b/c they don't get it.

I swear if I hear one more person describe twitter to non-twitter users as "you know you have your facebook status update..well its kinda like that" i am going to *hit them hard* in the nose.

It is time for the Israeli business community to take a look at Twitter as a very serious tool that will enhance their corporate brand and strengthen their marketing efforts. I know it is hard for companies to really be able to distinguish between those that say they can deliver results to those who can actually deliver the results.

Remember that marketing, branding and communication efforts cannot become a success overnight. Anyone who tells you that they can do that for you is lying. Especially when it comes to Twitter.

Below is a powerpoint presentation from The 140- Twitter Conference called: The Open Brand

Take a look at it, read it, internalize it but remember that if you are just starting out on twitter you are going to need help. Ask.

Open Brands: How Twitter is Pushing Radical Transparency in Brand Management

View more Microsoft Word documents from earthsite.

Frustrated by the lack of Chit Chat

2009-05-31T10:16:00.003+03:00

For any of you who have have met me offline you know that I love to chitchat*gab*schmooze*network*blabber*yammer or any other word to describe talkative.

Picture by JimmyRoc

But I just feel so inadequate chitchatting in Hebrew. Urgh. It is not just the words and the grammar. I feel like I just cannot express myself in any way shape or form that reflects my personality when speaking in Hebrew.

This is all bizarre for me because I didnt feel this type of language barrier when speaking in American Sign Language and that too is a totally different language than English. Granted there is a lot of body language used when speaking ASL but try flirting with your hand - it aint easy.

I dont want to stay in my English speaking bubble but I cannot stand to be in situations that I just feel so totally and utterly expressionless. What is the point in conversing if you dont feel like yourself and fear that the people listening just wont get the chance to know you?

Will I ever be a great conversationalist in Hebrew? I sincerely hope so but I dont know how much more of this feeling I can take.

Rita's Cheesecake

2009-05-25T11:01:00.007+03:00

It is that time of year... my favorite time of the year. It is time for Rita's Cheesecake.

Doing a little dance (trying to get my metabolism up so that my body can handle the incoming food I plan on eating)

Rita's cheesecake is simply my favorite cheese cake bar none. The recipe is from Rita, an old friend of my mother's from the old neighborhood in Brooklyn (circa 1984) and it is part of the menu for Shavuot. This cheesecake and pink blintzes is the essence of the holiday menu. Without one or the other the holiday just feels half-assed.

I am sure you are wondering what exactly is pink blintzes? My ingenious mother decided to die the crepe for the potato blintzes so that they wouldnt be confused with the cheese blintzes. I am sure some of you think that serving pink blintzes is a bit strange but you gotta admit - it is an ingenious solution

Rita's Cheesecake

1 Pound creme cheese (not whipped)
3 Eggs
Sugar
8 Ounces Sour Cream
23 unsalted Saltines
3 packets Vanilla Sugar
3/8 stick butter

1: mix at medium speed: creme cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, 3 egg YOLKS, 1 & 1/2 packs vanilla sugar, 3 finely crushed saltine crackers.

2. In another bowl whip 3 egg whites untill stiff, set aside.

3. Mix for bottom of pie pan - 20 crackers, finely crushed, 5 teaspoons sugar, 3/8 stick melted butter. Press into bottom of pie pan

4. Fold snow into creme cheese by hand.

5. bake 350 degrees - 50 minutes

6. mix 8 ounces sour creme, 3 teaspoons sugar, 1 & 1/2 vanilla sugar - mix till soupy. pour on top of cheesecake and bake for 5 minutes.

Let it cool.

picture is from flickr user Marcelo Monser

(note: the original post stated that the cheese blintzes were the pink blintzes but I was corrected by my mom who reads my blog religiously (HI MOM!) and the correction was duly noted and corrected)

Tel Aviv Celebrates White Night ... upcoming events

2009-05-24T17:47:00.003+03:00

Lighting the Bauhaus
50 Bauhaus buildings along Rothschild Boulevard and Bialik Street will be lit with special lighting designs.

