Shalom to my loyal readers and to all newcomers to the War Zone! It’s a special post today, folks, my first time hosting Haveil Havalim, issue #188. This is the weekly “blog carnival” of the Jewish/Israeli blogosphere, created by Soccer Dad and currently maintained by our friend Jack. I’m not sure why it’s called a blog carnival although I was promised clowns and a bearded lady from Bank Leumi. It’s 7:45 AM and they still haven’t arrived. I NEED TO GET TO WORK, DAMMIT!!!
In Haveil Havalim, we recap what people have been writing about in the J-blogosphere. Believe it or not, WWZ regulars, there are actually people delving into topics deeper than inappropriate Israeli t-shirts and advertisements. Or that’s what I discovered this week anyway. If you’d like to receive weekly updates about this here blog carnival, you can join the Facebook group, Haveil Havalim- The Best Of The Jewish/Israeli Blogosphere. Sadly, the Friendster group was discontinued in 2004. (Holy cow, I just looked up Friendster on Wikipedia….can you believe it’s the 2nd most visited site in the Philippines?!?! WHAT YEAR ARE THESE PEOPLE LIVING IN??? The world is flat, my tuchus! What’s the #1 site, Ask Jeeves?)
It’s 8:23 AM, Jack….WHERE IS MY BEARDED LADY?!?!
This carnival sucks.
Just a quick story….this past weekend, I went shopping at a certain Tel Aviv grocery store which will remain nameless (clue: it rhymes with Pooper Zol Gvirol). As I walked through the vegetable aisle, I suddenly saw a rat dart under the vegetable stand. People, I don’t care if Shiri Maimon is tempting me from the pomegranate area with promises of kisses and Friday night cholent, the moment I see a rat is the moment I head halfway to Haifa. If I remember, it went down something like this.
9:01:03 PM “Hmmm…..I sure could use some tomatoes.”
9:01:04 AAAAAAAAAAAUGH!!!!!!!
9:01:05 “Looks like it’s Cafe Aroma for dinner!”
I get right to the check-out lane with whatever food I had already picked up and tell the female cashier about the achbar that just scurried across the floor. She quite calmly says in Hebrew “ooh, what am I going to do?” I’m like “In America, I’m pretty sure that most women would be screaming right now (as would I). She answers, “If it was a jook (cockroach), I would definitely scream.”
I’ve heard that at least three times…what is the deal with women in this country being more afraid of roaches than rats? Am I nuts? A roach, while admittedly nastier than even the bathroom at Jerusalem’s Underground bar, can be stepped on. A rat is an animal for G-d’s sakes! Yeeeeech-I’m grossing myself out. Before I end this story though, can I get some help from the commenters? Are roaches universally feared more than rats or is that an Israeli phenomenon?
Last seen near Kikar Rabin late last week (without the red shorts).
He may or may not have been speaking, err, squeaking Hebrew.
Anyway, to my regulars, feel free to sample what different people from the Jewish community are writing about. Newcomers to my blog, welcome; I invite you to check out some of the “Most Popular Posts” to the right for a laugh or three. And as long as I have the attention of so many eyes, I’m headlining at Jerusalem’s Off the Wall Comedy Basement on Saturday, November 15th. Come laugh and check out my site for more.
Ok, let’s jump right in…
Lady Light details her head-to-head battle with a squirrel to claim supremacy over her sukkah.
Jack, the godfather of Haveil Havalim, takes a look at some of his friends’ lives and asks “what are you willing to do?” to make a relationship work.
Ruti Mizrachi of Ki Yachol Nuchal! gets thoughtful when recapping her time in the Sukkah.
A Living Nadneyda makes a case for donating your hair, posted at Nad-ned Nad-ned.
Batya of Shiloh Musings is used to interviews with foreign journalists in Shiloh. She shares a touching story from one of her neighbors with one journalist.
The holiday season is now behind us. Muse of Me-ander takes us through the end of it.
Rickismom of Beneath the Wings gets excited about Hebrew slang.
David of Treppenwitz makes you think before eating meat again.
If you thought it was hard being shomer chag, wait till you read Carolyn’s story on her blog Juggling Frogs. Observing chag or appearing on television? Wow.
