I felt cool. Really cool. Because this film is amazing. ‘Unorthodox’, a feature documentary, tracks the lives of three teenagers from the modern Orthodox community as they spend their post-high school year studying in Israel. The film follows the teenagers through their journey in Israel and America. The documentary tells this intimate story with personal video diaries, giving us those real life moments that are both raw and profound.

As well as the story of these three teenagers, the documentary weaves together Anna Wexler’s own story. Wexler, the woman behind the documentary who left her modern Orthodox community, reveals her own life story adding a very private layer to the film.

In this exclusive behind the scenes, check out our Q&A with filmmaker Anna Wexler herself and a special Vlog from Producer Shira on the Kickstarter Campaign!

Q: Why did Anna decide to do this documentary?

A: In a sense, this documentary tells my own story. I grew up in the Modern Orthodox community in New Jersey, and as a teenager, I broke away from the religion. I watched as many of my friends graduated from high school and went to spend a year studying in a seminary in Israel. These friends had also grown up in Modern Orthodox homes, but like me, they had rebelled, and were not religious by the time they went to Israel. When they came back from their year in Israel they had completely changed: some of my male friends no longer spoke to me since they didn’t want to get “distracted” by women; others now wore black hats and spent their mornings learning in yeshiva. My friends who were girls were suddenly wearing long skirts and long sleeves. And everyone strictly adhered to Shabbat (no more going out on Friday night) and kosher.

I wanted to find out what happens over this year—what makes people change so drastically, and why do the changes happen so reliably, year after year? Originally I wanted to write an article or thesis about the “year in Israel” but I met a producer who suggested that I make a documentary film about the experience. So as a sophomore in college, I got my close friend Nadja Oertelt on board. We taught ourselves a bit about documentary film and together we set out to follow three teenagers through their year in Israel.

Q: How, if any, has the goal changed throughout the process?

A: I think the goal has always remained the same—to find out what happens over the year in Israel. What changed was that I became a character in the film. All throughout production people told me that this was my story and that I should be in the film, but I stubbornly resisted. It was only many years later, in the editing room, that I realized how much richer the story would be if you watched the teenagers travel to Israel through my eyes, and if Orthodox Judaism was explained through my childhood experiences instead of using onscreen text. In addition, I saw that my story—of leaving the community—could add another layer to the film, and thus the film could encompass a broader variety of personal experiences with religion.

Q: Why did Shira become an Associate Producer?

A: I met Shira when I moved to Israel, and we’ve been close friends since 2009. When I was working on the full-length rough cut this summer, she provided helpful advice and feedback, and when I was working on the trailer this fall, Shira was there at all hours of the night. I would share my screen on Skype and she’d help me tweak the individual cuts. Nadja and I have been thinking about bringing on a third person for a while now, and Shira was always the front-runner in my mind (I don’t think she knows that). When we launched the Kickstarter campaign in December and were overwhelmed with responses, Nadja and I decided that it was the right time to bring on a third person and we made Shira a formal offer. Lucky for us, she accepted.

Shira also has a personal connection to the film—she grew up in a religious home and has been through her own struggles with the faith.

Q: What’s it like filming in Israel as oppose to America?

A: People react to the camera differently. In America, we felt that people tended to be more suspicious—Americans have a deep-seated sense of privacy and personal rights, and they are sensitive to potential violations of those rights.

When we filmed in Israel, we often encountered the opposite issue—people were so enthusiastic about being on camera that they’d wave their hands in front of the lens or stick their faces right into the camera and shout random things. Fortunately, Nadja—who was doing the filming—doesn’t understand Hebrew, so whenever they yelled at her, she was able to block it out pretty easily. I found myself clearing the way and trying to fend people off as Nadja was shooting.

Q: Why should people see this film?

A: First and foremost, it’s going to be a great movie with a fascinating narrative! By weaving together the very different experiences of four characters, the audience will really get a picture of the varied personal struggles that people undergo with fait. This is something that is not really openly talked about, especially in the Orthodox community, where on the whole, it’s not okay to seriously question. Unorthodox will make you laugh, it will make you cry, and it will definitely surprise you—there are plenty of plot twists.

Also, I think that Unorthodox will bring up important discussions about the year in Israel and the Modern Orthodox educational system. On a personal level, I’d really like the film to spark conversation about attitudes towards people who seriously question, or outright reject, Orthodox Judaism. We’ve gotten so many emails from people who are not religious but who are afraid to “come out of the closet” for fear of losing their families and social networks. Right now the approach is largely black or white: you’re either religious or not. The reality is that religious beliefs are fluid—it’s a journey, not a two-sided coin.

Don’t just look forward to the film, make it happen and join their Kickstarter Campaign.

EliShuk...it's for real!

The Mahane Yehuda Shuk is one of my most favorite places in Jerusalem. Almost everything is cheap. You can sample the fruit or the nuts with just a wink of the eye. There are so many different smells you can’t tell the good ones from the fish-head ones. And you get to meet a very unique part of Israeli society, from those that do all their shopping there, to the people that have owned their stalls for generations.

