“May your account with us grow like plentiful fruit . . .

February 1, 2007 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Food, Holidays, Immigrant Moments 

tu bshvat

. . . and never wither like these dried apricots.”

Immigrants to Israel never ceased to be somewhat surprised, and gratified, at just how, well, Jewish, Israel is. This weekend is the holiday of Tu B’shvat (literally, the 15th day of the month of Shvat), which is dedicated to appreciating nature, especially trees. In honor of the holiday, Jews around the world feast on dried fruit and almonds. The selection in Israel is incredible, and most supermarkets are showcasing dried-fruit baskets in front of the stores.

And sometimes, the fruit comes to you . . .

About an hour ago we heard a buzz of the intercom. Hubby answered but there was nobody there, or at least he didn’t hear anyone to buzz up. So whatever, we ignored it. Anyway, just now he was on his way out, opened the front door, and hanging from our door knob was a clear plastic bag with a tiny little box filled with dry fruit in it! A Tu B’shevat treat/present/gift!

Was it from our close friends, you ask? from our neighbors? relatives? NO……………..it was……………..

FROM OUR BANK!!!!

toooo cool!

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Wheezing through the Winter

February 1, 2007 by · 1 Comment
Filed under: General, Life 

Hey, I’m happy to be back filling in here on Israelity!

For my first post, I want the world to know about what’s REALLY affecting us these days here in Israel, or at least those of us in Jerusalem: flu and pneumonia!
flu
Almost everyone I know either currently has pneumonia, was thought in the past month to possibly have it, or has been stricken with a severe flu. A friend told me that her doctor told her that he’s lived in Israel for 39 years, and this winter has brought more feverish, coughing, miserable people through his door than ever before. I’m sure there are people reading this thinking that, obviously, this is divine punishment for . . . something . . . but personally, I think that one person got a bad flu, and since Israelis go around kissing each other on both cheeks, it just spread.

No, that’s not true. It could also be because, last fall when people were getting flu shots, a few elderly people died just after getting their shots, and the media reported that there might be something wrong with the vaccine. So many people opted not to get the shot. (There turned out to be no connection whatsoever.)

But that doesn’t explain why I, who never gets the shot and does, in fact, get the flu every year, and usually I just live with it and get better, suddenly this year was stricken with it so badly that I ended up being sent by my doctor to a walk-in clinic to be treated for dehydration. I’ve been coughing for three weeks. I’m sitting in a cafe right now writing this, and two other people, also, are coughing and coughing and coughing.

Anyone ever read Stephen King’s The Stand? I’m just sayin’.

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