The Rebbetzen’s Husband talks about a strange piece of mail and a recent Simchat Torah prank.
Judaism
Batya of Shiloh Musings reflects on the reading of Kohelet on Sukkot Shabbat.
Did you build a sukkah? Cosmic X in Jerusalem shows one you may not have seen.
How about on a boat? Check out Lizrael Update.
Ilana Davita posts about her Yom Kippur and the role of women in Orthodox shuls.
SuperRaizy does the same with a plea to Orthodox shuls after Simchat Torah.
Ever seen a sukkah on wheels? Now you have, thanks to Mrs S. of Our Shiputzim.
Sukkot and Simchat Torah in Peru with Israelis? Check it out through Mottel’s two posts at Letters of my Thoughts.
Ellison of Blog d’ Ellison recaps his amusing morning in shul on Simchat Torah as we start over from the beginning.
Esser Agaroth addresses a recent poll dealing with “pritzus” during Sukkot.
Rickismom gets philosophical about schach and the Sukkah.
How much would you pay for an etrog? Jameel of the Muqata can’t believe it.
Politics
It’s almost election time….in Israel as well. Cosmic X points out an endorsement for Jerusalem mayor.
Soccer Dad gives examples of America not standing up to the Palestinian Authority under multiple governments.
Sammy of Yid with Lid worries about what role George Soros might have in the next administration, and questions the judgment of some American rabbis regarding their political endorsement.
Want to vote in the US election from Israel? Aussie Dave of Israellycool tells us how. If you are eligible to vote, you should!
Daled Amos talks politics as he wonders why the media investigates critics more than the candidates themselves, examines the power of the Israeli vote in the US election, and looks at Alan Dershowitz’s comments on American aid to Israel.
Guess where Obama lives? Yitzchak Goodman reveals the truth on Judeopundit.
Culture
Check out Carol’s cool drawings of a Tel Aviv jazz show at Drawing Tel Aviv.
Everybody knows where to get your rugalach in Jerusalem. Meet the man behind the chocolate in Jerusalemite’s interview with Marzipan bake-master.
Still haven’t seen the Israeli hit show “Srugim”? Esther of My Urban Kvetch tells us that it’s coming to the States.
Ruti Mizrachi welcomes her boys home and continues to celebrate her first sukkah in Israel.
Inspired by election talk, Material Maidel talks about racism.
Israel
How did you spend your Sukkot holiday? “(I’ll Call) Baila” took the family to Caesaria for a fun outing.
The holidays are now behind us…here are a couple of short video clips from Me-ander from the last week.
The Israel Situation rediscovers a well-known book about the Middle East and the world.
Planning a trip to Russia anytime soon? If you live in Jerusalem, your trip could be shorter than you think. Jerusalemite has the details about this and beautiful sukkot in Nachlaot.
A Living Nadneyda recaps a decision made by the Israel Land Administration here.
Sammy of Yid with Lid posts an interview about the (in)famous Muhammad Al-Dura video from a few years back.
Humor
Ra’anana Ramblings has a hilarious description of where your tax shekels are going.
Doing some post-Ramadan shopping? Cosmic X tells you where to go in the Old City….
Rickismom puts things into perspective when it comes to learning a new language.
Heshy of Frum Satire asks how you shake your lulav and asks how your rabbi discussed the uncomfortable topic of sex.
Raizy wonders how in the world THIS happened.
The Rebbetzin’s Husband examines Silly Season all over the place.
How do you know you live in Israel? Stephanie of Stefanella’s Drive Thru tells us here.
Some guy named Benji laughs at the name of an Israeli restaurant.
History
Batya of Shiloh Musings says it’s more of the same at the UN when it comes to Israel and the Jews.
Torah
Batya of Shiloh Musings shares a story from Simchat Torah and how you can invest more than just money in hakafot.
Leora in Highland Park explains Kohelet and Ozymandias of Sukkot and the meaning of “Haveil Havalim” itself.
Anti-Semitism
Jill of Writes Like She Talks writes about….yikes. You’ll have to see for yourself.
That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of Haveil Havalim using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.
Technorati tags: haveil havalim, blog carnival.
The next issue of Haveil Havalim will be hosted by Esser Agaroth.
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