Israel's Clandestine Army

I immigrated to Haifa, Israel five years ago from Colorado in the USA. My permanent move came at the age of fifty eight. This morning I went to visit the Clandestine Immigration and Naval Museum located in Haifa.. The museum faces the Mediterranean Sea close to the Shrine of Elijah The Prophet. The museum features the story of the hardships of fighting for the right to live in our homeland and the history of the Israeli Navy. The immigration story is told by documents, articles of the time, models, photos, sound shows and diagrams. The ship "Af-Al-Pi-Chen", which ran the British blockade during the mandatory period, brought 434 immigrants to the country, houses most of the museum devoted to the clandestine immigration and to the history of Israel’s Navy up to the Yom Kippur War. The most famous clandestine immigration ship was the Exodus which docked here in Haifa.

From the end of World War II until the establishment of Israel (1945-1948), illegal immigration was the major method of immigration, because the British, by setting the quota at a mere 18,000 per year, virtually terminated the option of legal immigration. Sixty­ six illegal immigration sailings were organized during these years, but only a few managed to penetrate the British blockade and bring their passengers ashore. In 1947, 4500 immigrants on the Exodus were sent back to Europe by the Mandatory government. The British stopped the vessels carrying immigrants at sea, and interned the captured immigrants in camps in Cyprus; most of these persons only arrived in Israel after the establishment of the state. Approximately 80,000 illegal immigrants reached Palestine during 1945-48.

Forty four years ago, I was a communications student at the University of New Mexico. The year was 1968 and like many youth of my era, I sought something rewarding and exciting to do with my life. I still had two years of studies to finish, but was unsure of my goals for the future. I volunteered to do a six month work/study program at a kibbutz (collective settlement) in southern Israel, named Hatzor. The primary purposes of such programs was to promote Aliyah or immigration to Israel. Participants split the day evenly between work at the Kibbutz and Hebrew study in an Ulpan. 

Kibbutz Hatzor (taken from the blog Tiyul Bair - a tour of the city)

I soon discovered that sitting in a classroom was unsuitable for me. Conversely, my job as assistant Kibbutz caretaker was a perfect match. I delivered supplies throughout the settlement, did the gardening, collected the garbage, and did general maintenance. My supervisor, Shmuel, was a forty+ American born Kibbutznik. Shmuel was a short thin fellow with a moustache, slight limp, and ever-cheerful smile. He was very friendly, but said little about himself. He mentioned that he had come to Israel in 1948 from New York as a volunteer, was married, and had a teenage son. He had studied journalism in New York and limped as the result as a car accident in “The Big Apple”.

My six months at the Kibbutz went quickly. I did not acquire a lot of Hebrew; nonetheless, I made many wonderful friends and learned to be a pretty fair maintenance man. The Kibbutz members were the most wonderful people. Many were survivors of the Holocaust. A number came to Israel as volunteers in 1948, primarily from The United States. They came to protect and build a new nation. At my “Going Away” party, I was stunned to learn that Shmuel and several of the other Kibbutz members were crew and passengers on the famous immigrant ship “The Exodus”. They had braved the British embargo to bring illegal immigrants into "Palestine." Some were interred in British prisons. For their first decade in Israel, they often lived in treehouses and tents. The situation was further compounded by conflict with the Arab legions during the struggle for a safe Jewish homeland. Some of their comrades died, or suffered serious wounds during their fight for freedom. Yet, they were warm, humble, and generous souls. Many of the volunteers had been members of Mahal.

The Mahalniks were mostly World War II veterans from American and British armed forces. Allied armies were reduced considerably after the end of the war and many soldiers were demobilised; moreover, the service experience became mundane and did not resonate with some servicemen, particularly pilots. In various circumstances they were invited, or heard of the Jewish state’s struggle for independence and enlisted. There were Jews and Christians, both ideological supporters of Zionism and just plain idealists. 

The Ha’apala movement, also called “Aliyah Bet”, which attempted to evade the 1939 and 1948 British Naval blockade restricting Jewish immigration to Palestine, was assisted by 236 Mahal former servicemen of the Allied Navies as crews of ten clandestine Jewish refugee ships, out of sixty-six participating vessels.The Exodus was the most famous of the clandestine fleet.The story was told in both print and in film. No one can accuse history of not having a sense of irony. Sixty-six years ago, in July 1947, a passenger ship destined for Palestine and named the Exodus was stopped and boarded by the British navy. 