Theatre in the Station Complex
What: Tel-Aviv-Yafo's theatres salute Little Tel Aviv
Gesher Theatre will present selections from William Shakespeare's "The Twelfth Night"
Gesher's website: www.gesher-theatre.co.il
Habima Theatre will present "About the Kettle and the Broom": a musical tribute to the theatres that started performing in Tel Aviv in the late 1920s
Habima's website: www.habima.co.il
Where: Station Complex – adjacent to Neve Tzedek
When: 21:00-24:00

Singing in Sarona
What: A song festival of Israeli classics
Where: Sarona Templar Colony – along Kaplan Street
When: 22:00-02:00

Dancing in White
What: Dance and song festival – come dressed in white!
Where: Gordon Beach
When: 22:00 – 02:00

Yehudit Ravitz at dawn
What: Famous Israeli singer will perform at dawn with her biggest hits
Where: North Tzuk Beach
When: 01:00 – 05:00

All-Night Party at Alma Beach
Where: Charles Clore Beach (Manta Rey)
When: 22:00–04:00

"Ballad to a Woman" – Poems by Tirza Atar
What: Presented 30 years after the poetess's death, the show offers a glimpse into the world of this special and multifaceted creator. Performed by Hanna Meron, Shula Hen, Alma Zak, Ofer Bashan and Natan Salor, et al.
Where: Performing Arts Center Piazza, 19 Shaul Hamelech Boulevard
When: 22:00–02:00

Little Tel Aviv – East and West
What: Bialik Square will host a coffee shop reminiscent of the European cafes of the 1920s, accompanied by live music – Between East and West. Bialik Street will be lit with decorative lighting and there will be nighttime tours of the complex.
Program: Yair Delall and an ensemble of musicians playing violin, oud, sitar, Bedouin flute and percussion instruments (20:00-21:30); Marsh Dondurma Band – 15 percussion and woodwind musicians in a captivating Balkan craze: a parade along Bialik Street and a dazzling performance in the square (21:30-midnight)
Where: Bialik Complex
When: 19:00-02:00

Electric Opera in the Sharon Garden
What: Israel Opera soloists, accompanied by a pianist, in an evening of songs from Little Tel Aviv and the Good and Beautiful Israel; the prize-winning Coral Vocal Ensemble presents a fascinating and diverse repertoire, including unusual arrangements of songs composed by Israel's leading musicians, Little Tel Aviv songs, and some added jazz, Gospel, pop and folklore
Where: The Sharon Garden – Hahashmal Park Complex (Levontin, Barzilai, Hahashmal Streets)
When: 21:00-midnight

If You Were on Rothschild
What: White Night pays tribute to Little Tel Aviv on Rothschild Boulevard – from 21:00 to 01:00

* Dizengoff Statue Dedication – A statue of Dizengoff on horseback, created by David Zondelowitz, will be installed opposite Dizengoff's home on 16 Rothschild Boulevard, 18:00
* A special tour of the White City marking the inauguration of The White Route – from Rothschild to Sheinkin – the generation of growth; Tel Aviv's development to the east from the 1920s to the 1940s; Starting at midnight
The first 30 participants will win a free tour – courtesy of the Centennial Administration

A Variety of Activities, Shows and Festivities on Rothschild Boulevard:
The Y Circus presents "Four Floating Frames" – a performance by the "Fly Y Aerial Dance Theatre"; Israel's National Circus Group; a display of period costumes; the Story Bus – transportation stories related to Tel Aviv's history; an exhibition of classic cars by The 5 Club; screening of student films, part of the "Revealing the City" project; a tango band and dancers on an old-time dance floor; a pageant of carriages driven by poets reading poetry; a display of traditional crafts; Photography Studio – photography booths set against a period background reminiscent of Little Tel Aviv, where visitors can have their photograph taken and receive a framed picture; the Shabazi Circus presents "Ascending Café" – a characteristic Tel Aviv bar-restaurant that operates in the air; I'll Clothe You in a Dress of Concrete and Cement – fashion pageants inspired by Tel-Aviv-Yafo; Wearing White – characters dressed in white costumes and illuminated using a special technique, will dance among the crowd of celebrants
Where: Along Rothschild Boulevard
When: 21:00-01:00

White Night in the Sephardic Synagogue
What: Traditional melodies and songs
Where: The "Ohel Moade" Sephardic Synagogue, 5 Shadal Street
When: Starting at 21:30

Tel Aviv's Hyde Park: A Tel Aviv Mosaic at the Big Synagogue
What: an open stage for discourse and singing; participants: Rabbi Israel Meir Lau, Tel-Aviv-Yafo's Chief Rabbi, Pini Gershon, Maccabi Tel Aviv's basketball coach, Shmuel Vilozny, et al.
Where: The Great Synagogue, 110 Allenby Street
When: Starting at 21:30