I recently found out that a friend of mine, Alex King, not only has a father-in-law with a stall in the Iraqi shuk, but that he also has the stall online…on Facebook. Not only is this awesome, but I am pretty sure this is the only shuk shop branching out into the social media world.  Alex admits his father-in-law is not the most web savy person, but is just as excited to share his shop online as he is to any customer in the shuk.

For anyone that has out of town guests, tourists or just friends that want to go to the shuk, you should definitely make Eli’s shop a part of the tour. As a part of the online presence, Eli uploads pictures of the latest products and makes sure to give his online audience a special treat with giveaways! Ahhh, now I really have your attention! What kind of treats are we talking about?

Well click hereto score yourself some delicious chocolate coins just in time for Hannukah, and stay tuned for other yummy goods.  And now for a little Q&A about the man behind the stall, the treats and the Facebook page!

Hannukah giveaway

When did Eli’s shop first open in the shuk?
The shop at its current location was established in 1958 by Na’im Shkuri, Eli’s father who immigrated from Iraq in 1951. Up until 1978 the shop sold fruits and vegetables. Since 1978 it branched out into confectionary and in recent years other areas such as electrical goods.

Who is this Eli?

Eli of Eli's Shop

Eli Ben-Na’im was born in Amhara in Southern Iraq. He made Aliyah in 1951 and moved to Jerusalem. He spent his teenage years in Kibbutz Ein Karmel in the North. He served in a combat unit in the army. He has served in all of Israel’s wars from the 1956 Sinai Campaign up to and including the 1982 Lebanon War. He is married, has four daughters and seven grandchildren (with number 8 on the way!). Eli has worked in the shuk since the mid- 1950′s.

Why did Eli decide to bring the shuk shop online?
The shop has been online for half a year now. The Facebook platform was chosen because it offers great social media tools and can also act as a website for the shop, even for people who don’t have Facebook.

All the merchandise in the shop can be seen on the page (in the photo album section) and new products are regularly added.

Sweets for your sweetie!

The page gives the shop a way to communicate with its customers and the wall offers a forum for the customers to post and to talk, fostering a little “on-line shuk community”.

Moreover, all the photos, updates and posts give the user a “taste of the shuk on your computer” which is widely enjoyed by fans that outside of Jerusalem and all over the world.

Most importantly, the page offers fans special deals and discounts from time to time, so click “like” so you can enjoy them!

What is unique about Eli’s shop?
Eli has worked in the shop since it was established in 1958 making the shop probably the last remaining family-run establishment in the “Iraqi Shuk” part of the market that is still staffed by the original founding members. It retains its authentic old-fashioned Jerusalem shuk character. (Most other shops in the Iraqi Shuk are now rented out or subcontracted to hired workers).

To learn more about Eli’s Shop, products click here.

To find Eli click here.

I suck at this!

Wow it has been way too long since we have blogged. I am sure it’s been a difficult few months for you, our readers. How have you managed to live without my adorable sarcastic posts and Rebecca’s incredibly informative write-ups?

So let’s just jump right (or write) in. I’m writing what I am sure will be one of many angry light-rail train posts. Now that the train has been up and ‘running’ for the last few months, I am interested to hear what people think of it. So share your comments with me after you finish reading.

On principal I am not riding it. That and it doesn’t actually go anywhere I need to go.

However, the train and I have met in passing. It’s like a bad date you have to keep reliving, because the person lives a few blocks from you. So, indeed I am not at all fond of this crap train. The train butchered the city with its tracks. It forced stores to close down, has turned the city center into a pretty little ghost town. It causes traffic jams. And some old guy just got hit by it.

But the worst of all? The city is using it as yet another way to rob its citizens. No, I am not referring to the ticket price (as I write this, news has just broken that they plan to charge NIS 6.40 for a ride). No I am referring to the ticket you get when your car gets stuck in the intersection thanks to the new traffic light system, programmed for the train and not the people.

Do I think Israeli drivers are more dangerous than the threat of Iran actually building nukes? Yes I do. But the ones that are getting ticketed at the intersection of Jaffa (by the municipality) are getting fines for fake reasons.

That’s right, the police are standing by waiting for cars to get stuck in the intersection where they then tap on the window, ask the driver to come with them, and give them a big fat ticket. I have heard from several people that the tickets range from NIS 500 to NIS 1,000. I have also heard and even seen for myself that hundreds of people are getting tickets. You do the math on that and you’ll see how the city is planning to get itself out of debt with this method.

Before you get to this evil intersection, you are stuck in a horrendous traffic jam. I believe this is the part of the psychological torture that drives the drivers into the intersection where they get stuck. Instead of having two lanes, all the cars are forced into one lane, thus further frustrating your target ticket audience. Add to it, the many drivers that cut the line of cars by driving on the wrong side of the street, and you have a pretty angry driver that just wants to cross the light already and get from A to B. And I don’t have to tell you that the drivers who are driving on the wrong side of the street, literally meters from the police, don’t get a ticket. Why would they.

The train sucks. Its only lightness is how light it is on any concept of how to truly benefit the city and people. The city sucks for handing out tickets to drivers that don’t deserve them, while standing by and doing nothing about the real issues. With all this sucking, you would think that the whole problematic ordeal could be sucked away into a black hole somewhere.

