April 17, 2013 | 12:01 pm

65 Years of Israel- capturing the Israeli essence (Part 2)

Posted by Noga Gur-Arieh

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Continuing the birthday present for Israel's 65th birthday, here is part 2 of the Israeli-essence slideshow. Enjoy, and always remember- a picture may be worth a thousand words, but even countless pictures will not be equal to the thrill and beauty of an actual eye sight. 

April 16, 2013 | 12:33 pm

65 Years of Israel- capturing the Israeli essence (Part 1)

Posted by Noga Gur-Arieh

Israel, my home, celebrate its 65th birthday.  That’s really not much. It’s almost nothing on a scale of countries to age, but in this short period of time, we sure have been through a lot. In 65 years, Israel has been through wars, diplomatic issues, growing population, ground development and many other things every newborn country is going through. To me, what makes Israel so special is the atmosphere, created by the variety of people who live here. This gathering of so many cultures makes Israel the special, beautiful place it is.

Today is the happiest day of the year for Israelis. Celebrations are everywhere, from the streets to the rooftops- everyone is celebrating our 65th year of existence. However, this day is also here to remind us that the battle for our independence is far from being over. The Israeli independence day comes right after our Memorial Day, and a week after the Holocaust remembrance day. It is no coincidence. This is what reminds us the past- the holocaust survivors who, against all odds, escaped the horrors to build a place where they will no longer be hunted; the present- the thousands of soldiers and civilians who lost their lives while defending our country from those still believe we have no right to exist; the future- the many years to come, for our country, our Israel, to grow, develop, and be a home for the hunted. The future of the place our grandparents built in order to promise that the Holocaust will never happen again. Independence day is the last stop of the 3-day journey of Israel's story. It is a time for celebration and gratitude, for appreciation and thanks. For strength and hope. 

Last year, I wrote the things I love most about living in Israel and being an Israeli. This year, I decided it was best to simply show you the essence of Israel, so I asked a few photographers to capture their Israel through the camera lens.... Enjoy the slideshow, and always remember- a picture may be worth a thousand words, but even countless pictures will not be equal to the thrill and beauty of an actual eye sight 

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April 15, 2013 | 12:20 pm

In their memory…

Posted by Noga Gur-Arieh

Something quite extraordinary happened last night:  25,578 stars shined bright. All together, all of a sudden. It was in the middle of my town square, as thousands of citizens shared an hour of remembrance and respect for 25,578 Fallen Israeli Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism. We all stood there together, shoulder to shoulder, and listened to names being read, stories being told and candles being lit. It was so cramped I could feel the people behind, in front, and next to me breathing. At times, I could hear someone break into tears, as others embrace him or her, supporting, physically and mentally. When the cantor started chanting the El Male' Rachamin ("God, abounding in mercy") prayer, I looked to the sky, and noticed how all the stars turned brighter and sparkled like never before. It was them, our heroes. Still watching, still guarding, still young and smiling, just like in the pictures we see.

On this day, our Memorial Day, we are all together. On this day it seems, more than ever, like all of Israel are brothers and sisters. On this day, we all salute the young boys and girls who died while protecting Israel and Israelis from the enemies who try to take us down, over and over again, since 1948. Every year, more names appear on the memorial wall. More names who were once people, who could have lived a full life if it wasn't for our everlasting battle for our home.

The Israeli soldiers, who lost their lives in wars since 1948 to this very day, took the bullet for my family and me, so we could sleep at night. Some were 18 year olds, young men and women who just finished high-school and were getting ready to begin their lives. Others were older people with families who were called to serve again, just for the war-time. When thinking about those veterans, there is no left wing or right wing. Sometimes it doesn't matter whether deaths were in vain or for a higher cause. The only thing that matters is the loss, and the support we can provide for the families who experience this loss for another 364 days.

Everything is different that day: the radio only plays quiet songs, the television broadcasts Memorial Day specials and most of the stores are closed. Every working place, campus, military base and school, conducts a ceremony, and a national ceremony is held in Jerusalem. On 11am, everyone stops everything they're doing, and we all bow our heads in a 2 minute long siren, heard all over the country.  But it is not just the official atmosphere which is different; it's also what each and every one of us feels inside. None of us pretends, and it is not a façade- it is real. We are all Israelis, and we share that Israeli experience every day. We all know each other, and we all share the grief with the families who lost their loved ones. For one day, all citizens of Israel share that loss with them, and show the proper respect for those who fought for our right to continue to live here, and for those who did nothing but living, and were killed by suicide terrorists for no reason.