Opening White Night at the Jaffa Port
What: A musical feast before sunset: classical Jewish music and traditional Arab music performed by the Joseph and One Ensemble – nine Jewish and Arab musicians who create original music inspired by a variety of styles - including classical Arab music, western classical music, Flamenco, jazz, rock, et al.
Where: Jaffa Port entrance piazza near the shore
When: 19:00-20:30

* For details call: 03-6832255

There's Nothing like Jaffa at Night – Guided Cruise
What: A guided cruise from the Jaffa Port to the open seas, with guides from Mishkenot Ruth Daniel
Where: Jaffa Port
When: Tours leave at 18:20, 19:30, 20:30; tour and cruise duration: approximately 45 minutes
Price: NIS 30 per person; reservations must be made in advance
For details and reservations: 054-2288958; www.beit-daniel.org.il

"Kappisch" Café Under the Stars
What: Food and beverage booths will be manned by deaf waiters and barmen at the "Nalaga'at" Center coffee shop
Where: "Nalaga'at" Center, Aliyah Shenia Pier, Jaffa Port, Tel: 03-6330808

A Variety of Marine Activities
Sailing Center: Riding aquabikes at sunset, between 18:00–20:00
Special terms for those registering for courses; details and registration: 03-6810066
Sailor Club: Romantic cruises, starting from sunset until 04:00. The cruise includes explanations about yachts and sailboats. Participants will be able to navigate the yacht, supervised by the instructors.
Tour and cruise duration: About an hour; light refreshments will be served during the cruise
Price: NIS 95 per person or NIS 170 per couple. Discounts for those registering for a yacht sailing course.
For details and reservations: 077-2120367
Sea Goddess Club: Sea Goddess, a new and elegant sailing yacht, will cruise along Tel-Aviv-Yafo's charming beaches on White Night
Departures: A special sunset cruise at 19:00; additional cruises at 20:30, 22:00, 23:30, 01:00; the cruise lasts about 90 minutes; cost: NIS 100 per person or NIS 180 per couple; advance reservations are recommended: 03-5189447
Kyak4all Club: A chance to try out marine kayak rowing; cost: NIS 100 – reservations must be made in advance: 054-7757076

Flea Market – The Nighttime Version
What: The Flea Market will stay open into the night, offering a unique opportunity to stroll around its picturesque and charming alleyways and various shops, galleries, cafes and restaurants
Where: Flea Market, Jaffa

White Stage
What: A function preceding the "Small Bama" events, where students will present plays they wrote during the year as part of their studies in the Department of Theatre. There will also be creative, dance and theatre workshops facilitated by students and teachers from the Department; food and beverages and a dance party until the wee hours of the morning
Where: Tel Aviv University, Faculty of Arts, Mexico Building (entrance via Gate 8)
When: 22:00–04:00

The 5 Club Car Show
What: The famous collectors club exhibits classic cars
Where: Rabin Square
When: 20:00-23:00

Education Biennial
What: An exhibit of works prepared by pupils as part of the special Centennial projects. 25 different schools in the city will present works of art inspired by Tel-Aviv-Yafo, created during the Centennial year. Click here
When: 19:00-20:00

"Tel Aviv Postcards" Films
What: Screening of "Tel Aviv Postcards" films – short documentary films made by 11th and 12th graders
Where: Tel Aviv Cinematheque
When: Starting at 13:00

Tel Aviv-Jaffa Tourism Association -Tours Throughout the City
* Price of each tour: NIS 30 per person
* Reservations at the Tourism Association's Information Bureau: 03-5166188 (which will provide information about where the tours leave from)

Houses Talk in Nachlat Binyamin:
19:00 – Guide: Yehudit Livnat
Bialik: 19:00
Neve Tzedek's Magical Lanes: 19:30 – Guide: Ilan Shechori
Along Rothschild Boulevard: 20:00 – Guide: Doron Ozer
Around Dizengoff Square: 20:30 – Guide: Shula Vidrich
Tel Aviv Amidst the Songs: 21:00 – Guide: Yifat Avitzedek
Tel Aviv Today: 21:00 – Guide: Maor Sadeh
Late Night Stories: Midnight – Guide: Yossi Goldberg
Special White City tour marking the inauguration of The White Route: Midnight

