Only In Israel #13: Why did the truck driver cross the road?

So I was walking down King George St one day when I spotted a lady crossing the street. She had a bag over her shoulder and was wheeling a stroller while a toddler was pushing his own riding toy beside her. There was nothing unusual about that. She was crossing the street perpendicular from where I was waiting at the red light. (A policewoman recently warned me not to cross against the light just near this intersection so I wasn’t going to press my luck.)

Right smack in the middle of the street the toddler apparently resented his mother holding his hand and became very uncooperative. This forced mom to pick him up with one hand, and wheel the stroller with the other, all while still having the bag over her shoulder. Inevitably, that yellow riding toy was left behind right in the middle of a very busy intersection. The red light that kept the long line of cars from smashing it to pieces was about to turn green.

There was nothing the mother could do, as she wasn’t about to abandon her children for this toy. As I was about to cross against the light to help her out, policewoman’s warning or not, something truly unexpected happened. Sitting in front of this long line of cars that were waiting for the light to change was a delivery truck. The truck’s driver side door flew open and down jumped the truck driver who happily rescued the riding toy from its precarious position and deposited it safely on the corner. With a wave, nod, and a smile he jumped back in to his truck.

As I stood there watching I was awed. I was wondering what exactly would happen if the same scenario played out in New York City. Would any NYC truck driver ever abandon his vehicle to help a mother in need? Would any NYC truck driver even bother driving around the toy rather than simply running it over?

Who knows? But one thing I know. Here in Israel when people see that help is needed – they help! Because after all, we are all part of the same family.

Only in Israel...

...do the buses wish you a Happy Purim instead of telling you where they are going!

Final Thoughts And Photos on the Winter Storm of 5768

As the last few stubborn patches of snow melt away I wanted to share a few more pictures I took and a wonderful thought.


These were taken on Thursday morning which was relatively warm and sunny.


Dogs, kids, just about everyone was playing in the snow.


And the roads slowly turned back to normal.


But I wanted to share something that no one seems to point out.



It’s a truly amazing thing when you see it with your own eyes.



If these pictures don’t prove how rain (and snow) on Eretz Yisrael are a direct gift from our father-in-heaven.


And a most beautiful gift indeed.



Isn’t it?


But just look at this radar capture taken in the midst of the storm. The rain and snow falls literally only within the biblical borders of Eretz Yisrael – and just stops – just like that – as soon as the clouds pass over the border...

Only In Israel #12: An Israel Kodak Moment: Summer Rain

Where else in the world does one run to get their camera just because it's raining outside? And where else would this be such a topic worthy of blogging about?

Is summer time rain in Israel a bad sign? Is it a good sign since we need it? Is the rain falling because it's the year before Shmeta? Is it a sign that Moshiach is imminent? (My sister reminded me that the gemara says "seasons will cease.") Whatever the answer it poured and hailed hard today... here's a video if you missed it!



muse of Me-ander also wrote about this and posted pictures.

Yom HaZikaron 5767

You can feel the heaviness of the day. It's nothing at all like Memorial Day in America – which to most Americans is simply about sales and the beginning of Summer. Here almost all Israelis know of one (or sadly more) soldier personally that fell so that Israel could be. Here it's personal.

The flag on the Knesset is lowered to half staff (above.) And the nation grinds to a halt to remember who made this all possible as the siren sounds (below.)

Only In Israel #11: A Yom Hashoah Thought, The Day After

This was orignally posted on Kumah a few days ago...As the siren blared yesterday and I stood still along with everyone else on Kanfei Nesharim Street in Givat Shaul reflecting on the immeasurable horrors that transpired upon our nation it occurred to me that I am standing on a busy street in Jerusalem looking around at hundreds of other Jews who are all also residents of the Jewish State also standing and reflecting on the immeasurable horrors that occurred to our nation while standing still on a busy street in Jerusalem.

Think about that.

I don’t know if there could be any thought that could begin to comfort the Jewish People from our loss. Still it is at least an uplifting feeling to actually be united as one nation sharing our sorrow together – if only for a minute… and something that could only be experienced one place in the world.

We must never forget our past even as we build a brighter future.

Only In Israel #10: Photos and Free Orange Minutes

I always say the first sign that I'm not Home is when I get into the terminal at JFK airport and reach for the mezuzah and it's not there! Just last week I was in the Post Office and the clerk wished me a "Chag Samayach!" That's what I'm talking about. Home!

You know what I mean. Speaking of which... Orange is giving its customers 200 FREE minutes on Pesach (see details below) as a holiday gift. Awesome! Home!



Here are some photos I took of our beautiful Land on the way out. I miss you already and will be back soon.

