This year only women are lighting the torches at the Yom Ha'Atzmaut ceremony!

Shalom Girls and Boys:

Yom Ha'Atzmaut -- Israel Independence Day -- is next week and my cousin Zehava is all excited. In fact, you're probably going to see her on TV next Monday night, as she goes down the line of 14 women lighting torches at the official ceremony launching the Yom Ha'Atzmaut celebration. It's going to be a FIRST -- I promise -- for Zehava and for the female population of Israel. For the first time, every person lighting a torch is going to be a woman! And Zehava is going to be there, hovering next to each one as each torch is lit!

You want to know who these women are? Click on the link above. But let me tell you -- and Zehavah wants me to tell you for sure -- women have always played an important role in Israel.  From the very beginning, when they fought in the War of Independence, until today. I'm not saying that women don't have problems in 21st century Israel. Sure they do. But we're working on solving them. In the meantime, let's celebrate Israel's women -- from 1948 until today. Look at the photo credits below to find out who's who.
                                                                                 

                                                                                          

                                         

 

Palmach women photo credit

Golda Meir photo credit

Politicans Shelly Yechimovitz & Tzipi Livni photo credit

The late Naomi Shemer, leading songwriter photo credit

Nobel Prize Winner Professor Ada Yonath Photo Credit

Tennis champion Shachar Pe'er Photo Credit

Female soldier photo credit

Female Arab-Israeli Soccer players on Hapoel Petach Tikva team

Female scientists photo credit

I Still Don't Have a Purim Costume!!!

Wow! Purim is only two weeks away and I still haven't decided what to dress up as. I stopped by Hannah Katsman and asked her. She writes the blog A Mother In Israel, so I knew she'd have some great ideas, and she did! She popped open her blog post on Easy Purim Costume Ideas.

But what if I don't want to make my own costume?? Leave it to my cousin Zehava. She said "Zvuvi! Don't tell me you've never  been to Pure Glorious Costumes in Tel Aviv?" I said "Huh?!?!"
"That's what I thought," she answered grabbing my wing. Away we flew. Before I knew it we were on Matalon Street in Tel Aviv, home to Tel Aviv's first ever Purim costume designer.

"Come on in," said Adva Abalya, the store's costume designer. With a big smile, she showed us around, explaining that this is a family business going back 30 years. "I'm keeping my 2014 designs a secret for another few days," she smiled, showing us the big hits from last year. Some are not relevant anymore. You'll understand when you view her tour.

When she finished she asked: "So what do you think?"

"What do I think?" I answered. "Dressing up as an Israeli pilot is a good idea. After all, I'm a real spitflyre."

Adva smiled. "I knew you'd find something." As she turned to go, I yelled: "Hey Adva! As long as you're not showing off your 2014 collection just yet, I have another costume idea for you."

Adva was all ears.

"Yeah," I added "I even have a picture for you."

I gave her this photo of me:

"Interesting," smiled Adva.

I think it looks easy to make. What do you think?

I Don't Want to be Late for the Chocolate Festival

Shalom Yeladim:


Does looking at this

make you lick your lips?

If it does -- and I bet it does -- then come with me to the annual Chocolate Festival at Hatachana -- the restored Tel Aviv Train Station in Neve Tzedek. All of Israel's best chocolatiers will be there. They're going to show us how to make chocolate.

I can't wait because making chocolate is kind of like a Jewish tradition. Don't laugh.  I'm serious. The connection between Jews and chocolates goes all the way back to the Spanish Inquisition. There's even a book that's come out about Jewish merchants and chocolate called On the Chocolate Trail. But let's stay with chocolate in Israel. It all began in 1933 when the Elite candy company was created. Today we have many, many more companies making chocolate. You could say we're kind of like a chocolate heaven. We even have a chocolate farm! That makes sense. After all, chocolate is made from cocoa beans and cocoa beans grow on trees. Leave it to us to turn those trees into a farm. I guess we had to, because the all-time favorite school snack in Israel is a chocolate spread sandwich. I even found a recipe for making chocolate spread, created by the American-Israeli cookbook author Jamie Geller.