Tomorrow, we will celebrate our 65th Independence Day. Many are against placing the saddest day of the year only a few hours before the happiest one. They say it is not right to abruptly switch grief with joy. For some, this transition is impossible, and for years they skipped the Independence Day celebration. I am not sure what I think of that, but I do know one thing: Israel has turned 65 on Tuesday thanks to the 25,578 stars which are now shining bright in the sky. For 65 years, we feel protected and safe thanks to those stars, and we owe our lives to them.

I read this sentence I just wrote, and can't believe the words. Israel has been a state for 65 years now, and for some reason, it still fights for its existence. How can this be? How did it happen? Can you imagine still needing to fight for your home? It is absurd, but somehow it is just the way things have been here for 65 years now.

Every year, those who recruit to the IDF carry the same prayer in their hearts: May my children will not need to recruit, may we have no need in the IDF in the future…My parents said this prayer 30 yeas ago, I said it four years ago, and my brother said it a year and a half ago. Now all I can pray for is that this long chain of prayers will finally stop. That there will be no more deaths for the sake of our people and for the sake of our home. That we could all finally live in peace, here and in the area.

In memory of those who are no longer with us, who, like flowers, were picked up in their bloom, I light a candle. For their family members, I salute you. May they all rest in peace and may there be no more early deaths.

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April 14, 2013 | 2:00 pm

This week from Israel

Posted by Noga Gur-Arieh

How expensive is Tel-Aviv's food?

According to the 2013 Corporate Travel Index, Tel-Aviv is the 24th most expensive city in terms of the total cost per night for business people, out of 100 cities checked. However, while Tel-Aviv's hotel prices were ranked in the 17th place, the high-quality food turned out  to be not so expensive, balancing the expensive business visits prices…In case you were wondering, the most expensive city (US cities not included) is Tokyo…

Read more here.

 

Would you wear a dress made by an anti-Semite?

Moran Mazor, the Israeli singer to represent us at the Eurovision singing contest, has made a deal with the famous designer John Galliano, to wear a dress designed by him at the contest. However, since Galliano has publicly made racist and anti-Semitic comments in the past, the Israel Broadcasting Authority has prohibited Mazor to wear his dress while representing Israel.

Read more here.

 

A poster to commemorate the Holocaust

The Yad Vashem memorial center and the Ministry of Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs have initiated a poster design competition to commemorate the victims of the holocaust. Out of 108 posters, the judges chose Dea Giladi's (23) design. Her poster shows a tree with deep roots, whose branches have been cut off.

Read more here.

 

Is Ireland supporting Israel boycott?

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has called on the government of Ireland to publicly reiterate its opposition to boycotts of Israel in response to the decision by the Teachers’ Union of Ireland to adopt an academic and cultural boycott of Israel.

Read more here.

 

Anti Semitism 2.0

The internet has provided us with tools to pass and spread information in almost no time. But while most of us make good use of the "information era," many haters go online and spread words of hatred and lies. "Kill a Jew day," holocaust denials and Jewish conspiracies, all being spread to innocent, clueless people, who believe the lies they see and hear. We must fight back. We must provide a proper answer.

Read more here and here.

 

HBO telling one of the many stories of the Holocaust

This Friday, American television channel HBO aired a full-length film about a couple who saved  dozens of Jewish children from the Holocaust in 1939. The documentary is called “50 Children: The Rescue Mission of Mr. and Mrs. Kraus." The film, narrated by Alan Alda and Mamie Gummer ,  tells the inspiring story of an American couple from Philadelphia that went into the heart of Nazi-occupied Europe, risking their personal safely to save 50 Jewish children from the Shoah.

Read more here.

 

 

When Chinease cinema and Israeli scenery meet

A well-known Chinese production company is set to shoot scenes in Israel this month for a Chinese epic called “Old Cinderella,” which is expected to be a blockbuster movie thanks to stars such as Zhang Jingchu (“Rush Hour 3”) and director Lu Chuan. The production team chose Tel-Aviv, Jaffa, Jerusalem and the Dead Sea as their locations.

Read more here.

 

A wave of good musical news!