Clandestine Immigration and Naval Museum in Haifa

The ship was crowded with Holocaust survivors determined to make a new life for themselves in British-controlled Palestine. The British, facing Zionist terrorism and trying to keep promises made to the Palestinian Arabs to limit Jewish immigration, were determined to stop it. Accordingly, when the Royal Navy boarded the ship twenty miles out from Haifa, a full-scale battle ensued. Three immigrants were killed and dozens injured as British troops beat the passengers on to three separate prison ships. From there these Holocaust survivors were transported back to Germany and were once again placed in camps. The world was horrified. Since then, the fate of the Exodus has achieved legendary status: Leon Uris used it as the basis of his 1958 bestseller of the same name; an award-winning film. It was "The Ship That Launched A Nation".

The 1948 Arab-Israeli War saw approximately 3,500 foreign volunteers from forty-three countries among the Jewish forces, out of an estimated 29,677–108,300 total (its size grew considerably in later stages of the war owing to immigration into Palestine). A total of 119 Mahalniks were killed in battle.

One of the most senior Mahal personnel was Mickey Marcus, a Jewish United States Army colonel who assisted Israeli forces during the war and became Israel’s first Brigadier General. Marcus’s wartime experience was vital in breaking the 1948 Siege of Jerusalem. He was killed during the war. 

" The Machal forces were the Diaspora's most important contribution to the survival of the State of Israel " "David Ben-Gurion, Founding Father and first Prime Minister of Israel"

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The Robin Hood of Ostropol! Jewish Humor!

Ostropol, also known as Staryy Ostropil, is a small town on the Sluch River located in the Khmelnytskyi Oblast about 133 west of Kiev, Ukraine. Ostropol was an important Jewish centre in the 17th and 18th centuries. It was a centre of learning and Jewish culture. The great hero of Jewish humor, Hershele Ostropoler, was from that town. My father's parents immigrated to The United States from this region at the turn of the twentieth century. They, like many Jews and others, left the often bleak economic hardships of the area for America.

Hershele Ostropoler, also known as Hershel of Ostropol, is a prominent figure in Jewish humour, the Jewish equivalent of Nasreddin. Hershele was a prankster who lived in poverty and targeted the rich and powerful, both Jew and Gentile. Common folks were not safe from his shenanigans, either, but they usually got off lightly. He is also remembered by Ukrainian gentiles as something of an ethnic folk hero,who could take on establishment forces much larger than himself with nothing but his humour. 

He is a legendary Robin Hood who used his wits rather than the sword in his battles for justice. He was a scholar of the Talmud and Torah. He, like many Eastern European Jews of his era spent much of his time studying the Jewish holy writings and living on handouts or the strength of his wits. Judaism is a knowledge based faith. There is a Jewish expression that without the study of Torah there is no food and without food there is no Torah.

Once, Hershele was selling antiques and trinkets in the market. Among his wares was a large canvas, that was entirely blank. A customer asked Hershele what it was, and Hershele replied:- "For a silver shekel, I will tell you about this painting. [The man, overwhelmed by curiosity, gives him a shekel]. Well, this painting is a famous painting, depicting the Jews crossing the Red Sea, with the Egyptians in pursuit."

- "Well, where are the Jews?"

- "They've crossed."

- "And the Egyptians?"

- "Haven't come yet."

- [Getting frustrated at having been duped] "And where's the Red Sea?!"

- "It's parted, dummkopf!"

Jewish humor is adorned with his stories. The stories center on his struggle to survive in the difficult world of the Ukrainian peasant of the 19h century.

While his exploits have been mythologized over the years, the character of Hershele is based on a historic figure, who lived in what is today Ukraine during the late 18th or early 19th century. He used his wits to get by, eventually earning a permanent position as court jester of sorts to the famous Rabbi Boruch of Medzhybizh.

In the Hershele stories, he was chosen by members of Rabbi Boruch's court in order to counter the rebbe's notorious fits of temper and lift his chronic melancholy.

It is believed that Hershele died of a fatal accident that was brought about by one of Rabbi Boruch's fits of anger. Hershele lingered for several days and died in Rabbi Boruch's own bed surrounded by Rabbi Boruch and his followers.

The Hershele stories depict his ongoing struggle against authority and his use of humor as both a tool for physical survival and his best weapon to deal with life in the days of old. Humor is often used for similar purposes today.

