What's not to love?

Happy Birthday, Israel!


In honor of Israel's 62nd year, another blogger wrote a list of 62 things he loves about Israel. The entire list can be read here, but I figured I'd include some of my favorites (with a few additional comments of my own), just for kicks.


5. I love the kumkum (electric hot water kettle). I'm not saying that I brought it into my bathroom to shave because the dood (solar water heater) wasn't hot, but… Ok, that's exactly what I'm saying.
I personally don't use it to shave, but I do love the hot water kettles.  So handy.  So much tea. :)


6. I love how the painter not only asked me for coffee before working on my apartment but how I immediately made it for him without any feelings of weirdness. In the US, I'd have him committed.


7. I love how the Nefesh B'Nefesh Hanukka video on Ben Yehudah Street got a million hits. Now if you'll please excuse me, I have to go do a flash mob in Gaza. (The Black-Eyed Peas are huge in Khan Yunis.)
You can watch it yourself here.


8. I love humous for approximately 47,000 different reasons. By the way, when Israeli kids try to pull a fast one on the substitute teacher, do they use the fake name "Hugh Muss"?
Ditto the loving humous thing.  Love humous.  However you spell it.  Humus.  Chumus.  It's all good.  


11. I love that during a visit to New York, I stopped by the Aroma on the Upper West Side, struck up a conversation with an Israeli woman at the counter, and within thirty seconds, found someone we knew in common. Look out, parents: there's a new drug hitting the streets. It's accessible, it's addictive, and it's a menace to society. Goodbye, cocaine; hello, ice Aroma.
They have Aroma in New York?!


12. I love emphatically saying the word "ba-RUUUUUUUUUUUUUR!!!!!!!!!" It's like "duh" with more raysh-es.
I think this is one word I'm going to have to pick up.  


13. I love that while waiting at a photocopy shop in the dead of summer, an employee walked around and gave out cups of cold water to the customers. That's what I call Israeli hospitality.
Gotta share water.


14. I love that the cleaning lady asked, "Do you want me to organize this too? You know, because Pessah is coming..."


26. I love the new Apple stores with the best customer service I've ever seen in this country. Are we sure these are really service representatives? Quick, somebody check their passports for "Dubai."
I'm not an Apple person, but do they actually have good customer service?  IN ISRAEL?  I might have to switch.


32. I love how Israel is kicking Lebanon's ass in the humous wars. Take that, Hizbullah. Now what about the biggest bottle of arak?  First round's on me.
Yeah, the humous battles make me laugh.  So random.

33. I love that in a recent episode, the Simpsons came to Israel, that the tour guide spoke Hebrew, and that I understood it.  If he had said yiyeh b'seder, it would have made my year.
Yeah, I really wish I could understand more than a word here and there of what the guide said.  It sounded good.


42. I love the insanely awesome juices you can get here, even at the grocery store. Strawberry banana, pomegranate, humous fig. Ok, I made the last one up. This would be a good time to mention again that whereas fruits are tasty and affordable here, you have to take out a small business loan to buy a banana in the US. $1.25 at the airport? No thanks, I'd rather lick the runway.


62. I love that I've had this once-in-a-lifetime experience and that it's not over yet.
 Amen to that!