Thursday, October 18, 2012

Farm Girl, Phone Company, Chumus, A Wave

We just received an email from our Rav, detailing the halachot of saying the brachot for rain.  This is serious stuff. 

I used to wonder, with some amusement, at the Israeli attitude of "after the chagim" and the constant gazing into the sky for rainclouds, but it is no joke, and living here you really feel the angst over the dire need for rain.  Yestrday we took a train ride to Haifa and along the way you are struck by the brownness of all of the farm land.  The cows stare at you as you ride by on the train, with that, "Hey lady, got anything to eat?" look on their faces.  When we returned to Modiin, lots of people were looking up at the sky hopefully, becasue it had become very cloudy and dark.  Alas, though, no rain. We were all disappointed.

Israel is very big into medical and technological research, but when all is said and done it is an agricultural country.  It's quite different from Jackie Mason's famous line, "Jews don't work on farms, Jews OWN farms." 

Mind you, I'm not going to quit my current job and start herding cows.  I mean, I don't like being in the sun, I don't like being sweaty, and I am scared of most animals, not to mention being terrified of bugs, whcih I hear they have on farms.

Well, the phone company keeps calling me.  They want me to take advantage of this wonderful deal.  I told the guy on the phone, "Listen, either speak in English or speak more slowly."  So he stated to speak louder.  Happens every time.  I still didn't get the deal, but these people are so insulted when you don't accept.  It's like you've pesonally hurt them and all of their ancestors.

And chummus.  Yesterday we went out for dinner to a local place.  We order the salad appetizer (lafa bread plus like 64 different salads in little dishes).  When we ordered, the waitress said, "Well, you understand that this does not come with chummus."  Um, ok, so what?  "No, I want to make sure you understand that this does not come with chummus."  I thought we were going to have to sign a form agreeing that we understand that the appetizer lacked chummus.

Yesterday, as usual, I waved someone on to pull in front of me as I was driving.  I would much rather..um...LIVE...than try to fight Israeli drivers.  And guess what?  He waved thanks to me!  I mean it, I am not making this up.  Or else he was waving a fly out of his face.  Or waving to a friend on the street.  I'm going to believe he was waving thanks to me, no matter what.  Made my day.









 

2 comments:

  1. No chummus? Are you sure you were really in Israel?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sara, you have to order a SEPARATE chummus platter.

    ReplyDelete