The Big Felafel


Don’t Have a Happy Chanukkah have a Funny Chanukkah!!

Benji and I are at it again.  Watch Benji attack the people of Jerusalem to find out what Chanukkah is all about in the Holyland!


Food Torture: Not Another Cafe!

Cafe Hillel, just another cafe

Cafe Hillel, just another cafe.

I’m angry. What a surprise. I’m in the daze of a food nightmare. Living near Emek Refaim Street, you would think a girl could have her way with restaurants: endless options, yummy in your tummy food, and the cultural basics. But apparently the Food Gods don’t like us Jerusalemites.And instead of lots of different restaurants, whipping up all kinds of food-we in Jerusalem must suffer with choice A: falafel or choice B: café food. Crap and crap.

dscf1268

The sign reads: Coming soon Cafe Hillel. I wish the man in the picture would just keep walking. He even looks like he is stealing our taste buds! Shady!

 

In a previous anger post, I wrote about my desire for a Mexican restaurant in Jerusalem. Needless to say, my prayers and rants have gone unanswered. But friends, it just gets worse. Since my cries for Mexican food, two pizza places have opened in my neighborhood. And then…then this happened (focus your eyes on the picture). My cheap wrap place that almost felt like Mexican food if you closed your eyes tight enough and just held on to the wrap like it was a burrito, Tarantino’s, suddenly without warning closed down and a café Hillel is now opening in its place. Oh, the food inhumanity! Oh, the food torture! And obviously the worst part about it: THERE IS A CAFÉ HILLEL TWO BLOCKS DOWN!

Is this for real? Isn’t it bad enough that Emek Refaim is lined with cafes? It’s just the same menu, with different names for the salads, soups and sandwiches. Not to mention the difference in price from Café Aroma to Caffit for practically the same meal.

Now I know Nir Barkat just became mayor, but wasn’t he all about adding some culture to this city? I’m not saying that adding Mexican should be the first item on his agenda…no, I am. I think Mayor Barkat should shut down the building of this new café Hillel, which is clearly an abuse of our taste buds and a monotonous slap in the face. And instead, let us join together and build a burrito stand and unite for the sake of Jerusalem and her culture. Mexican food is just the beginning!

Stop the lame cafes from taking over our streets. They can have their menus but not our shekels!


H&M and Gap stores heading to Israel (finally!)

Well it’s about time. Rumor has it that H&M and Gap will be opening up stores in Israel by 2010. 2010?! Why you gotta keep us waiting like that? We’ve already been looking forward to the Light Rail in Jerusalem and the fast train to Tel Aviv for, oh, several years now. I don’t know if I can handle another grand opening to look forward to. And so the race is on. Which will arrive first –  an H&M store or an express train from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv? It’s a tough call, but I think we may be sporting some trendy yet affordable dresses before being able to hop over to Tel Aviv to show them off.

hmisrael gapisrael

H&M and Gap make aliyah. Good call, Ynet.


Is Fighting Worth the Peace?

So this isn’t my usual post, but it isn’t the usual story here in Israel. I wrote this to shed light on the fighting tactics in Hebron, rather than discuss the obvious reasons of the fight…

Israeli Police Evacuate Settlers From Disputed Hebron HouseStone throwing. Civilian rebellions. Riots. This is the Hebron the world has come to know in the past weeks. However, my words come from a source about the first Intifada, the Palestinian uprising that took place over 20 years ago. Forget why each group is fighting and instead focus on the methods they use. The method of violence. And the method works.

On March 19, 2007, according to the Hebron website, Beit HaShalom (The House of Peace) was purchased by the Jewish community to house hundreds of Hebron and Kiryat Arba residents, yeshiva students, youth and adults. The house was purchased from its previous Arab owner through a Jordanian office. And they have the legal documents to prove it. Continue reading this entry »


World AIDS Day: Be Safe, Wear it, Measure it and Spray it on!

'No To Pope' Rally In SydneyToday is World AIDS day, reminding us that there is still no cure for this epidemic. If you are in Jerusalem and would like to have a free, anonymous HIV test, you can go to the Open House Clinic on Sundays between 5pm and 9pm. The clinic is located on 2 Hasoreg Street at the intersection of Jaffa St. and Queen Shlomtzion.

And remember an easy way to stay safe is using a good old fashion condom. Now apparently if you’re French then you’ll need an XXL according to a European study by the Singen-based Institute of Condom Consultancy. Yes, after over 10,500 men measured their member, it turns out Frenchies need a condom that is about six inches (15.48 cm) long, making them the biggest in the region.

Of course I can’t help but wonder where Israeli men would fall on the scale, but I will say this: anyone is free to measure and figure it out on the Institute’s website. While I admit I’m kind of curious to do my own study, I don’t think my husband would approve. You know you’re a little curious too (oops, I said little, is that a Freudian slip?)! Continue reading this entry »