* Price for each tour: NIS 30 per person
* Reservations at the Tourism Association Information Bureau: 03-5166188 (which will provide information about where the tours leave from)
* The first 30 to make a reservation will receive a free tour – courtesy of the Centennial Administration

A Night of Surprises at the City's Pantheon – Trumpeldor Cemetery
What: This lantern-lit tour starts with a mysterious murder in the municipal park, and continues with secrets, stories and surprises between the graves at the Trumpeldor Cemetery
Where: The Restored Trumpeldor Cemetery
When: Two tours: 22:00, 24:00, led by Yossi Sherman and Yossi Goldberg

Special Menus in Honor of White Night – NIS 79 per Person
http://www.2eat.co.il/
What: Restaurants around the city will offer discounted menus in honor of White
Night.
Where:
Avant-garde
Alter Nativ
Amali Resto Bar
Badolina
Bar Giora
Betty Ford
Binyamin
Brewhouse
Dim Sum
Dita
Frida Kahlo
Kimmel
Lemon Grass
Lucas
Max Brenner
Mifgash HaSteak
Ming Ling
Nalaga'at Center
Patron Events
Poike
Subkuch Milega
Sushi to Go
Tel Aviv River
When: Throughout the Shavuot holiday and weekend, Wednesday-Saturday, May 24-30

Driving and Making Music
What: A Dixie band will drive around the city on the Tourism Association's Dan City Tour Bus, playing Tel Aviv songs from different periods and styles
Where: Throughout the city
When: 20:00-24:00

Using a Positive Approach
What: The "Anima – Positive Approach" Center and the Two for Cats boutique will together offer activities for your pets: first behavioral consultation free of charge; complementary and alternative treatments for animals; organic products for pets manufactured by the Center will be sold at a 20% discount
Where: "Anima – Positive Approach" Center, 3 Eliezer Peri Street, Atarim Square, street level; Tel. 072-2501049, 052-2611049, 054-2382770

White Night Events at Beit Ariela
What: Classical music concert, featuring the pianist Tal-Haim Samnon who will play works by Grieg, Brahms, Chopin and Paul Ben-Haim, and the clarinetist Keren Goldenzweig
Where: Beit Ariela, 25 Shaul Hamelech Blvd., Tel 03-6910141
When: 22:30-23:30

What: Jazz Into the Night
Where: Beit Ariela
When: 23:30-01:30

What: The "Soft Cover" band in a melodic rock performance, featuring the best of Hebrew songs
Where: Auditorium
When: 23:00-24:00

What: "The Family" band in an Israeli rock performance
Where: Auditorium
When: 24:00-01:00

What: The Eliyahu Brothers – "Tel Aviv Postcards 1920-1940" – an exhibit from the first postcards company in Israel, documenting Tel Aviv's history from the beginning of the 1920s until the late 1930s. Books from the library's surplus stocks and Graphotek collection lithographs by Israeli artists will be sold as well. Visitors will also be able to sit in the coffee shop on the premises.
Where: Beit Ariela, 25 Shaul Hamelech Blvd., Tel 03-6910141
When: 22:30-03:00

White Night at Ben-Gurion's House
20:00-24:00: Guided tours at Ben-Gurion's House (every hour starting at 20:00; the last tour is at 23:30)
20:00-21:30: "Israel's Wars as Reflected in Hebrew Songs" – a lecture by Yotam Regev, Ben-Gurion Heritage Institute
22:00: "A Mysterious Murder on the Beach – Who Killed Arlozorov?" – a guided tour led by Yaron Dishon, Ben-Gurion Heritage Institute; the tour leaves from the Ben-Gurion House yard (contingent on a minimum number of participants)
Where: 17 Ben-Gurion Blvd., Tel. 03-5221010

"Key Role" – A Multimedia Performance Written and Performed by Shlomo Bar-Shavit
What: The play, adapted and directed by Moshe Becker, is part of the conference
"Habima at 90 – New Approaches to National Theatre." Tickets can be
purchased by phone at 03-6295555, *5008, or on the Habima website: www.habima.co.il
Where: Shein Auditorium, "Yad Lebanim", 63 Pinkas Street
When: Wednesday, May 27 at 20:30
The conference, open to the public free of charge, will be held on May 24-27; the
conference program is posted on http://www.tau.ac.il/~habima90.

