I live in a settlement North of Jerusalem, Israel, in the hills of Binyamin. The area in which I live is referred to differently by different people based on their political affiliation (Israel, West Bank, Occupied Territories, Liberated Territories, Samaria). Whenever I want to go into Jerusalem (the North-Easternmost corner of the city is about [...]

At the pharmacy, the check-out clerk asked me if I wanted to pay my bill (approximately $50) all at once or in installments One guy on the oppossing softball team wished me a Shabbat Shalom The bully schwarma guy at the mall, while he was trying to sell me a plate of chumus and chickpeas [...]

A paper was published two weeks ago claiming that Jews exert undue influence on the government of the United States, convincing the government to follow the interests of Jews even when it is against the best interests of the country. The Jews have “inflamed Arab and Islamic opinion and jeopardized U.S. security”. They are “unhealthy [...]

Read the article here. Way to go NBN!

Unemployement in Israel is the lowest it has been in 12 years. Say what you want about Bibi – his economic plans (which others denounce as being cruel to people who rely on the government to pay all of their bills) have saved the country from economic ruin (if you want to see what a [...]

I’m tired. But I told myself that I would do it, so…gosh darnit…(2 halachot for today, 2 for yesterday) 9) One is forbidden (from the Torah) to eat or derive any benefit from Chametz from midday on Erev Pesach (the fourteenth of Nissan). To help people avoid messing up, Chazal added two hours onto this. [...]

Had a good Shabbat – leined my bart mitzvah parsha in Shul, met some nice people in the neighborhood. At one of the meals on Shabbat, we were talking about a certain community nearby and how we were trying to make friends with people in the community. One of the people at the meal (who [...]

…to Step Ima and NJD on their on-line proposal and engagement.

Just finished washing the crock pot…from last Shabbat. I guess with Purim and all this week, it gives some kind of an excuse to have the crock pot not totally clean all weak (it had to go through several cycles of hot water and soap –> soak –> rinse and repeat though). But with one [...]

There is a halacha that one should begin learning the laws concerning Pesach thirty days before the holiday actually begins. Since the laws are numerous, penalties for messing up are harsh (and since you can’t exactly start planning for Pesach the day before it starts), one must actually start thinking about the laws right after [...]