Only In Israel #9: So May This Happen to All the Enemies of the Jewish People (Photos)

It's so good to be Home for the Holiday Season... you know, the holiday season! The time people dress up, give out candy, (get drunk) and decorate the front of their homes. Yep... sure you know what I mean. They decorate them with beautiful biblical scenes. You know what I mean. The scenes that sort of look like this:


Ahh, it's so good to be Home. So what biblical scenes did your neighbor set up?

Cross posted on Kumah.

Only In Israel #8: A Tale of Three Cities

I have the esteemed privilege to be able to spend Shabbat all over this wonderful land that Hashem gave us as a gift along with his Torah. The past three weeks I spent Shabbat in Beit-El, Bnei Brak, and Ramat Beit Shemesh, respectively. And while all three places certainly have their differences I find they have some wonderful things in common.

For example in all three neighborhoods one would be very hard pressed to find a car on Shabbat. In all three one will find the streets full with many children playing and enjoying Shabbat. They are the future of the Jewish people! Can anything be more exhilarating?

In all three one will experience Shabbat on a higher more intense level than is possible in many other places on earth. Sure I could think of a handful of other places, (Tzfat springs to mind, and I've always been impartial to the Old City of Jerusalem) but nearly all of them are in Eretz Yisrael.

So attention Brooklyn Jews: when the siren goes off in Boro Park (and now Flatbush) in a futile attempt to build a "mini-Jerusalem" and "recreate" the atmosphere of the real Jerusalem, just remember you can't beat the real thing! So why risk upsetting the goyim (and make no mistake. They do get annoyed hearing the siren each week) when you are guests in their kind country when instead you can simply come home and play Jewish music over the loudspeakers for a half hour on Erev Shabbos because it's our home and we make the rules!

Take the Kumah challenge: Visit Eretz Yisrael and spend Shabbat on any Yishuv or any of the places I mentioned and you'll experience what Shabbat is really all about!

It's a little secret which we shouldn't keep to ourselves but everyone here knows that the Jews of Chu"L simply have no idea what they are missing. I thank Hashem every day that I am somehow worthy of experiencing Shabbat in Eretz Yisrael every week!

Only In Israel #7: NBN Project Leket Photos

Last Friday Nefesh B'Nefesh collaborated with Table To Table, an amazing organization that does "food rescue" from restaurants, wedding and even farms!



We joined their Project Leket, which is a program that literally does "leket," picking unharvested fruits and vegetables from fields - which farmers don't harvest for economic reasons - and distributing them to the needy.



The group of Olim volunteers went out to Moshav Ein Vered near Netanya, and picked over 750 kilo of delicious pomellos (not all of them were large enough to sell - but they tasted great!)



The fruit will be sent to the needy.

Only In Israel #6: Video of Today's Birchat Kohanim

Or click here.

Only In Israel #5: He Will Bless The Fruit... Your Wine...

He will love you, bless you and make you numerous. He will bless the fruit of your womb, the fruit of your land, your grain, your wine, your oil, the calves of your herds, and the lambs of your flocks, in the land that He promised your fathers that He would give to you. (Devarim 7:13)

"These blessings are tied up with the Land. Israel will only merit these great gifts if they live in the Land and fulfill the mitzvot there. If they live in exile, they will not be able to reap these rewards because they will lack the virtue of living in the Land of Israel." (Me'am Lo'ez on Ekev).


I walked outside of my Rechavia apartment and I noticed these beautiful wild grapes hanging down from the garden above my staircase. This is the blessing of the Land growing in my own front yard!

Only In Israel #4: The Artscroll Eretz Yisrael Adaptor Pamphlet

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It is well known that Artscroll has a virtual monopoly on siddurim used in shuls throughout North America. What is less known (certainly among American Jews) is that that are actually lots of shuls that are not in North America. Several of them are actually located in Eretz Yisrael. And while Artscroll may be the siddur of choice in the good ole US of A it is most certainly not in Israel. The Artscroll siddur is extremely unpopular here for several reasons. It’s overpriced (much more expensive than other siddurim.) It’s printed in Chutz La’Areretz. It’s wrong for Eretz Yisrael. Yep – it’s just not accurate for the teffilos that are said here.

Now I hope this stays this way. Artscroll certainly does not need the Eretz Yisrael market and there are many holy Jews in Eretz Yisrael that make their parnussah printing some fine quality “Eretz Yisrael” siddurim. It should stay that way. But what if you are just addicted to Artscroll? You like having a siddur with an English translation. You like the clear computer font they use.

Well, I found “The Artscroll Eretz Yisrael Adaptor Pamphlet” lying around in a shul in the predominately American Olim neighborhood of Ramat Beit Shemesh Aleph. As it clearly states it’s not printed by Artscroll but by privately by someone who wants to help people "acclimate to the different customs of Eretz Yisrael" – because there are lots of differences aside from the well known one that we duchan everyday here.