The City's Jewel – The Tel-Aviv-Yafo Jewelry Fair
What: Rashbel Ltd. and the Magnolia jewelry store chain, in cooperation with the Centennial Administration, invite you to a jewelry fair presenting the creations of Israel's top jewelry designers.
Where: "Gan Haeer" Roof, 71 Ibn Gevirol Street
When: 17:00-03:00

White Night at the Third Ear: A Tribute to Arik Einstein
What: A variety of events and activities at the store's complex, marking Tel Aviv's Centennial and Arik Einstein's 70th birthday, the singer most associated with White and Black Tel Aviv – and their common elements; entrance free of charge
*A performance called "Don't Give Up On Me…Night After Night" will be held on the Third Ear's piazza – a cabaret marathon honoring Arik Einstein, with Yaheli Sobol, Dr. Casper's Rabbit Show, Tamar Eisenman, The Right Bunny, No Bears, Esther's Fast, The Good Looking Guys are With Me, and Midnight Peacocks.
* The Champions League final will be screened at Third Ear's bar, starting at 22:00; there will be a Free Style party starting at midnight
* Starting at midnight, films featuring Arik Einstein will be shown at Third Ear's movie theatre: "Peeping Toms", "Big Eyes", "Lool" and "The Snail"
* Customers who purchase a subscription for 25 or more movies will be entitled to a 20% discount at the DVD library, free lending of films whose titles include the words "white" and "night", and a free bonus movie if they are fans of Hapoel Tel Aviv
* Customers who purchase 3 Israeli films on sale will receive a free copy of "Peeping Toms"
More details can be found on: www.third-ear.com
Where: The Third Ear, 48 King George Street
When: Starting at 23:30

The Israeli Opera
What: A midnight concert of popular operas
Where: Opera House – Performing Arts Center, 19 Shaul Hamelech Blvd.
When: Starting at midnight

White Night at the Eretz Israel Museum
What: Exhibitions open to the public:
"Haredim" – Menahem Kahane, Photographs
"Tel Aviv's Secret History" – What Happened Here Over a Period of 20,000 Years?
"Ode to Concrete" – The Concrete Ethos in Israeli Construction and Culture
"Faith Train" – The Hejaz Railway Centennial
"China's Coins" – Chinese Means of Payment Over Time
"Nomads in the City" – Yael Ravid, Photographs
"Kinneret Memories" – Ben-Zion Yisraeli's Photograph Albums

* The Anina Cafe, located at the entrance to the Museum, will serve a Centennial Cocktail to all patrons and remain open until 02:00
* Special White Night entrance fees:
Entrance to the Museum: NIS 25 (instead of NIS 38)
Entrance to the Museum and the Planetarium: NIS 35 (instead of NIS 61)
Parking in the Museum's parking lot: free of charge after 22:00
More details can be found on: www.eretzmuseum.org.il

Where: Eretz Israel Museum, 2 Haim Levanon Street
When: 20:00-02:00

White Night at the Rubin Museum
What: A selection of Rubin's paintings will be on display – including early paintings made in Europe, paintings made in pre-State Israel in the 1920s, and his late paintings from the 1960s and 1970s. Visitors will also be able to view a biographical presentation from the Museum's archives, tour the artist's restored studio and watch a documentary film about Rubin entitled "Even the Shadow is Light." Explanations about the exhibition will be provided by audio guides in Hebrew, English and French. A special exhibit will also be on display: Ida Reicher – Embroidery Works – Inspired by Rubin's Tel Aviv Landscapes from the 1920s. Ida Reicher creates unique embroidery works using a personal and precise work technique, with each figure taking one to five years to produce, depending on the size of the material. Reicher's works are a tribute to Rubin who, together with her father, was active in Zionist organizations in her hometown in Romania.
Entrance fee: NIS 15
Additional details on: www.rubinmuseum.org.il
Where: Rubin Museum, 14 Bialik Street, Tel. 03-5255961
When: 19:00-midnight

Miri Masika in an Acoustic Performance
Where: Tel Aviv Zappa Club, Ziv Towers, 24 Raoul Wallenberg Street, Ramat HaHayal; for reservations call: 03-7674646
When: Doors open for the first performance at 20:00; doors open for the second performance at 23:00

Bikurei HaItim Center
Wensdance – Movement workshop with Eyal Shemesh, 21:00
Free dancing in a variety of styles with the D.J. Michal Gefen, from 21:45 until the wee hours of the morning
Cost: NIS 30 per person
6 Heftman Street, 03-6919510, http://tlvitim.co.il