Going to the supermarket in Israel is a bit like Supermarket Sweep – only without the fun trivia and prizes. You have to be in top shape to fend off the line cutters at the poultry section and then the line holders (“I’ll be right back, just save my spot”) at the checkout. You also have to endure waiting on line for at least 20 minutes at the checkout– and that’s only if the person in front of you opts out of buying cigarettes at the last minute. And, if you forgot an item at the last minute, you have to run, literally sprint, to get it so that the person behind you in line doesn’t explode in anger.

Last time I was in the US, I was amazed that a trip to the supermarket could be a quick in and out experience. In Israel, there’s never even a quick “in” – what with the bag checks, rummaging for the 5 shekel coin to unlock the mystery that awaits within your cart, and finally making your way in through all the outside “deals” that try to distract you from sticking to your shopping list. And, there’s certainly no quick “out” with maybe one express lane, if you’re lucky, and my experience has shown that no matter which line I pick, there is always some sort of hold up – a coupon that’s not valid, a price check on an item, a last-minute delivery decision, etc.

Let’s just say that the Israeli supermarket shopping experience is not exactly a calming experience.

The best part of going to the supermarket is the hope that there will be free samples and good deals (since there is no circular to let you know of deals ahead of time). Depending on which supermarket you go to, you may see people sampling the olives, pickles, raisins, walnuts, and anything else that is not safely guarded behind plastic. In this hilarious episode from the Israeli TV show, Ramzor, Eyal tries to eat as many free samples as he can in the supermarket… and gets caught! See what lengths he’ll go to continue enjoying free samples.  Also in this episode, Hefer tries to cancel his TV subscription but gets unbelievable offers, anything to keep him from cancelling.

After having a baby in October, I realized that if I ever want something from the supermarket, the only way I’ll be able to get it is if I order online, even if it means foregoing free samples.  At first, I was really intimidated by having to shop online in Hebrew, but after a little while, I started to get the hang of it. Most of these sites let you keep previous orders so you can just re-order many of the same things, which saves a lot of time.

Here are all the online supermarket sites in Israel, although the only one I’ve tried so far is Shufersal Yashir.

Shortly after writing this, an article came out in Yediot Achronot comparing the different online supermarkets: Shufersal, Mega, Rami Levi and MisterZol. The winner for every grouping of assorted items was Rami Levi.

ShuferSal Yashir

I saw that Shufersal Yashir (I always thought it was SuperSol until I saw their website)  was giving 200 shekels (25 shekels for each purchase x 8 purchases) to new online shoppers, so I decided to give it a try. And I was hooked. I ordered in the morning, and could decide when I wanted to receive the delivery – the same day or the next day. Click click click and a few hours later all the heavy stuff I ordered was magically at my doorstep.

The prices are definitely a bit higher, but if you spend over 750 shekels, delivery is free.  There are deals online as well so if you shop the deals first, you may only pay a bit more than you would at the store.

The other fun thing about Shufersal Yashir is that they give you 2 random items from the store for free. Sometimes we got really great stuff like a loaf of bread or frozen peas, but sometimes they were really crappy – like grape mix for juice and pizza flavored pretzels. I guess this somewhat compensates for giving up free samples at the supermarket.

The only major drawback of shopping online is not being able to choose my own produce, but you can leave notes on the site like “un-ripe only” and they do a pretty good job of bringing you what you request. I found the user interface on the website easy to use and the search functionality really helpful.

Delivery price: 28 NIS. Free for orders over 750 NIS   29 NIS. 10 NIS for orders over 750 NIS.
Delivery area: Most cities in Israel. Enter your zip code to find out if they deliver to your area.
Payment options: local Israeli and international credit cards

Rami Levy

Rami Levy recently rolled out a new website for ordering your groceries online but with one major problem – they’re rolling out their new service painfully slowly, starting with trial runs in the Tel Aviv area only. Who knows when they’ll get to Jerusalem . Rami Levy has the reputation of having the cheapest prices so I am definitely waiting til they come to my area.

Delivery price: 24.95 NIS
Delivery area: Tel Aviv area

Mega

Mega has a very photo-rich site, but is usually more expensive than the other supermarkets. I would be interested in hearing feedback from people who have used Mega online.

Delivery price: 28 NIS. Free for orders over 500 NIS with the Mega You credit card only
Delivery area: Most cities in Israel. Enter your zip code to find out if they deliver to your area.
Payment Options: Israeli credit cards only!

Mister Zol B’click 

Currently the Homepage isn’t showing deals, although there is a link to get to them, but already that gives me a bad feeling about the usability of the site. It looks like this is a relatively new site as the FAQ section still has “Question 1 and Answer 1″. According to an article recently in Yediot Achronot, Mister Zol didn’t have very good customer service – the writer of the article said he had to call 3 times before he got through to someone, and even then the customer service wasn’t very helpful.

Delivery price:  26 NIS for orders up to 250 NIS. 20 NIS for orders over 250 NIS
Delivery area:  Probably most cities in Israel, but I can’t click on the link to check delivery areas.

MyMakolet

I like looking around at the site because it makes me nostalgic for the US…they even have Shoprite brand cereals! Too funny.