The Tales of Hershele utilize a great deal of sarcasm and anecdotes to highlight their effect. There is an underlying sense of despair as we read about our heroes ongoing struggle to survive and help others to do the same. Modern Jewish humor often dates back to the Hershele era and his part of the world.

Jewish humor has a long tradition dating back to the Torah and the Midrash from the ancient mid-east. However, it most often refers to the more recent stream of verbal, self-deprecating, sometimes crude, and often anecdotal humor originating in Eastern Europe. It took root in the United States over the last hundred years. Beginning with vaudeville, and continuing through radio, stand-up comedy, film, and television, a disproportionately high percentage of American and Russian comedians have been Jewish. They may indeed owe their successes in part to the efforts of Hershele.One day Hershele was traveling, and he stopped for the night at an inn. The place was deserted: there were no other guests, and even the innkeeper was away, leaving his wife in charge.

“I’m dying of hunger,” Hershele told her. “Please give me something to eat.”

The innkeeper’s wife took a good look at her guest, and she didn’t like what she saw. Hershele was unkempt, his coat was torn, and he looked altogether unsavory. This fellow will never be able to pay the bill, she thought.

“I’m sorry, sir,” she said to Hershele, “but the kitchen is closed.”

Hershele shook his head and said nothing. Then he looked straight ahead and said to the woman, “In that case I’m going to have to do what my father did.”

Immediately the woman grew frightened. “What did your father do?” she asked.

“My father,” replied Hershele, “did what he had to do.”

Hearing this, the woman grew more frightened. Who knew what kind of father this man had? And she alone in the house! Perhaps his father was a thief, a murderer, or worse.

“Just a minute, sir,” she said, and soon returned with a full plate of chicken, kishka, fish, and black bread. Hershele devoured it all, as the woman looked on in amazement. When he had finished, he told her, “Lady, that was a wonderful meal, the best thing I've tasted since Passover.”

Seeing her guest was finally relaxed and satisfied, the innkeeper’s wife dared to ask the question that had been burning in her all evening. “Good sir.” She said, “Please tell me, what was it that your father did?”

“My father?” said Hershele. “Oh yes, my father. You see, whenever my father couldn't get anything to eat—he went to bed hungry.”

O Jerusalem, OY Jerusalem!

I enjoy having a massage twice a month. My masseuse Jona also immigrated to Haifa Israel from Colorado. She and her husband, David are in my age range. They immigrated to Haifa six months ago. We love to share stories about our views, experiences and yes, adventures as new immigrants to the land of Canaan. This is a post about their first visit to Jerusalem.

After being in Israel for nearly three months, we finally left Haifa and took a day-trip to Jerusalem. David’s nephew — heretofore called Zach since he didn’t give us permission to use his real name — is studying at a Yeshiva in Jerusalem for six months. A Yeshiva is an Orthodox Jewish college or seminary It is always a delight to spend time with Zach. He gave us a walking tour of Jerusalem.

We travelled from Haifa to Jerusalem by train. The trip normally is about an hour. The train ride from Haifa to Jerusalem was delayed at Beit Shemesh for about 30 minutes. This is the town where the incident occurred where a member of the Haredi spit on Jewish girl for not dressing modestly enough. Although my arms and legs were covered, I was a bit nervous about my modern dress and liberal approach to Judaism. It is a sad commentary on life in Israel that conflicts about religious ideology are common. These conflicts are both among and between followers of faiths.

When we arrived in Jerusalem, it was well past lunch time. We met Zach at the mall, and instead of partaking in some of Jerusalem’s better food offerings, we ate in the food court in the mall. Zach opted for McDonald’s since it was one of the 30% that are kosher in the city. While we were eating, a nice old woman came by with a plastic cup. I didn't quite understand what she wanted, but Zach gave her a few shekels and she went away.


First of all, there are two Jerusalem’s, so to speak. Modern Jerusalem is equivalent to cities in the United States, complete with malls of grandeur, high rise apartments a modern transportation system and fabulous malls.. You can find almost any products here that are sold in America. Many of the stores are the same. We can shop at Ace Hardware and eat at McDonald's. The Jerusalem mall where we met Zach could have been Any Mall in the USA. English is widely spoken. The mall like much of the architectural in this glorious city is picturesque, Many of the houses, apartments and other buildings are built on and along the winding hills of this beautiful and ancient city In fact, Jerusalem is one of the most beautiful cities that I ever visited. The physical beauty and spiritual glory of Jerusalem make it a wonderful place to visit. Zach asked me how many cities that I have visited. That’s hard to say, but most are in the states. I would gage the number to be at least thirty.