Welcoming the Sabbath – The Big Days of Little Tel Aviv
What: "Welcoming the Sabbath" was one of the most famous and popular cultural events held in Little Tel Aviv. Started by Bialik, every Sabbath it attracted hundreds of people, who came to hear lectures on literature, culture and spiritualism, alongside explanations of the weekly Torah portion as well as liturgical gems sung by Cantor Shlomo Ravitz. The White Night event will incorporate excerpts taken from the "Welcoming the Sabbath" archives and films shown in Tel Aviv's earliest days.
Artists, cantors and choir singers will reenact the special works that were composed for "Welcoming the Sabbath."
Performers: The Tel Aviv Cantorial Institute Choir, The Shikmim Choir (conducted by Menashe Lev-Ran), the singer Lior Yeni, the klezmer player Bernie Marinbach, and the wonder child Orad Katz. Musical direction: Menashe Lev-Ran.
Starting at 21:30 at the Brodet Center piazza; shops, a cafe and booths will be reconstructed to reflect the period and highlight the atmosphere; klezmer music will be played by Bernie Marinbach and other musicians
Where: Brodet Center, 22 Zeitlin Street
When: 22:00-24:30

"Tel Aviv Scenes" Exhibition – Opening
What: A comparison of photographs taken by Avraham Susskin between 1909 and 1926 and photographs taken by Ran Arda in 2009, documenting Tel Aviv's streets, buildings and quaint corners. Guy Raz, Shula Vidrich, Ran Arda and Susskin's grandson will speak at the opening. As part of the White Night events, the Bauhaus Center will be open until midnight.
Where: Bauhaus Center, 99 Dizengoff Street
When: 19:30

Spanish and Flamenco Dance Celebration – "Anda Jaleo"
What: The show highlights all the wealth and styles characterizing Spanish dance, with a focus on Flamenco.
Two performances in an intimate and authentic atmosphere. Tickets: NIS 50
Tickets can be purchased by phone at 03-5231453 or on the website www.silviaduran.com
Where: Silvia Duran Spanish Dance and Flamenco Center, 53 Ben Yehuda Street, basement level
When: First performance at 21:30; second performance at 23:00

Tel Aviv Kabbalah Center – Evening Seminar
What: 21:00 – Kabbalist Astrology; 22:00 – Couple Relationships According to the Kabbalah; 23:00 – A Journey Through Kabbalist Spheres; 24:00 – "The Secrets of the Zohar" with Michael Berg, by live satellite broadcast from the U.S.; 01:00 – "Tel Aviv Kabbalists" – Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag and his student Rabbi Brandwein who lived and worked in Tel Aviv, and thanks to whom the city has become an important cultural and philosophical Kabbalah center.
No entrance fee to all the lectures – also suitable for beginners. It will be possible to meet individually with Kabbalah teachers for private lessons, receive reduced prices and discounts on the gamut of Kabbalah books in all languages and on Kabbalah courses, read Kabbalah books and the Zohar in the Kabbalah library, and participate in the launch of a new collection of Kabbalah jewelry made by Israeli artists and designers.
Additional information: www.kabbalah.co.il
Where: Kabbalah Center, 14 Ben Ami Street, Dizengoff Square, 1-800-32-2626
When: Starting at 21:00

The National Dance Company of Spain, Under the Direction of Nacho Duato
What: Part of the "Great Stage" events, three of the company's classics will be performed: Gnawa, Castrati and For Thee I Die
Tickets: NIS 210 (a discount for Tel Aviv residents)
Tickets: Tel. 03-5105656 or on the website: www.suzannedellal.org.il
Where: Suzanne Dellal Center
When: 21:00. The Great Stage piazza will be open to the public about 45 minutes prior to showtime.

