I Just Have to Share This

I'm flying in again this week 'cause I have to share this article I just read on Ynet. I know you don't get excited when presidents or presidential candidates open a FB page, but hey, our president is 89 years old, still going strong, still cool. Have a read:

Zuckerberg to help Peres launch Facebook page President joins world of social networking, launches Israeli, international Facebook pages with help of Mark Zuckerberg Yair Altman Published:  02.24.12, 09:31 / Israel News The president of the State of Israel is joining Facebook and is set to receive a near-royal welcome. Shimon Peres is planning on taking advantage of the social network to call on citizens of the world to ask him questions through his official page on the site and even to suggest ideas that could promote peace in the Middle East. Peres' page in its Israeli version will be launched on Friday and the international version will be launched with more pomp and ceremony at the Facebook headquarters in San Francisco.

Yummy News: Europe Says We're the No. 1 Bread Baker!

Shalom Girls & Boys:

Yummy, yummy, yummy, I have great news for your tummy. Israel took first place in the European 2012 Bread Baking Cup in Rimini, Italy.

I can't believe that we beat the French. They're an unbelievable baking power! And what about Germany?  They're considered tops too, and we beat them. Yup, we won 2 out of 4 categories: Innovative bread with a health focus, and baked dessert.

To be honest, I do believe it. I've got a lot of frequent flyer miles between bakeries, outdoor markets, indoor supermarkets and restaurants around Israel, and I've got to tell you that just the aroma of our freshly baked breads knocks the wings off of me. We Israelis know how to bake and break bread. It's a tradition dating back to Biblical times, but I'm not going to get into that. Instead, I'm going to give you a mini bread tour of Israel. WARNING: YOUR MOUTH WILL WATER!
Presenting Pitot, Lafa, all types of baygelah, and of course, Challah.

This is a just a small taste of all the breads we bake. You have to come over here to really appreciate our bread baking skill. I just discovered that we even have  a special Purim prune and chocolate bread. Try that out for your Mishloach Manot. With an imagination like ours, no wonder we continue to count our blessings of Hamotzi Lehem Min Ha'aretz.








pita bread photo credit
laffa bread photo credit
baygeleh breads photo credit
Challah photo credit

We're Bringing Back the Shade of the Mighty Biblical Oak Tree

Shalom Girls & Boys:

Come fly with me to the Beit Keshet Forest in the Lower Galilee. Why? Because Israeli conservationists -- that means Israelis who want to restore and preserve our natural resources -- are replanting oak trees like this one.

Isn't it a beauty? It looks so Biblical.


It makes me think of the story of Abraham and the three strangers. The Bible says that he was sitting at his tent door near the mighty trees of Mamre when he saw them. Legend has it that the trees were oak and I believe it since oak trees are mentioned 60 times in the Bible!!!! That must be because they are one of the best sources of shade, which is something we definitely need over here in Israel during our long summer.

Oak trees also yield an oak nut called an acorn. I just found out that acorns are very important for forest ecology because they are a favorite food of wildlife living there. It's kinda like a cycle. You plant a little acorn seed and it grows into a massive oak tree with lots of acorns to eat. That's why Israel's forest friends are planting acorns over five acres of what was once a beautiful oak forest. I say once, because nearly 100 years ago almost all of the oak trees in the Beit Keshet forest were cut down, their wood used for construction, heating and steam engines. Sounds familiar I'm sure, since it's a sad story that's happened to many forests around the world.

Sooo, isn't the replanting of oak trees VERY good news? I'm so happy I'm reporting it to you for Tu B'Shvat. New trees for the New Year of Trees. Yippee!!!!

Chag Smaeach.  Happy Tu B'Shvat.

Psst...Almost forgot. Want another great way to celebrate Tu B'Shvat? Connect stories from the Bible with environmental protection by reading
Tami's new book Green Bible Stories for Children. It's a real eye opener and you'll love the matching activities.