Zach said he was helping the needy, or giving tzadakah, David called the old woman a schnorer, although he admitted she was nice about it. Then, or as they say in Hebrew, ah-har-chok (I’m not going to tell you how I remember that word) another schnorer came by wanting money. She even had a little brochure. When we didn't give her any money, she took her brochure back with a huff.

The night before going to Jerusalem I was kind of worried about riding the city bus — with the potential for bombings and other security issues. Nevertheless, once there, I got onto buses and trains without a second thought. Two days later, David read me a news story about how a female Israeli soldier was stabbed by a Palestinian on the same train-line we rode.In Haifa, we have a bus pass that is good for buses within the city. In other words, we wouldn't be able to use the pass to take a bus from Haifa to Jerusalem or Tel Aviv, it can only be used in Haifa. Well, the same bus system is used throughout Israel, and so we tried to use our pass on the Jerusalem city bus It worked! We were given a transfer, and on the city-train a transit official was checking for passes.
Well, maybe he saw something on the transfer that indicated Haifa instead of Jerusalem, and he demanded to see David’s ID. He took the ID and kept it for almost the entire ride. While he had the ID, it was kind of scary because we had no idea what was going on or even why he wanted it in the first place. Were we going to be thrown off the train? Arrested? Forced to pay 6.60 shekels (around $1.75) for the fare? The trip took maybe 15 minutes, and the security official held onto the ID almost the entire time. After making several phone calls, presumably to verify David’s veracity, the ID was returned and we proceeded toward Old Jerusalem.

Old Jerusalem is a walled city, a citadel. The outer wall was destroyed and later rebuilt by the Ottomans so is only 500 years old, young compared to many of the inner walls of which might be 2000 years or older. There are parts of Old J. that are driveable, as in one-way only and be prepared to go about 5 mph  Most of Old J. must be walked as the streets are too narrow and since Jerusalem is built on hills, steps to go up and down. All the roads in Old Jerusalem. are paved with rectangular tiles, the same off-white/light-tan materials of which the buildings are constructed. The tiled streets are smooth and well-worn: a lot of traffic goes through the city. Throughout Old Jerusalem are plenty of shops, street vendors, and small food markets.There are four quarters in Old Jerusalem: Armenian, Jewish, Arab and Christian, although Armenians are Christians too (Eastern Orthodox).

As we entered the archway of Old J., there were a couple of people begging or schnoring. We found ourselves in the Armenian sector, and I was amazed at how much of a tourist trap Old Jerusalem can be. I mean it is a tourist trap to the max. We wandered through the Armenian sector down alleyways and side streets into the Jewish Quarter and went to the Western Wall. Where else?

Going down the steps to the Wall we came upon even more schnorers. One guy came up to David and started praying in his ear, all in Hebrew of course. I watched the man as he was whispering his prayer to David. It seemed to me it was all a big scam to rip-off tourists. For all we know instead of prayers, the guy was hurling insults and saying vulgarities. Finished with the prayer, he expected payment. David gave him a few shekels and the fellow was not pleased.

When we were in the Arab Quarter a little boy saw Zach and ran up to him and went, “R-rr-ow!” I thought he was being a cute, a rambunctious kid. Neither Zach nor the boy’s father thought it was cute. Then I realized that the reason the boy did that may have been because he is Palestinian. He may have been taught that Jews are bad, evil, and even need to be killed. David told me that same kid threw a rock at us but missed. Perhaps he was just a kid acting silly, I hope that is the case. I was so entranced with the Old City that I didn’t notice any tensions at all in the Arab section. But David said that he did and felt uncomfortable there.

I had seen pictures of the Wall It looked pretty much like the photographs. We had to go through a security check and found ourselves in a huge courtyard. I went to the female side and David and Zach went to the male side. The female side was really crowded and there were hundreds of orthodox women praying and reading at the Wall.