Shavuot Party: Alcohol and Refreshments Honoring the Shavuot Holiday at Studio 6B
What: 21:00 – an exhibition of the preparatory course graduates' portfolios
23:00-01:00 – a nude model drawing marathon at three different sites in the studio
Where: Studio 6B, 39 Ahad Ha'am Street, Tel. 1-800-360366, www.6bstudio.co.il
When: 21:00-23:00

Dance Classes at the Naim Studio – Mind, Body & Soul
What: 24:00-01:30 – hip hop; 02:00-3:30 – Brazilian samba; 03:30-05:00 – contact improvisation; 05:00-06:30 - yoga at sunrise
An exhibition of photographs by the artist Tali Alohav is on display at the studio. Cost per class: NIS 40
Where: Naim Studio, 46 Salame Street, Tel. 03-5188998, www.naim.org.il
When: Starting at midnight

Tel Aviv Cinematheque – A Marathon of Documentary Films Dealing With Israeli Music and Rock
What: The following films will be screened during the marathon:
On the Move (Israel, 2008): directed by Avida Livni (75 minutes, Hebrew) – Ehud Banai, Yossi Elefant and the "Refugees" (Jean-Jacques Goldberg, Gil Smetana and Noam Zaid-Halevi); an everlasting musical passion that laid the foundations for all Israeli rock – 24:00
Wearing Top Hats: A Postcard's Disturbed Skies (Israel, 1998): directed by Hen Sheinberg (48 minutes, Hebrew) – rare excerpts from performances and songs never incorporated in any formal record
Hard Light, Soft Light (Israel, 2000): directed by Hen Sheinberg (40 minutes, Hebrew) – a film about the journalist Kobi Or, one of the most influential figures in Israeli alternative rock, and about rock journalism – 24:00 (Auditorium 2)
Stormy Souls (Israel, 2002): directed by Natan Mandelbaum (82 minutes, Hebrew and English, Hebrew subtitles) – a film about the Israeli rock band "Minimal Compact"; a journey to discover the band's extraordinary story through interviews with its members – 01:30
Bombs En Route to the End of the World (Israel, 2000): directed by Yeshri Halperin (52 minutes, Hebrew, English subtitles) – documents the world of trance in Israel, as well as trance and drugs and what's common to them; a documentary ballad about young Israelis at the end of the second millennium - 02:00 (Auditorium 2)
Prices: Long films and/or two films: NIS 33; films shorter than 60 minutes: NIS 20; Tel Aviv residents with a resident's card: 50% discount; subscribers enter free of charge
Where: Tel Aviv Cinematheque, 2 Sprinzak Street, www.cinema.co.il
When: Starting at midnight

White Night at Tzavta
What:
20:30 in Tzavta Lola (1): "A Dove with an Olive Leaf" – songs of peace and longings for it, with Sarale Sharon and guests: Yehuda Elias, Dudu Zakai, Dorit Reuveni, Shuli Natan, Lubana Salama, Dror Meshulam
20:30 in Tzavta 2: "Tel Aviv Once Upon a Taste and a Time" – a fringe theatre play dealing with Tel Aviv
24:30 in Tzavta Lola (1): "Nerve Song" – an evening of satire with Ephraim Sidon – the best Israeli songs performed with a sharpened and piquant twist
24:30 in Tzavta Hazan (3): Sacred Wigs Drag Performance, an evening of special entertainment and provocative stand up comedy: replete with wigs and dresses, makeup, dancing, singing, and Israeli cynicism
Where: Tzavta, 30 Ibn Gevirol Street, Tzavta Box Office: 03-6950156/7, extension 21; www.tzavta.co.il
When: Starting at 20:30

"Hummus, Fries and Salad" – Theatre, Dance and...Hummus
What: The play, part of the Khan Theatre's repertoire, takes place in a hummus restaurant. The audience is invited to be seated and taste the hummus. Dancing about, the waiters serve a portion of hummus to each member of the audience until the creators of the play come in for some hummus and to resolve a crisis that has emerged between them. Regular price: NIS 70; special price for Tel Aviv residents, senior citizens and pupils: NIS 50
Where: Arab-Hebrew Theatre of Jaffa, 10 Mifratz Shlomo Street, Old Jaffa; for reservations call: 03-5185563; www.arab-hebrew-theatre.org.il
When: 22:00-24:30

Plastic – Fashion and Culture Market
What: A nighttime shopping experience combined with a fashion party
A celebration for all fashion, art, music and culture buffs: 50 young fashion designers will sell their own creations – clothing, bags, jewelry, accessories, and household items. There will also be theatre presentations and live shows, as well as video art, photography and art exhibits. A Glam-Ou-Rama fashion party will be held in Shalom Tower courtyard.
www.telavivcity.com/plastik7
Where: Shalom Tower ground floor, 1 Herzl Street
When: 19:00-04:00

* Entrance to all the events is free of charge unless cited otherwise.
* The schedule of events is not final and is subject to change.