After it has been announced that Barbra Streisand, Alicia Keys, and Rihanna will perform in Israel this year, another name adds to the list! After performing in Israel four years ago, British pop duo The Pet Shop Boys is returning  this summer for one concert at Tel Aviv's Nokia Arena on June 23.

Read more here.

 

How Israel is helping to save our planet

Since 1948, Israel has set itself a task of finding creative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing problems. To celebrate Israel’s 65th birthday, ISRAEL21c looks at some of the best achievements. On the list: assistance after the earthquake in Haiti, aggregation technologies, first wildlife law-enforcement NGO in Africa, and more…

Read more here.

 

LA celebrities celebrating Israel independence day

For Israel's 65th birthday, celebrated tomorrow, the local consulate in LA has decided to divert from the tradition of a holiday reception, and instead offer pro-Israel celebrities in the West Coast of the United States a taste of Israeli wine and gourmet food. The event will be attended by actor Sean Penn, film producer Harvey Weinstein, musician David Foster, tennis player Tommy Haas, "Homeland" creator Howard Gordon, the owners of the Los Angeles Lakers and Indiana Pacers basketball teams, the owners of the Nordstrom fashion chain, the owners of California Pizza Kitchen, Israeli producer Haim Saban and dozens of heads of production companies and PR agencies in Hollywood.

Read more here.

 

Shahar Pe'er advancing

Shahar Pe'er, the Israeli tennis player ranked 118th in the world, advanced to her first WTA Tour quarterfinal since January 2012 on Thursday, beating Jill Craybas 6-1, 6-3 to reach the last eight in Katowice, Poland.

Read more here.

 

Israel Technion ranked high in entrepreneurship and innovation

A survey conducted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), ranked the Israeli Technion in sixth place in the world for entrepreneurship and innovation. The survey aimed to identify the most innovative universities around the world, and the Technion was one of only two of the top 10 universities worldwide outside the US and Europe.

Read more here.

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April 12, 2013 | 1:05 pm

One Israeli Creation for the Weekend

Posted by Noga Gur-Arieh

Describing Svika Pick from miles away is almost impossible. Pick is simply a phenomenon you have to see to believe. His hair, his clothing, his attitude, his connection with the fans and his everlasting 70's facade- all make him a one of a kind Israeli persona. However, in his 40 year long career, Pick proved himself to be much more that a unique personality...

In the 70's, Pick broke into the Israeli music industry with pop-disco songs that made him a leading musician. During that decade, he earned several respected musical titles, such as "Israeli male singer of the year," and also played the role of Claude Bukowski in the Hebrew version of the hit musical Hair. In 1998, Pick wrote the melody for the song "Diva" which was performed by Dana International in the Eurovision song contest that year, and ranked Israel in the first place. Since then, Pick has composed songs for both Israeli and foreign singers to perform in the contest. In 2002, Israel's national theater, Habima, staged a musical called Mary Lou based on Pick's old hits. In 2009, a television series named Tamid Oto Halom (Forever, the same dream), which was based on Pick's songs, aired in Israel.

More than all of that, which is merely the tip of the iceberg, what really makes Pick the important Israeli that he is, is his music. Pick is a true virtuoso, composing music like no other. His various songs range from soft ballads to pumping disco songs, combining notes brilliantly into beautiful, fun, catchy music. I tend to call Pick "The Israeli Elton John," now you'll be the judges...

Ani Ohev Otach, Leah (I love you, Leah)

 

 

HaRakdan HaOtomati (The automatic dancer)- Svika Pick and Ruty Navon

 

A medley of Pick's "Gavriel" and "Yad BeYad" (Hand in Hand) from the television series Tamid Oto Halom

 

Mala, Mala (Higher and higher)- a song all about the elevated feeling we get from listening to music

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April 9, 2013 | 12:37 pm

Anti-Semitism 2.0: Who are the modern anti-Semites?

