Sunday, January 22, 2012

Winter Watermelon for Tu B'Shvat

Shalom Girls & Boys:

Are you getting ready for Tu B'Shvat? I know I am and I'm excited because this year I'm going to say a special She'he'cheyanu blessing over a very new fruit Made in Israel. Instead of serving my friends nuts and dried apricots, raisins and apple slices, I'm going to give them yummy slices of Israel's new Winter Watermelon.


It's crispier and sweeter then regular watermelons, and its flesh is an orangey-yellow color. You won't believe it -- it's grown hanging in hothouses, which is also different! But I'm not surprised. Israeli farmers are among the most inventive in the world. We grow more than 40 types of different fruits in our little desert country. People forget that we are an agricultural miracle. Many of our tasty innovations were developed by Hishtil Nurseries, including this new Winter Watermelon created together with a farmer named Itay Gal from Moshav Ein Yahav.

O.K. It's not a dried fruit that once grew on a tree, but Tu B'Shvat is a celebration of the land and all that it has to offer. We've worked to make our desert bloom, so that today all our delish fruits and vegetables are mamash -- really -- facts on the ground.

Speaking of which, I want to eat!!!


Photo Credit

Sunday, January 8, 2012

American Idol, Jerusalem Style.

Shalom Yeladim:

This week I'm going to take you to Jerusalem. Not to the usual tourist sites. Today I'm going to take you to the streets of Jerusalem. Here's why.
You see the man playing guitar? He's one of the many street musicians appearing on our capital city's sidewalks. But he may not be performing for long. Jerusalemites -- the people living in Jerusalem -- are complaining that because there are so many musicians playing outdoors, the songs they are playing are no longer the sound of music, but a form of noise pollution.

What to do? On the one hand, some street musicians are really talented. On the other hand, we don't want our citizens unhappy, and let's face it, they do have a point. So the people in Jerusalem's City Hall sat down, thought about the problem and came up with a creative solution. From now on, any musician who wants to become a street performer has to have a license. To get that license, s/he has to audition. All winners will get their own beat -- get it! I just couldn't resist -- plus a small monthly salary so they won't have to ask for handouts.

Now that's what I call American Idol, Jerusalem style. It's kind of fitting you know, because Jerusalem is also called The City of David, and I hear he was one mean harpist.

Speaking of street musicians!!!!

Le'Hitraot....Zvuvi


Street Photo Credit

King David Photo Credit