What makes this site unique is that everything is in English.

The website says they will call for your credit card number and don’t process the credit card through the internet. I thought the whole point of eCommerce was to put your credit card online but maybe this is comforting to some people (not so comforting to me… where are they storing this sensitive info?).

So what happens with the second purchase? Do you have to call each time? Do they call you?

I also found the user interface on the site not very intuitive.

Delivery price: 20 NIS
Delivery area: Only Jerusalem

Yashir4u

Located in Bnei Brak, Yashir4u doesn’t seem to have lots of brands I’m using to seeing at the local supermarket. Maybe it’s because they only sell Mehadrin products. The prices seem to be much cheaper than Shufersal Yashir.

Delivery price: Free for orders over 500 NIS
Delivery area: Most cities in Israel. Enter your zip code to find out if they deliver to your area.

SuperBaba – for the Tel Aviv area only. Looks like a brand new site. I clicked on “Deliveries” and the text says “text related to deliveries” Ha!

The only question remaining is – will the Shuk Mahane Yehuda follow the trend and go online?! Will the website include screaming vendors and flies buzzing  to replicate the true experience of the shuk?

Where do you like to go shopping? Where do you find the best deals?

Entebbe’s Message 35 Years Later: Leave No Man Behind
By Doron Almog

Thirty-five years ago today (July 4, 1976), an Air France flight was hijacked and diverted to Entebbe Airport in Uganda. Shortly after landing, all of the non-Jewish passengers were released and the remaining Jewish passengers were held hostage. One week after the hijacking, I commanded the first task force to land in Entebbe as part of a daring mission that freed 105 hostages.

Faced with immense challenges, we pulled off a thrilling (yet bittersweet) victory. At the time, we saw the feat as an illustration of the strength and vitality of the Israeli army and the Jewish spirit.  Upon reflection (so many years later), it is clear that it also highlighted the importance of standing up for those who cannot stand up for themselves.

It should be noted that my participation in Entebbe was voluntary. After my brother, Eran, was killed in the Yom Kippur war (he was injured in the Golan Heights and bled to death after sitting untreated for seven days), I was given the choice of leaving my combat unit as a bereaved soldier.  However, I chose to remain in the military in order to change the ethos of the IDF and make absolutely sure that no soldier would ever be left behind again.

It was this philosophy that drove me to participate in the Entebbe raid and numerous other military operations throughout my career and, ultimately, set the stage for the next phase of my adult life.

After our son was born – and we named him Eran after my late brother – he was diagnosed with severe physical and cognitive disabilities.  In an instant, my world was turned upside down. At first, I had a very hard time coming to terms with the fact that my beloved son would never speak or hold down a job, and would always be dependent on others to provide his every need.  But my “no man left behind” philosophy prevailed, and I found the strength to be the father that Eran needed me to be.

In fact, my time with Eran allowed me to develop my philosophy even further, and I became committed to changing the way society views the disabled.  I realized that it is not enough to make sure that these wonderful children don’t get left behind.  We must ensure that they are given every opportunity to excel and reach their greatest potentials.

For the Entebbe raid, our IDF battalions travelled 2,500 miles to fight for those who could not fight for themselves.  It is time for us to harness that bravery, resolve and dedication to our fellow men, to turn our sights inward and focus on the urgent rescue missions in our own neighborhoods. These “hostages” are in very real danger every day of their lives and are often abandoned. They are the weakest members of our society and are completely dependent on the kindness of others. We don’t need to launch a complex tactical mission to set them free.  We simply need to wrap them in love and help them integrate into our social fabric.

Make no mistake: our commitment to care for the disabled members of society remains immeasurably more difficult than any military campaign I have ever led. But we must stand up and fight to provide them with the care that they deserve. Because, in the end, our generation will be judged by how well we complete this mission.

Major General (Res.) Doron Almog is the founder and Chairman of Aleh Negev – Nahalat Eran, a village named in memory of his son, that provides a continuum of residential care for children with severe disabilities as they grow from adolescents into young adults. Learn more about Aleh at www.aleh.org.

This is what our friendship would look like

A few years ago famous comedian Sarah Silverman took part in a campaign geared towards getting young Jews to make sure their grandparents in Florida voted for then presidential candidate Barak Obama, in ‘The Great Schlep’.

Fast forward a few years later to present day, famous comedian Sarah Silverman is about to partake in another schlep, The Really Great Schlep, as she makes her way to the Jewish Homeland. That’s right, Silverman, obviously a big Jew, will be in Israel on tour and at this year’s President’s conference in about a week.

I am sure she will have an awesome trip, hang out with her family, and see some Jewish stuff while she is here. But more importantly, she needs to come and hang out with me, because we are destined to be BFFs. Is there a way to say that, write that, without sounding creepy or stalkerish?

So, just like Sarah Silverman once campaigned to make a difference, it appears it is now my turn to do the same. Perhaps my campaign is much smaller, really just for me and my friends and my comedy troupe, but I believe it will have a profound  effect on the nation, on Jews as a whole, and perhaps even milk prices.