Posted by Noga Gur-Arieh

On Sunday, our national Holocaust Remembrance Day, Israel's Channel 2 aired a documentary about modern anti-Semitism. At some point, a man was interviewed, saying that the Jews are to blame for all the troubles of the world, and that "Hitler was too nice." This, like many claims of such, gave me the goosebumps, but what got me into a state of shock was the fact that this man was not a European skinhead with a swastika tattoo on his forehead, but your average Joe. An American, medium sized, wearing glasses, articulate, with a hint of shyness. At that moment I realized – this is the face of modern anti-Semitism: not criminals, but your next-door neighbor, your bus driver, your child's teacher…

I assume you, much like myself, encounter anti-Semitic comments and accusations online. They are few, but they're everywhere: in social networks, on news websites, in forums, comments or any other internet-age form. I receive such comments right here, or on Israelife's Facebook page, almost on a monthly basis, and although I got used to them, they still hit me right in the gut every single time. "What a shame Hitler didn't finish what he started;" "You stinking Jew; "It is all the Jews' fault. You are the cause of the world's sorrows." Those are all comments I received months ago, but I cannot get out of my head. I always assumed that the people behind such comments are minorities, violent European bullies whose grandparents were Nazis, who grew up on the values of hatred and terror.

This assumption kept me strong when facing these comments, because I knew that as long as I stay out of dark alleys and remember to hide my Judaism while traveling to Europe, I will be safe. I knew that they can't harm me, because the world will not let them. I knew I could trust the enlightened world to always keep those haters under control, so that the Holocaust will never happen again. I was sure that the world will remember and never forget, and keep reminding others. This assumption blew up in my face, after watching this documentary. At that moment, hope turned to fear. Certainty turned to horror. That man who said those things, he IS "the enlightened world." He is the one I counted on to not let the horrors of the Holocaust happen again. What's even more scary is that this man is not alone. There are millions like him worldwide. Normative people from normative families who truly and utterly believe that poverty, violence, the 2008 financial crisis – all the Jews' fault.

It sounds ridiculous, doesn't it?! Absurd, even. But it's true. At the beginning of the 20th century, one man managed to convince a small group of people that the solutions to the world's problems is the mass destruction of people of a certain religion. That small group soon managed to convince a mass of people that were at times of trouble that what caused their problems is not the consequences of WW1, but the Jews. Soon, a nation was convinced that genocide, a mass murder of men, women and children, the Final Solution, is the best solution.

Up to this day, no one really knows just how all those people were convinced of such nonsense. How can normal people from normal families believe in this racial theory with no grip of reality. Maybe there is no logical explanation. Maybe this is simply what people do when they are in trouble- follow a charismatic man who has all the answers, ridiculous as they might be. In the beginning of the 20th century, it took this one man several years to convince a mass of people. Imagine how quickly it will take in the 21st century.

Now, in the Internet age, information passes more quickly than anyone could imagine 70 years ago. With time, Holocaust survivors are fewer, and allegations about usage of photoshop on pictures from the Holocaust become more common. Nowadays, just like in the beginning of the 20th century, the world struggles to recover from a grand financial crisis, and it seems like a major war is right around the corner. People are in trouble, and need someone to blame. That is the point where common sense disappears and the human mind is willing to absorb anything that can explain and provide a solution. That makes them believe that Jews CAN be the blame, and this belief gets constant support from online forums of Facebook groups, which also help in spreading the information to more people in no time.

Sunday's documentary opened my eyes, and left me with no hope. Only a few days ago I was positive that anti-Semitism will never rise again as the opinion of a majority. Now, after seeing that man, that American next-door neighbor, now I am scared. It was only a few years ago when anti-Semitism was something to be ashamed of and hide from the public. Now, it IS the public. I honestly don't know if we can stop this from spreading further, but we can certainly try. We must continue the vow from seven decades ago, to remember and never forget. But now, we can add another part to that oath, and not only remember, but also to share, so that others, who may already forget, remember yet again, and keep anti-Semitism where it belongs – in hiding.

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April 8, 2013 | 12:04 pm

This week from Israel

Posted by Noga Gur-Arieh

Stephen Hawking to visit Israel

The praised British astrophysicist, Stephen Hawking (71), will arrive in Israel this coming June to take part in the 5th Israeli Presidential Conference 'Facing Tomorrow.' The last time the author of A Briefer History of Time visited Israel was in 2006, when he was invited by the British embassy to tour Israel and the Palestinian territories as well as to meet with local scientists and academics.

Read more here.

 

The cost of art

Israeli director Yariv Horowitz visited Marseilles, promoting his latest award- winning feature "Rock the Casbah." After attending the film's screening at a film festival in Aubagne, the director was attacked and beaten unconscious on the street, by Arab youths.

Read more here.