I’m sorry to say, the are around the Wall didn’t feel like a Holy Place to me. It also felt like a tourist trap. When I was at the wall, I looked up hoping to see G-d, and I saw a beautiful blue sky. I didn’t feel closer to G-d at the wall of course, feeling close or connected to G-d is something I never feel and have never felt. I’m so jealous of those people who have that connection. I classify myself as a hiloni or non- religious. Sixty per cent of Israelis are "hilonim"

So after leaving the wall, we walked around "The Old City". This ancient city is so exciting. There are tunnels and interesting paths…it’s hard to describe. Individual quarters are not marked, so you don’t know when you’re leaving the Armenian Quarter and entered the Jewish Quarter. Nevertheless, we visited all the Quarters, including the Arab Quarter.Here’s what David didn’t like about Jerusalem: the schnoring.

Here’s what I didn’t like about Jerusalem: nothing. Yes, it does snow and can get very cold in Jerusalem, and I don’t like that, but the weather was fine the day we came. I liked everything about the city. The city has it all! If Israel is the center of religious/political controversy and global unrest, Jerusalem is the hub.

Zach, if you’re reading this, here are some of the cities I’ve been in: Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, London, Edinburgh, New York, Boston, Chicago, Atlanta, Miami, New Orleans, Denver, Phoenix, Washington DC, Seattle, San Francisco, San Diego, Tijuana, Belize City, Matamoros, Dallas, Houston, Amarillo, Kansas City, Minneapolis, Oklahoma City, Portland, San Jose, Oakland, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, Mazatlan, Nashville, Cleveland, Vancouver, Baltimore, and your home town of Louisville to name a few.

The Muslim Ahmadiyya in Israel

Most people outside Israel are not aware of the fact that 25% of Israel’s population, are not from a Jewish background, and among them are Christians, Muslims, and Druze. Many people outside of this region are not aware of the diversity of streams within these faiths. One of the most wonderful aspects of life in Israel is that each of the major religions is represented by a myriad of these religious streams. The differences aren’t just theological, but are social, political, financial, and educational. For example, there are four Arab political parties in the governing body of Israel – The Knesset. There are numerous Jewish political parties with a wide divergence of philosophy and goals.

Haifa is the spiritual center of the Ahmadiyya in Israel. The meaning of the word Ahmadiyya in Arabic means stream. This is a Muslim religious movement numbering in the millions worldwide . The majority of the movements’ members are in Pakistan and India, but they have a significant population in over 195 countries in the world. In Israel their numbers are small, and they are primarily located in Cabbabir. This is a village within Haifa, which is the third largest city in Israel. I live next to Cabbabir, which is a pleasant community of mid-priced homes, tree lined streets, parks, and small cafes. The lower part of Cabbabir has a wonderful view of the sea. I love to wander around the neighborhood and mingle with the local residents. Arabic and Hebrew are widely spoken.

The Ahmadiyya is an Islamic religious movement founded in India near the end of the 19th century, originating with the life and teachings of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (1835–1908). Mirza Ghulam Ahmad stated that he had been bestowed the attributes of all Biblical and non-Biblical Prophets, in accordance with a verse of the Qur’an which states that all prophets will converge into one person in the future. Mirza Ghulam Ahmad stated that this was due to his receiving revelation from G-d in which G-d called him:
The Champion of Allah in the mantle of Prophets
He claimed that he was the Mujaddid (divine reformer) of the 14th Islamic century, the promised Messiah and Mahdi awaited by Muslims. The adherents of the Ahmadiyya sect are referred to as Ahmadis or Ahmadi Muslims. Ahmadi emphasis lay in the belief that Islam is the final law for humanity as revealed to Muhammad and the necessity of restoring to it its true essence and pristine form, which had been lost through the centuries. Thus, Ahmadis view themselves as leading the revival and peaceful propagation of Islam. The Ahmadis were among the earliest Muslim communities to arrive in Britain and other Western countries.

Orthodox Muslims consider the Ahmadi movement to be heretical and non-Muslim for a number of reasons. The primary reason is the question of the finality of prophethood, since they believe members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community do not regard the Islamic prophet Muhammad as the last prophet. Mainstream Muslims do not accept Ghulam Ahmad to have fulfilled the prophecies about the Promised Messiah and Mahdi. According to mainstream Muslims, Ghulam Ahmad’s failure to establish a perfect worldwide Muslim government invalidates his claim to be the promised Mahdi and Messiah and hence he is seen as a false prophet. The Ahmadis suffer discrimination in many Muslim nations due to their interpretation of Islam and in other nations that see all Muslims as violent or as cultural threats.