Sarah Silverman this is my ‘Be My BFF’ campaign and I will do everything that I can until you and I are wearing friendship bracelets, posing in front of the Western Wall with our shoulders covered (thanks to the old lady-shmata-police at the Kotel who hand out dirty scarves to make sure G-d doesn’t get a peep show in the holiest place in the world) and leftover hummus and pita in our teeth.

There are a lot of reasons that you should be my friend and meet me on your trip to Israel. I will now list just a few. Also, I will make sure to tweet it up, Facebook and get my friends involved in my campaign. I will not sleep or eat until you are my friend. Mainly I won’t be sleeping because my eight-month-old son is teething and wakes up every two hours throughout the night. And when I say I won’t eat, what I mean is, I won’t eat too much, except for Shabbat when calories don’t count.

A List of Just a Few Reasons Why We Should be BFF:

We are both Jewish ( I only use this as a reason, because people think when they are setting people up, as long as they have one thing in common, like age, race or religion, that they must be perfect for each other…just trying to cover my bases. And this is kind of like the perfect shidduch).

I have a tiny comedy troupe, in a tiny city, in a tiny country. We are Hahafuch (it means upside down) the premiere English speaking comedy troupe in all of Israel. The only English speaking comedy troupe in all of Israel. We do improv and comedy sketches, making fun of Israel. We would love to have you for practice. Then you can check off “do improv with a bunch of new immigrants in Jerusalem” from your bucket list.

My husband is an archaeologist and can show you a private tour of his dig where they find really old stuff. He can also show you and your family awesome, really old secret places all over Jerusalem that you don’t know about.

I will take you to Bazaar Strauss in Talpiot, which is like a smaller, crappier version of Target. I will buy you anything you want, as long as it’s under NIS 10. It might not sound like much, but you could get a lot of stuff there for that price: underwear (never used, I might add), salad tongs, or half of a Purim costume (I say half because the other half is gone but they are still selling it).

I go to this Yoga-Pilates fusion class that you would love. Not because of the workout, but because the teacher wears these amazing pants, that are so wrong in all the wrong places. It is truly a body and mind challenge to get through the class. But as BFFs I know we could do it together.

I will take you to the Jerusalem Mahane Yehuda Shuk and you can meet a real busta (stall) owner in the Iraqi part, and I can guarantee he will give you some candy and tell you cool stories about his life.  I will then buy you NIS 5 ice coffee from marzipan and get you some of their famous rugelach if you insist. We will look at really pretty vegetables and take another picture, that I would probably make my Facebook profile for life.

You’re invited for Shabbat. I will make sure to have a table of awesome people, even if it means I have to become more than Facebook friends with them and possibly have to pay them. For a BFF, I would do that.

There’s more reasons of course, but I have to leave something for Twitter and Facebook. I will post reasons daily and I hope you will check them out and I will win you over. Like I said I will do anything. I can’t promise peace in the Middle East, but I can promise it like a politician does- which is about the same and worth a Nobel Prize if nothing else.

I know if we had the chance to hang out that it would be just another day in your world but for me it would kind of make my life. I moved to Israel after college and while I love it here, sometimes it’s hard to get through the day. Not because of terrorists. No I’m talking about something more evil than that- bureaucracy. So, I am just saying that you would make a big difference in someone’s life. And that difference will have a huge effect throughout the Anglo-Immigrant community in Israel. That’s a big deal. A really big deal. So on your Really Big Schlep, please just consider taking an hour or two to meet your Middle East BFF.

He wants to be BFFs too!

Also, I have a dog. He’s a Jerusalem mix and knows how to high five and roll over. We rescued him. He does not make white dog poop from the 70′s, but I can have my Israeli husband sing that song to you. He has it memorized.

To hang out you can email here. Or tweet me @FelafelBalls

Can’t wait!

Whenever an Israeli wins something anywhere in the world, an Israeli citizen feels entitled to enjoy the moment and share the good news, almost as though they are the ones accepting the honor. I think this is where you can definitely say, “we’re all family here.” When Natalie Portman took home the Oscar for best actress at the Academy Awards this year, she might as well have been playing for Team Israel, because she was celebrated as though she brought home the gold. I don’t even know what makes her Israeli (obviously her mom or dad), but I shed a tear (not really) when she gave her acceptance speech— it was like Hebrew to my ears.

So when Joseph Cedar, an Israeli, clinched the Cannes award for best screenplay, I just wanted to give someone, anyone a high five and pop the champagne bottle (more like cheap fantasia, but you get the picture) open and celebrate.

Cedar is a gifted young director, who is no stranger to winning awards. His first movie, “Time of Favor” won six Ofir Academy Awards, including Best Picture. In 2007 his critically acclaimed film, “Beaufort” was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. The movie is based on his own experiences during his army service where he served in Lebanon.

His latest win at Cannes is for his new movie “Footnote”, which premiered there. The movie is a dramedy that examines the relationship between father and son, both of whom are competing researchers of Talmud at an Israeli university. The film is set to premiere on June 2.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Prof. Cedar has been teaching and continuing his investigative research at The Hebrew University’s Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada since the 1970′s when he moved to Israel. That’s where I interviewed him, in between his busy day of researching and being a top scientist.