Oak tree photo credit

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

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

Haifa's Multi-Cultural Holiday Lessons

Shalom Girls and Boys:

It's December 25th all over the world. It's the fifth day of Hanukkah.  It's also Christmas day.  I think it's important that we respect each other and I wanted to get some good tips on how to do it. So I just surfed the net, and you wouldn't believe!  I found the coolest way to be ecumenical (ask your parents or your teachers what that means) and it happened last year in Israel!

I'm going to take you back to the terrible Carmel Forest fire last December. A forest is a source for Christmas trees. The Carmel Forest is right next door to the Israeli city of Haifa -- a city where not only Jews live, but also Christians and Muslims.

Bet you didn't know that. In fact, I bet you don't know that Christians make up 2% of Israel's population.  Think about it. It makes sense. The story of Christmas did take place here, in The Holy Land.

But back to Haifa. Every year it wants its Christian residents to feel at home, so it puts up a huge Christmas tree. Last year's fire burned out all hopes for a tree, so a clever Israeli artist came up with the idea of creating a tree out of recycled plastic bottles like this one.


Haifa's Jews, Muslims and Christians contributed bottles.  It was a real joint effort and a great example of ecumenism (remember, I told you to find out what that word means). It attracted a lot of attention all over the world, and a British newspaper interviewed the artist and made a video clip all about it.

This year Haifa has a real tree. It's also holding its 18th annual Holiday of Holidays Festival. Eighteen -- that's Chai (life in Hebrew), and I hope this festival has a long life because it's all about religious tolerance. Remember I said Haifa's population is mostly Jewish but that it also has Muslims and Christians living in it? Well, each of these religions is celebrating a special holiday this month. Hanukkah and Christmas, plus the Muslim holiday, Eid Al-Adha, which has a connection with Abraham. Do you realize that he wasn't only the father of our people? We are descendants of Abraham through his son Isaac, but remember Abraham's other son Ishmael?  The Muslims are his descendants. That means we're cousins, which means we should at least be tolerant of each other. But I don't want to get into that. I'm more interested in something else that unites us --- FOOD. If this Holiday of Holidays Festival is celebrating three different holidays, that means three different types of food. So tell me, what am I doing shmoozing with you like this when I could be eating????


Gotta fly...Zvuvi


Photo Credit

Judah Maccabee Slept Here

Shalom Girls & Boys:

Today I'm going to be your flyguide and take you to the city of Modiin.

Once upon a time Judah Maccabee slept here, and so did his father Mattathias and all of his brothers.  They began their revolt against the Greek rulers in this city.  I don't have to tell you the story of Hanukkah. I bet you're learning it right now. But because Hanukkah is also called the Holiday of Lights, I want to show you how beautiful Modiin looks when it's lit up at night.

Modiin is the miracle city in the middle of Israel -- right between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Over 74,000 people live there.  Many new olim (immigrants) from the United States move here. Most are young families. The mayor and his staff work here, in this modern City Hall.

Even though Modiin is a cool, 21st century city, it is still VERY respectful of its past. That's why men, women and children enjoy participating in archaeological digs during vacation time.

They are proud of what professional archaeologists have dug up. Take a look at the synagogue floor archaeologists found dating all the way back to the time of Judah Maccabee.

And signs of Judah Maccabee himself? Sorry, I can't show you exactly where he slept, but how about where he is buried?

Are these the REAL graves of the Maccabees? Some say YES, but many archaeologists say NO...and that's the mystery we're working on now.
Maybe I'll have the answer for you next year. For now, Happy Hanukkah from the city where the story of Hanukkah began, and thank you Modiin city for the pictures on your website. Special thanks to Modiin Councilman Alex Weinreb for his photos of the Maccabee graves, ancient synagogue floor, and this photo of a rainbow over Modiin. (I don't get it. Did Noah land his ark in Modiin???? Gota check that out!)