Ahmadis also hold that the Muslims have erred with regard to the rights of creation for they, unjustly raising the sword and calling it Jihad, have misunderstood the concept and purpose of jihad in Islam. The motto of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is “Love for All, Hatred for None.”

Islam, a name given by Allah to this religion (Quran 5:4), is an Arabic word which literally means obedience and peace. ISLAM is derived from the Arabic root “SALEMA”: peace, purity, submission and obedience. So Islam would mean the path of those who are obedient to Allah and who establish peace with Him and His creatures. Its follower are called Muslims.

The Ahmadiyya live as peaceful and responsible citizens of Israel, as they do in all countries in which they inhabit. I have been blessed to participate in many interfaith activities during my five years in Haifa. Several of these activities have been with my Ahmadi friends and neighbors. My favorite was a youth soccer tournament held at their school in Haifa in October of 2009. Jewish and Muslim youth enjoyed a beautiful fall day of sports, pizza, and fellowship! Rabbi Edgar Nof brought a group of young sports enthusiasts to play soccer, basketball and build friendships with their Muslim counterparts. The coach of the Jewish team was a visiting Southern Baptist envoy from Texas named Timothy Crowe. We all enjoyed a great experience and built new friendships that we still enjoy and treasure today.

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The Shulamit Hotel, Life in a Haifa Suburb!.

We were sitting in our favorite cafe. Our server Chen was a native born Israeli or Sabra. She is finishing her degree in Social Sciences at the University of Haifa. I am an American immigrant to Haifa of five years. We decided to write about life in a Haifa suburb.

Kiryat Sefer is an upper middle class community in the Horev area of Haifa. It was my first home in Haifa, Israel. I immigrated to Israel five years ago from Colorado. What an adventure! Travel is wonderful in Israel. I can visit the Galilee, Nazareth, and Jerusalem, in the same day from my home in Haifa.

Horev is an alternate appellate for Sinai, where Moses received the Torah and the Ten Commandments. It is located on the bus route to the University of Haifa and two Druze Villages about thirty miles South of this quaint and sedate residential center. This wonderful community is a perfect blend of beautiful apartments, a large array of mid-priced restaurants, and upper-end shopping at a local mall.

In Israel, medical and dental care is universal. Their facilities are dotted throughout every community. It is even possible to receive care at virtually any time. Due to the nation’s socialized health care system, health care costs are 20% of most western nations. The quality of care competes with virtually any nation in the world. Horev offers health and dental care within walking distance from most homes!

My editor and I lived at the Shulamit Hotel, an institution of Haifa originally built in 1953 by the Feldman family. The Hotel originally had twelve rooms and was named after the owner’s daughter Shulamit. At the hotel’s prime, the desk clerk Debby mentioned that the capacity of the Hotel was 300 residents. Famous dignitaries such as Israeli Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin visited this pristine establishment. The Hotel was a Hotel/Motel that had both monthly and short term residents when it closed two years ago.

The community offers an English Bookstore named Lia’s Books, which is owned and managed by two Vatikot (veterans) from the UK. The Bookstore serves as both as a source of reading material and impromptu welcome wagon for Anglo immigrants. The city Zoo is a fifteen minute walk or short bus ride. The world famous B’hai Center is also a short bus trip from this community. Yes, there is a Pizza Hut and Mcdonald’s within walking distance of the hotel and bookstore.

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View of the Haifa bay from my home

The combined residential and transitional nature of our hotel community gave us an endless series of social adventures. Life in The Shulamit was interesting. The residents came from from a multitude of backgrounds,, I met a retired Florida resident who just finished a six week volunteer nursing program in Beer Sheva. There was a group of Nigerian sailors who were guests of the Hotel. I met a representative of the E.U. at our local Pizza Hut. Hotel residents include a graduate student in Biblical Archaeology, a retired Brazilian businessman, an American born school-teacher, and a certified massage therapist. At any given time, you could sit in the Hotel Lobby and listen to conversations spoken in multiple languages.

Local residents are quick to “adopt” newcomers, as most of our neighbours immigrated to Israel after its founding in 1948. My life was everybody's business. Gossip is the “national sport” of Israel. I learned very quickly that “silence is golden” in Israel. Muslim, Christian and others live in this community. This is a a reflection of life in Israel. Israel is a nation of immigrants from almost every nation on earth. We all live together in a fairly democratic, but jaded society. Please, come and see it for yourselves!