By the way, for all the praise I am giving him, it is just as important that you know he is a really nice guy. He sits relaxed on his couch and enjoys speaking to me about his son’s good news. He also makes sure to tell me he is proud of all his kids. Awesome! You can check out the video interview to see what he says about the movie, Cannes and what’s next for Joseph.

And just before you do that, let me leave you with this, so you really get a picture of how great of a father he is— not just in the science world but as a family man too. I told him that I don’t know how he must feel having his son achieve such a great honor. I said my son is sitting up now (he is almost 8-months-old), and for me as a mother it feels incredible. I burst with joy and glee and I couldn’t be more proud. He told me it’s the same feeling.

To get you in the mood, here’s an awesome Passover video that asks, What if Moses had facebook?

Click here to view the embedded video.

Bezalel Street Arts and Crafts Fair

Opens April 1, 2011

Artists show off their crafts, jewelry, photography and more at this funky street festival.

9am to 3pm
Shatz St., downtown Jerusalem
Free Entrance
More info

AHAVA festival 2011

April 19-23, 2011

at the Dead Sea featuring Yehuda Poliker, Ehud Banai, Eviatar Banai, Mosh Ben Ari, Hadag Nachash, and more
More info

Free museum entrance sponsored by Bank Hapoalim to 46 museums throughout Israel

Some of the museums included:

• Israel Museum, Jerusalem
• Diaspora Museum, Tel Aviv
• Tel Aviv Museum of Art
• Art museums in Ramat Gan, Haifa, Herzliya
• National Parks Authority: Yotvata, Nimrod Fortress, Nahal Taninim, Ovdat
• Air Force Museum, Be’er Sheva
• Merkavot Latrun
• Haifa Zoo

April 22-24, 2011
More info

Stage One- Amateur English Theater Festival

April 20 to April 22 2011

This Passover, Beit Avi Chai in collaboration with Merkaz Hamagshimim Hadassah will spotlight the finest English-language drama, music, comedy, and more that Jerusalem has to offer.

If you can only make it to one event, make sure to come to Hahafuch’s hilarious improv comedy show on April 21, 2011 at 11pm!
More info about the Hahafuch show

More info about the whole festival

Zorba Buddha Festival in the Negev

April 21-25 2011

This is an hippie-esque festival where you camp out and can partake in meditation and spirituality workshops, yoga, dance and theater workshops, and djs who’ll be playing a huge variety of music.

Cost: 317 NIS
More Info

Boombamela Festival in Eilat

April 21-23, 2011

Celebrating its 13th year, Booombamela is another camp-out,  hippie-type festival with big name music performers such as UselessID, Mooke, and Knesiat Hasechel.

The festival offers various workshops and entertainment such as street theater, body painting, interactive art, pottery, holistic and meditation workshops, and more.

Cost: 250 NIS
More info

Eco Social Awareness Festival: The World is in your Hands

April 20-21, 2011

Rishon Letzion

Festival featuring recycled art and workshops to raise awareness and educate about being environmentally friendly.

Free Entrance
More info

Passover at Mini Israel

April 19-25, 2011

The Biggest Matzah in Israel: made with 5.5 kilograms of flour, 2 liters of water, it is 6 meters by 1 meter long, weighs approximately 6 kilograms, 3-4 millimeters thick, and has 119,000 holes.

The Hagada Comes to Life: Actors and singers perform the Hagada. A unique show presents the “Hagada” story in a humorous way with a combination of actors, singers, music instruments, and live music. The audience will meet the characters from the “Hagada” as they “come to life”, and will enjoy live interaction with the characters.

Circus Show: Once a day, there will be a special show with appearances by comedians with amazing acrobatic skills, unicycles, fire juggling, and much more.

More info

Potato Festival

April 21, 2011

Hevel Habasur (south)

Doesn’t sound like a rockin’ good time but apparently there’s contests, food workshops and more.

[Update: My gut feeling on this was right. People mentioned that this "festival" didn't get such great reviews]

More info

For more fun ideas for Passover activities in Israel

• Achbar Ha’ir Guide to Pesach - Huge and complete listing of activities around Israel (in Hebrew)
• Fun in Jerusalem for kids activities in Jerusalem
• Jerusalem Blueprint for a listing of activities around Israel geared toward people in their 20′s -40′s
• GoJerusalem.com for a guide to events in Jerusalem
• Restaurants open on Pesach in Israel with eLuna discounts

Thanks to the new Gmaps Pedometer, creating my running routes has been easy— but there’s nothing easy about the actual runs. Every route has hills, it is unavoidable. Not only that, Jerusalem doesn’t have a beach, a lake or a boardwalk (I know there is the Haas Promenade in Talpiot, but really not the same as a boardwalk), that could make the run more visually exciting. Sure there is the Jerusalem Forest, but that is just more of the same, with crazy hills and inclines that my legs, butt and thighs will just not accept. And true, we do have the Old City which is a cool place to run through, if you like thousands of tourists getting in your way, cars trying to squeeze through the narrow streets, and broken roads that make for embarrassing and painful (being embarrassed hurts more than bruises) falls.

