Of the 5,000 years of Jerusalem’s history, Jews represented a majority of the population for about 1100 years. Jewish rule and control over the city lasted about 600 years. In 1850, Jerusalem’s Jews were a small minority; less than 1,000 in a population of 25,000. The dream for Jews to return began in 1878 with […]

As the people of Judah spread out across the world, they still claimed Judah and Jerusalem as home. Upon their return, they brought with them all their accumulated history and culture, creating a united community of very diverse beliefs and practices. Understanding what is a Jew and how they define themselves is part of the […]

Israel is a land of contrasts. While it is officially recognized as a Jewish State, it is made up not just of people who have always lived here but also of people who have come here from everywhere in the world, bringing their languages, attitudes, beliefs, politics, and expectations. Other than the ancient buildings in […]

We’ve put together some words and phrases to help you out if you are traveling to Israel. NOTE: The pronounciations are based upon phonetic sounds. A=ah, E=eh, I=ee, O=oh, U=oo. K and C are interchangeable as a "k" as in "cat" and CH is pronounced as a gutteral "kh", a scraping sound in the throat. […]

The numbers assaulted my brain all week. They come from everywhere. Television, radio, newspapers, they all bombard my head with numbers, many too unreal to accept. I want to reject them, but they are too staggering to deny. The numbers come from friends and family around me and around the world, too. I am surrounded. […]

On any trip through the Arab markets in the old cities of Jerusalem, Jaffa, or Akko (Acre), you will find many inlaid wooden chess/backgammon boards for sale from the various vendors. They range in quality and price from moderate to downright cheap. With some looking, you can find a really nice one for not too […]

Weeks later, we are still reeling with the after effects of the Visa Dance/20 Sheqel Maximum. Brent goes to get gas and the attendant, who recognizes him now, smiles if the total is below 20 sheqels. If it is above, he will wave his hands and do a mini version of the Visa Dance in […]

Expectations and Shopping One of my life’s biggest problems, self-imposed of course, is dealing with my expectations. In general, I don’t think they are too high, too low, or even unreasonable. In life I expect people to treat each other to the best of their ability, hopefully fairly, and that I will be just smart […]

I’m trying to find words to express how it felt to sit on the bed among the remains of our eight empty suitcases. Even though much of our life storage, odd bits and pieces, is spread across the USA, the remains just evacuated from our luggage is the only stuff that counts now. It’s here […]