Pittsburgh Steelers Football Fan in Israel

 

Growing up in Pittsburgh was fun, even though I was one of the few Jewish kids in those times that did not live in Squirrel Hill. I was so blessed that we lived in Oakland near Shady Side and in Point Breeze, in the days when Shady Side was world known for its famous jazz clubs, chic restaurants, and fashion boutiques. I could romp in Frick and Schenley Parks, and even walk to Downtown Pittsburgh on an energetic day. My friends and I cheated the law by drinking beer at the Frick Park Memorial where Mr. Heinz reportedly invented modern processed Ketchup. Those were the days when Downtown was composed of large General Stores that ranged from the very basic Woolworth to upscale Gimbles. I did commute to Taylor Allderdice High School to get the best education in the area. Mom also wanted me to meet nice Jewish girls.

I had access within a walking distance to all the major sports activities of that era. I am dating myself by admitting that I fondly remember the days of Forbes Field, Original Hot dog Shop, and the years when Pittsburgh's sports were actually the goats of professional sports. I even remember Forbes Field when it was the home of both the Pirates and the Steelers. My parents also remembered the days when the Pirates and Steelers were both named the Pirates.

Heinz Field home of the Pittsburgh steelers

In those days, Pittsburgh really was the "Steel City", as the United States Steel was still dominating the industry. Yes, we really left for school in the morning with clean white shirts that were a faded grey by the time we came home in the afternoon. Air pollution was a problem then as it is today. My two sisters and I still have the occasional sinus problems decades after we left the region.

One of the major reasons that H. J. Heinz holds a fond memory for me is that in those days students toured the Heinz Factory where we received free spaghetti with pickles and ketchup. Sports tickets in those days were fifty cents a person. Hot dogs peanuts, and cotton candy were the main tastes of the diet in the stadium. Dad was an executive for Foodland Supermarkets. That was the main reason that I developed my life-long love for food. Mom was a housewife- in the days when most women did not work. My grandfather, Sam and our black dog- Archie were my two best friends. I might also add my parrot Homer. Grandpa and I used to take Archie on walks in Schenley Park with Homer riding contently on Archie's back. Needless to say, the scene of Homer riding Archie's back produced a lot of mirth in the park. We became rather well known or course.

My Grandfather managed a shoe store. He was always chewing a stogie. In those days they actually believed that tobacco was good for the health. As grandpa stood by this belief he also was convinced that alcohol was good for the body and the soul- therefore I had my first whisky sour at the age of 12. Not to worry, this was limited to Friday evening supper. Like many people in Pittsburgh he was an immigrant from Eastern Europe. Polish was widely spoken in those days and people took great pride in their ethnic heritage. There was also a tragic side to ethnic issues of the days, as people of color were indeed second class citizens.
One of the things I developed growing up in Pittsburgh is the strong commitment to social issues. I spent the rest of my career/personal life promoting programs for people with disabilities. Even though discrimination was rampant in Pittsburgh, there were a lot of leaders in Pittsburgh that stood up - like Mr. Heinz who believed in equal rights for all. Later, his son- John Heinz went into politics to bring about the positive change. He helped promote legislation for equal rights for women, reforms in banking, and in expanding Medicare insurance. He was also active in promoting rights for senior citizens, and legislation toward protecting the environment.

The Steelers

I still follow my beloved Steelers in Israel, my new home. I immigrated to the land of Canaan seven years ago to beautiful Haifa. I watched the Steelers play in their last Super Bowl from a local cafe in Israel. The Super-bowl was broadcast on several networks in the Middle East. I watched it through the METV network while sipping a beer at my favorite pub. I was stunned to listen to the game both in English and in Hebrew simultaneously. All the other patrons were non-Americans, but many of them understood the rules of the game and helped me cheer for my favorite team. Still, there were tears in my beer when the game was over. My beloved Steelers lost a great game.

The national sport of Israel is soccer. In Hebrew it is called football. My friends and I joke a lot as to which country has a right to call its national sport football. Soccer has become one of my passions in my new home. I enjoyed a certain glow from the sense of solidarity from sharing my football ardor with my new Israeli neighbors. It has indeed become a small world since my days growing up in the steel city. One of my toughest challenges in life is adjusting to the world of modern mass communications However when it comes to the Super Bowl- thank goodness for satellite television.