But I have challenged myself, body and mind, to run this year’s Jerusalem half-marathon and March 25^th I hope to achieve my goal with thousands of others. While I am super excited about the half, the real deal is the first full Jerusalem marathon taking place the same day. With over 10,000 people registered, it looks like this will be the country’s biggest marathon, so take that Tel Aviv (with your beautiful beaches, boardwalks and HaYakron!).

In prepping for my half-marathon, I ran the first-ever Begin Race a few weeks ago. The run was free and I got a t-shirt, but those are the only nice things I can really say about it. There were a thousand people running three different tracks, 6k, 8k and 16k. We were funneled through Yamin Moshe’s narrow paths (the neighborhood adjacent to the Begin Center), where they were actually doing construction at the time of the race, forced through the city streets where they did not stop traffic or the light rail and best of all you had to run the same route four times. How boring, how dangerous and how about a little warning before the race itself? Not to mention we were with the baby stroller and there were steps in the race.

At the end of the race I saw Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat, who also plans to run the half-marathon (the full Marathon is his crazy initiative), and I told him my complaints. I’m sure he listened to me like he listens to all his citizens cries (please read that with sarcasm) and will make sure that the Marathon is not as disorganized, dangerous or just plain boring as that run.

As I ran the race I made a list in my head of complaints that I will now share with you. In order to remember them I organized them alphabetically with the first letters.

B: Bottles. Water bottles are dangerous to hand out to runners who want to take a swig of water and chuck the bottle. Needless to say, people were hit, water was wasted and there was a ton of litter on the streets. Stick with cups, yes it still makes a mess on the floor, but at least the water isn’t wasted and it doesn’t hurt when it hits your head. Oh, and runners be aware that people love to throw water on their body, which means if you are running behind you too will also be hit with a refreshing splash.

H: Handicap accessibility, as in there wasn’t any. I did see a blind man running with his partner, and I also saw him run into a low level barrier. Besides steps, there were also holes in the street and uneven pavement.

M: Medics. There were no medics or ambulances that I could see. I know the run is not a marathon but there should be some kind of medical emergency unit for the runners, and as far as I could see there wasn’t.

S: Spit. This is just a warning to all that runners spit a lot and just like the water you may be hit. While spit doesn’t hurt as much as a water bottle, it is way grosser.

T : Traffic. Like I said before, we ran on the sidewalks and in traffic since they didn’t close down streets. A free run indeed, but maybe next time charge us a little to close down the roads and everyone will be happier.

T: Track. The routes were boring and not conducive to hundreds of people running three different tracks. There weren’t any clear signs to tell people where to go, and every now and then there was a volunteer who tried to direct you as you ran by. Good luck if you heard.

OK so my first big race was a challenge more because of logistics and less about physical endurance, but I’m hoping that marathon day changes all that. I have trained for the past two months and run all over this holy, no scratch that, hilly city and I can’t wait to join thousands of runners from all over the world who will share this exciting experience with me. See you on the other side of the finish line!

Got a tip for running the streets of Jerusalem? Share them here!

Update: Groopbuy is no longer around. But most of the other ones on this list are live and rockin’!

While there are plenty of daily deal sites to choose from, and it seems like every day a new site pops up, we here at The Big Felafel are big fans of GroopBuy.

And not just because of the Holy Bagel NIS 20 dozen that I purchased last month.

David Shadpour, the founder of GroopBuy and an American living in Jerusalem, has tailored the site to Jerusalem’s English-speaking community. We are the ones that often miss out on deals because we just don’t read Hebrew all that well (yet), know how to bargain or we are friars (suckers). David is my friend and if you didn’t know it he is your friend too, by giving us the opportunity to enjoy stores, restaurants and even gyms for more than half price (and often even upwards of 70% off the price).

Obsessed with GroopBuy as I am, I got a chance to sit down with David and hear what he had to say. “GroopBuy is the only daily deal website that gives deals everyday,” David explains to me. And it is true. A lot of these sites have deals for three days running which misses the point of buyer power and obviously the daily deal part. Not only that but David tells me, “Our discounts are 15 to 20 percent larger than other sites.” Another fact I love. GroopBuy also makes sure to have a variety of deals so you can enjoy paintball one day and a stylish hair cut another.

GroopBuy does its homework. The company has a very high standard of requirements in order to accept a deal. “We have over 60 deals that have not happened because they did not meet our requirements,” he says, adding that “of course there is always trial and error, but most importantly we want to hear from our customers about what they think about the places. If we hear something negative then chances are we aren’t going to re-sign them for another deal.” I love hearing that since I know that the person behind the site really believes in the places he promotes.

In addition to promoting quality places, GroopBuy also tries to spotlight new immigrant vendors, helping them get on their feet. David is committed to giving “protectsia” to the Anglo community.  David says, “We’re in this together.” And he’s right. If I could buy that statement on GroopBuy, I would even pay full price.

Here are some quick tips for using Daily Deal websites:

• Check to see if the site accepts Israeli or international credit cards. If your order doesn’t go through, it’s probably because of the credit card you’re using.
• Make sure you carefully read the fine print before buying a deal.
• Always print your coupon and bring it with you.
• Always make reservations for restaurants, hotels, etc.
• If you see a deal that you think your friends would like, make sure to send it to them or even buy it for them!