Hey, in case you haven't heard, chocolate gives you energy and bittersweet chocolate is healthy. Like all other foods -- you have to make sure you don't eat too much. Me? I eat a little bit every day. 

Mmmm....I can smell the chocolate.  Going in for a landing. This looks like some festival!

Byyyye

Chocolate Photo Credit

Girls Can Make it in Math and Science. A New Israeli Animated Series Proves It!

Hey Banot -- Girls. I want to introduce you to my new friends Purple and Nine.

Nine is the assertive redhead on the left...and Purple? Purple's in trouble because she's broken one of her father's precious chess pieces. The solution? She's going to make an exact double of the chess piece by using a 3D printer.

Sounds crazy to you? Not to me. Not in our 21st Century. And what's really cool is that Purple and Nine are girls who are techies! Even better, they are the latest animated stars made in Israel by two savvy female entrepreneurs.

Yup. Two American-Israeli women with hi-tech backgrounds -- Rebecca Rachmany and Miriam Lottner -- decided that it's time the world's Start-Up Nation (Israel of course) gets girls excited about math, science and technology. The way to do it? Through a new 3D animated web series they've created for girls, ages 8-12. Called Purple and Nine it just made its debut on YouTube this past Thursday. Have a look at the first five-minute episode. It's totally awesome!

Want to know more about this series? Read this article that just appeared in Ha'aretz.

And boys? I think you'll also be interested in Purple and Nine. They're cute, funny and SMART!

Bye for now.

Le'hitraot
Zvuvi

It's My Favorite Tree's Birthday

Shalom Girls & Boys:


Do you have a favorite tree? I do. It's this acacia tree standing in the middle of Israel's desert.

I love flying down south so I can sit on a branch and watch the sunset. It's just me and my tree, alone, away from every busy bee. In fact, I'm watching the sun set right now and thinking about Tu B'Shvat -- which is only a few days away. I bet you'd like to see what planting a tree in Israel is like on this holiday. You don't have to look far. I found some video clips for you, like this one.

Do trees add a lot to your life? What do your friends have to say about trees?  I went to Shalom Sesame  and asked some boys and girls.  And you know what? I also found this neat video with a song called I Wanna Be A Tree. Have a look and let's all wish the trees in Israel Happy Birthday and a Happy New Year!






Acacia tree photo credit

I'm Going to Haifa to Celebrate the Holiday of Holidays

Shalom Yeladim:

I'm flying to Haifa to celebrate the Holiday of Holidays. This is the 20th year that Haifa is celebrating this event, which ALWAYS takes place during the month of December.

You might say that Haifa is the capital of Israel's northern region. It's a city with a very diverse population -- Jews, Arabs and Christians. The Holiday of Holidays celebrates Haifa's cultural diversity through lots of yummy street foods, entertaining street performances, and wonderful artwork displays.

Want to see what this celebration looks like? Click here and enjoy all the photos. It looks really cool. Want to join me next year?

Gotta fly.
Zvuvi

Our Maccabi is Making a Hanukkah Slam Dunk

Shalom Yeladim:


I hope you enjoyed your Thanksgivukkah celebration.  Now it's on to a slam dunk for the Maccabim at the White House.

I know that our Prime Minister tried doing a full court press in the Iran arena, but let's put politics aside and enjoy our 21st century Maccabi hero. Maybe you've read about him? His name is Omri Caspi. This is Omri when he played for Maccabi Tel Aviv back in 2005.

Today he's a big-time NBA star playing for the Houston Rockets, and guess what? President Obama has invited him to the White House to light a Hanukkah candle. I may be wrong, but I read that the lighting ceremony is going to be held this coming Thursday. Omri is real excited.  He says that it gives him a chance to represent Israel AND the entire Jewish community -- that means in the United States and Israel, and hey, all over the world! I am sooo proud and so is his mother Ilana, who is visiting him right now in Texas. Omri is such a good son, he's taking Mama with him to the White House. 

Like me, Omri is no fly-by-night.  This is his 5th year in the NBA -- and this is my 4th year writing this blog. 

See you soon Omri!

Photo credit