Click on each image to enlarge. (Page 1 is on top.)

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Only In Israel #3: Class, the Israeli Way

Akiva Werber is the Head of the Jewish Agency's Immigration and Absorption Department's Division for English-speaking Countries. Several years ago I heard him speak at a Tehilla chug (meeting) in Queens. I vividly remember him explain how Israelis always “round of the edges” but still ultimately they “get the job done.” This is something American Olim really have to adjust to. As Americans we are used to things being done professionally. But doing things the “professional way” doesn’t always make the most sense.


Take for example the Israeli Supreme Court Building (which I almost have a view of from my Rechavia Apartment window.) This building has been described as the “most beautiful building in all of Israel.” But to be perfectly honest I don’t see why. To me it looks like just a plain old square building. Yeah, it’s got some cones on top representing truth and justice and all that but compared to any U.S. Government building it is as ordinary as a parking garage.


To make matters worse, if you take the tour you will see that there was actually a contest held to design the building. They were some really incredible submissions from all over the world. But I seem to recall two Israeli brothers won the contest with the current design. And though it can’t hold a torch against structures like the Library of Congress or even the New York Public Library one thing can be said about the Israeli design. It is highly practical.

And thus the mentality of the Israeli is defined. Appearance really isn’t the most important thing. What’s more important is practicality. Do what logically makes the most sense, not what “looks professional.”

This, of course, also applies to Israeli weddings. And so I found myself at a Simcha in a beautiful wedding hall in Bnei Brak. There was even a waterfall with live fish in the hall. The table was set ever so elegantly. I found three forks on the left side of my plate and three knives on the right (all slight variation of one another). There was also another funny shaped fork along with a funny shaped spoon on top of the plate. (I’m not sophisticated enough to know what those were for.) There were two glasses (one for wine) and a nicely folded silk napkin. It was truly exquisite and very classy.

Then there was the Pepsi.

Think about it. Does it make any sense to pour soda into clear glass bottles with wide open necks? Why? So they can sit there and go flat! Plus then they have to cut up lemons for all the diet sodas. And maybe people don’t want lemon in their soda anyway. It makes so much more sense just to put the Pepsi bottles on the table as is. It’s just more practical.

Well so much for class...

Only In Israel #2: Holy Vandals

On a typical NYC subway car you can find loads of graffiti whether is from high school students that want everyone to know they “were here,” or from college students posting political messages. (Think Lisa Simpson’s “U.S. Out Of EVERYWHERE!” sticker.)

Israel too is not immune from this phenomenon. What is different, of course, is the nature of the messages that are being portrayed. For example a few weeks ago I noticed someone posted these stickers all over the benches in the GRA Shul in Jerusalem’s Shaarie Chessed neighborhood. It’s a quote from Gemarah Berachos 17A.

Here’s what the sticker says:

“It was said of R. Yochanan ben Zakkai that no man ever greeted him first, not even the non-Jew in the marketplace.” And what about you?

Some one penned in a response on one of the stickers “we too want to!”



This week I spotted these stickers all over the place even on street lampposts!

The truth is I haven’t found people not saying “good shabbos” to one another to be such a big problem in Eretz Yisrael… though these stickers might serve better in a certain borough in New York.

Still it’s pretty incredible that even the vandalism is holy here!

New "Only In Israel!" Section

So my father reminded me how my grandmother (may she have a refuah shelama) used to write to him very frequently. I remember often getting those light blue airmail-envelope-and-letter-in-one combos. On the back she often wrote a small piece entitled. "Only in Israel." A perfect example is that old post of mine about a taxi driver giving me a free lift to the kotel just as a chesed.

So in her footsteps I’m starting a new section on this blog called "Only in Israel!"

Let’s begin:

Only In Israel! #1: Yes Officer, You Can Daven Here

So I’m on my way to shul to daven Mincha - nothing unsual about that. But to get to the shul I have to cross one major intersection. The crosswalks on this intersection are actually indented – giving cars a chance to make the turn and then to stop. Well it’s honestly a bit of a pain – and the light was green anyway so I went to cross from the corner just a bit outside the crosswalk.

Suddenly I hear someone calling me.

"Excuse me, sir! Excuse me, sir, please stop!"

I looked up. Right there in front of me was standing a police officer in his light blue uniform and yellow vest. Oh no! "He’s not going to give me a ticket!" I thought to myself. "I was only a few feet out of the crosswalk. Give me a break!"

"Yes, officer?" I asked.

"Do you know where there is a shul around here so I could daven Mincha?"

"Ohhhh!" Whew! "Yeah, there’s a shul right here."

And so we went there together.