1. GroopBuy in English
   Cities: for Jerusalem only (Tel Aviv coming soon)
   Payment Options: Visa, Mastercard, Isracard, American Express, both Israeli and international
2. Grouper in Hebrew
   Cities: Tel Aviv, Hod Hasharon, Haifa, Jerusalem, Ranana, Rishon Ltzion
   Payment Options: Visa, Mastercard, Isracard, American Express
3. Groupon in Hebrew (English coming soon)
   Read about the recent announcement that Groupon is worth a measly $15 billion, and that they’ve acquired Grouper.co.il for $8million in order to enter the Israeli market.
   Cities: All of Israel
   Payment Options: Visa, Mastercard, Isracard, American Express
4. Baligam in Hebrew
   Cities: Jerusalem, Haifa, Tel Aviv, Hasharon
   Payment Options: PayPal or credit card
5. Kantina in Hebrew
   Cities: Jerusalem only (Tel Aviv coming soon)
   Payment Options: International credit card only
6. Buy2 in Hebrew
   Cities: Jerusalem, Haifa, Tel Aviv/center, the south
   Payment Options: Doesn’t specify
7. Deal Hayom in Hebrew
   Cities: Tel Aviv, Haifa, Jerusalem, Be’er Sheva, Rishon Letzion
   Payment Options: Visa, Mastercard, Isracard, American Express
8. Coupo in Hebrew
   Cities: Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Be’er Sheva
   Payment Options: International credit card only
9. Wallashops in Hebrew
   Cities: Jerusalem, The north, The center, The south
   Payment Options: Doesn’t specify
10. Gozrim in Hebrew
    Focus on pregnancy, birth, and parenthood
    Cities: Jerusalem, The north, The center, The south
    Payment Options: All credit cards except for Diners
11. Ima Like - in Hebrew
    Focus on pregnancy, birth, and parenthood
    Cities: All of Israel, with a focus on the Tel Aviv area
    Payment Options: All credit cards except for Diners
12. Big Deal by Ynet in Hebrew
    Cities: All of Israel, focus on the Tel Aviv area
    Payment Options: Visa, Mastercard, Isracard, American Express, Leumi Card
13. BesTours in Hebrew
    Travel site with vacations, package deals, mostly in Europe
    Payment Options: Visa, Mastercard, Isracard, American Express, Diners, Eurocard
14. Groupli in Hebrew
    Cities: Tel Aviv area only
    Payment Options: Visa, Mastercard, Isracard, American Express
15. Gargir in Hebrew
    Cities: Mostly Tel Aviv area
    Payment Options: Visa, Mastercard, Isracard, American Express
16. Coupona in Hebrew
    Cities: Mostly Tel Aviv area
    Payment Options: Visa, Mastercard, Isracard, American Express
17. Buddies in Hebrew
    Cities: Tel Aviv/center area only
    Payment Options: Visa, Mastercard, Isracard, American Express
18. BuyCell in Hebrew
    Cities: Mostly Tel Aviv area
    Payment Options: Visa, Mastercard, American Express
19. Yemama in Hebrew
    Cities: Tel Aviv, Haifa (Jerusalem coming soon)
    Payment Options: Visa, Mastercard, Isracard, American Express
20. DealZone in Hebrew
    Cities: Tel Aviv area (Jerusalem and Haifa coming soon)
    Payment Options: All credit cards except for Diners
21. ExpressDeal in Hebrew
    Cities: Mostly Tel Aviv area
    Payment Options: Visa, Mastercard, Isracard, American Express, Leumi Card
22. YallaBuy in Hebrew (as in, Az Yalla Bye.. love the name!)
    Cities: Mostly Tel Aviv area
    Payment Options: Doesn’t specify
23. Shave in Hebrew
    Cities: not sure, couldn’t see past deals
    Payment Options: Visa, Mastercard, Isracard, American Express
24. Groupunch in Hebrew
    Cities: not sure, couldn’t see past deals
    Payment Options: Visa, Mastercard, Isracard, American Express
25. DealOn in Hebrew and English
    Cities: Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Be’er Sheva
26. Jewpon in English
    Cities: Jerusalem, Tel Aviv
    Payment Options: Visa, Mastercard, American Express
27. GroopScoop in English
    Hasn’t really launched yet
28. Group-E in Hebrew for the religious
    Cities: All over Israel
    Payment Options: Visa, Mastercard, Isracard, Leumi Card
29. Rak Ayom in Hebrew
    Cities: North, Center, Sharon, South
    Payment Options: Visa, Mastercard, Isracard, American Express
30. Deal4All in Hebrew in Hebrew
    Cities: North, Center, Jerusalem area, South
31. BaBeTov – in Hebrew geared toward the religious
32. DealCity – in Hebrew
33. Grouping (coming soon) in Hebrew
34. Zing – in Hebrew
35. Alut – in Hebrew
36. Israel Coupon – in Hebrew
37. YouToo – in Hebrew

Deal Aggregates

1. JangloDeals on facebook, a listing of deals in Israel in English
2. Ideals
3. DayDeals on facebook or the website
4. Everydeal
5. Get it All
6. DailyD
7. Cliqa
8. Tavo
9. Zap