 

Ice Festival, surviving the heat

Since February 20th, the city of Jerusalem is hosting the Ice City Festival, as a part of an ongoing cultural exchange between Israel and China. The festival exhibits ice sculptures of sea creatures, dragons and dinosaurs. While this year's winter was one of the coldest ever seen in Israel, the past few weeks weren't very chilly, but surprisingly, the sculptures managed to survive the 25°C (77°F) heat outside.

Read more here.

 

For the first time- Formula One in Israel

For the first time in history, Formula One cars will travel through the streets of Jerusalem as part of a showcase event scheduled to take place in June. The event, "Formula Jerusalem – a Peace Journey," will also include Ferrari Challenge cars, drifting cars and Grand Prix motorcycles and a show by German stunt champion Chris Pfeiffer. Different sports cars and racing cars will be showcased at Jerusalem's Old Train Station compound starting June 9.

Read more here.

 

The app that can save lives

Israeli innovation in all fields of the high-tech industry is not new. Israeli inventions and start-up businesses have changed many lives worldwide, and left a mark in the fields of medicine, computers, the environment and more. A new application for smartphones, named "i-Apps," is aimed to help Israelis deal with unsafe times, by finding each user the "Merkhav Mugan" (residential secure space) nearest to him or her.

Read more here.

 

The powerful connection between Israel and…

It is no secret that Israel and the United States have a very strong relationship that goes far beyond any regular partnership. Both countries maintain a strong relationship when it comes to technological projects, when Israeli and American companies collaborate on dozens of projects each year. But which state comes in first place in collaborations with Israeli companies?

Read more here.
 

Swastikas in California

Less than a week prior to the national Holocaust remembrance day, Swastikas and the word "skinhead" were painted on the baseball field of Kaiser Elementary School in Costa Mesa, California.Over the weekend, a usually locked gate that is used by other campuses had been left open. In the morning, faculty members discovered the chilling graffiti.

Read more here.

 

A 98 year old murderer

A Slovak court will seek the extradition of Laszlo Csatary, a 98-year-old alleged Nazi-era war criminal, from Hungary for retrial in Slovakia, on charges of crimes against humanity. Csatary is charged for sending 16,000 Jews to their deaths.

Read more here.

 

Israeli-Arabs win over the small screen

A winner of The Voice, a finalist on Master Chef, a performer in Living in LA LA land, actors in drama series, a new anchor and more…Is Israeli television taking a leap into the future?

Read more here.

 

Attempt to erase Israel – FAILED!

The massive cyber attack by Anonymous, aimed to “erase" Israel  from the Internet failed to cause any serious danger. On Sunday, April 7th, the night of the national Holocaust remembrance day, the attack took place, however, the Israelis came prepared as always and fought back. No one will erase us!

Read more here.

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April 5, 2013 | 1:36 pm

One Israeli Creation for the Weekend

Posted by Noga Gur-Arieh

Six neighbors (Five women and one man,) gather every year to watch the a worldwide, TV broadcast song contest, Universong. In their latest gathering, they discover that Anat, a member of the gang, was just left by her husband. In a moment of friendship, they spontaneously compose a song for her, and then sing it together, in order to cheer her up. Ofer, the only guy in the group, films the impromptu performance and, as a joke, sends it to the Universong Israeli selection committee. Surprisingly, the song is chosen to represent Israel in the contest, which leaves each member of the group with the decision of weather go with the show and get the dream, or pass the life hanging opportunity in order to maintain the existing lifestyle. The six neighbors may be friends, but they are all very different people, with different life courses and different risks to take…

Unlike many Israeli films, Cupcakes (or Bananot, in Hebrew) which was released in theaters last month, is a light movie, not dealing with war, religion or the Palestinian- Israeli conflict. This is a simple, light, almost carefree, relaxing comedy, with a fun soundtrack, an excellent cast, and a beautiful artwork. I, personally, enjoyed every minute, and just had to recommend!

The film was directed by the very respected Israeli director, Eytan Fox, and it stars our very best of actors and actresses: Anat Waxman, Keren Berger, Yael Bar- Zohar, Ofer Shechter, Efrat Dor, Dana Ivgi, Lior Ashkenazi and Edouard Baer.

Enjoy the theme songs (and the selected song to represent Israel at the fictional Universong contest): Song for Anat

 

The movie trailer (in Hebrew)

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