And here I am thinking that the tablets were supposed to be received in Shavuot, not Passover. Still, the image seemed appropriate. The iPad lands today. (image source)
Category Archives: Falafel and more
Anything related to Israel or being Jewish.
Israel Block Party 2010
After two very tough acts to follow (Berry Sakharof in 2009 and HaDag Nachash in 2008), the annual Israel Block Party organized by Texas Hillel was held yesterday in UT. All in all it felt like it was less advertised, smaller, emptier, and with less energy than the previous years. Even the usual pro-Palestinian protestors didn’t show up! (or perhaps they left early).
They had a pretty good DJ playing but I don’t know who he is or where they got him from. I did not try the falafel but I did get some free tea, pumpkin seeds, and an army dog tag that does not have my name on it, so I won’t wear it to battle. Did you go?
5th Annual Kosher Chili Cook-off
This afternoon the 5th Annual Kosher Chili Cook-off was held at the JCAA. This is a probably the only kosher chili contest in the world – blending Texan and Jewish culture together (although I’d prefer a kosher BBQ cook-off).
I promised last year to enter for 2010, but due to unforeseen reasons, I did not. Most of the chilies I tried were not very spicy, but there were some good things out there. I’m warming up to the idea of vegetarian chili. What’s wrong with me? Well, perhaps I will enter in 2011.
I didn’t stick around until they announced the winner, so please comment if you know. In the meantime, a few photos after the break.
Moon
Moon
My first memory with your beauty does not sweep me,
I throw my guitar and my father yells at me,
My mother says: “That’s my sinner”,
And she takes me for a comforting walk in the moonlight.My second memory: Your eyes do not sweep me,
I left home to the dangers of time,
When I asked you “Will you always be mine?”
You replied: “Look to the moon, a man’s already been there”.After a year we rented
A room in front of the moon,
I started playing in a dark bar
On the street of the metal workshop.And they screamed: “Take down
The short guy in the tuxedo”,
And only one said: “Kid, kid,
You shall yet bring down the moon of them”.It was such a time
When happiness came through anger,
We laughed about everything,
Burned whatever we got our hands on,There was nothing left
But to hug our troubles,
To say: “Yesterday was good
And tomorrow will be too”.Yesterday was good,
Yesterday was good,
Yesterday was good,
And tomorrow will be too.It’s hard to concentrate,
Because your beauty still haunts me,
It’s hard to say “It’s a shame”
Or to say “Maybe”.Instead, I dance
And yell to the moon: “Come down”.
And blame the world
For my pain.Sometimes I forget,
How I started in front of the moon,
When you forget, yes, yes,
Poor youThere’s rain in the sky
No moon in the meantime,
When it comes out we’ll walk together
Until we disappear.It was such a time
When happiness came through anger,
We laughed about everything,
Burned whatever we got our hands on,There was nothing left
But to hug our troubles,
To say: “Yesterday was good
And tomorrow will be too”.Yesterday was good,
Yesterday was good,
Yesterday was good,
And tomorrow will be too.
ירח
,וזכרוני הראשון אם יופייך אינו מטעה אותי
,משליך גיטרה ואבי עלי צורח
,”ואימי אומרת “זה החוטא שלי
,ולוקחת אותי לטיול מנחם מול ירח,וזכרוני השני, אם עינייך אינן מטעות אותי
עוזב את הבית אל סיכוני הזמן
“?כששאלתי אותך “האם תהיי לי לעולמים
.”ענית: “תביט לירח שם יש כבר אדםואחרי שנה שכרנו
,חדר מול ירח
מתחיל לנגן בבר קודר
.ברחוב המסגרוהם צרחו “תורידו
.”ת’נמוך עם הטוקסידו
ורק אחד אמר:”ילד ילד
“.עוד תוריד את הירח בשבילםהיתה תקופה כזו
,שהאושר בא בזעם
,צחקנו מהכל
.שרפנו את מה שבא לידלא נשאר לנו אלא
,לחבק את הצער
להגיד “אתמול היה טוב
.”ויהיה גם מחר,אתמול היה טוב
,אתמול היה טוב
,אתמול היה טוב
.ויהיה גם מחר,קשה לי להתרכז
,כי יופייך עוד מהמם אותי
קשה להגיד חבל
.או לומר אוליבמקום זה אני רוקד
.”וצועק לירח: “רד
ומאשים את העולם
.בכאבי,לפעמים אני שוכח
,איך התחלתי מול ירח
,כשאתה שוכח כן, כן
אתה מסכןיש גשם בשמיים
,אין ירח בינתיים
וכשיצא נלך ביחד
.עד שנעלםהיתה תקופה כזו
,שהאושר בא בזעם
,צחקנו מהכל
,שרפנו את מה שבא לידלא נשאר לנו אלא
,לחבק את הצער
להגיד “אתמול היה טוב
.”ויהיה גם מחר,אתמול היה טוב
,אתמול היה טוב
,אתמול היה טוב
.ויהיה גם מחר
One of my favorite songs ever, by Shlomo Artzi. Listen on YouTube.
Edgar in Israel
In May of 2006, a Mexican kid with a potty mouth and a strong regiomontano accent took the world by storm with his infamous YouTube video that recorded his fall for posterity.
In late 2009, his fame is yet to subside. The MKX® correspondent in Tel Aviv, Amit Safir, sends the photo above, showing Edgar “El que se cae” (“The one who falls”) starring in Israeli TV. You can tell because of the Hebrew and Russian subtitles. As our multilingual readers can attest, there is no good direct translation for his trademark phrase “¡Ya güey!‘.
The MKX has covered Edgar before.
Bris photos
For your delight, I have posted some photos from my new nephew’s Brit-Milah (circumcision) a couple of weeks ago. They are viewable by everyone… no strong material there.
Brave as I am, I watched the whole procedure from up close and I’m pretty sure that all said and done, I am way more traumatized by the whole experienced than little Obi-Wan (a.k.a. Bernardo).
Which reminds me of this passage from the Talmud:
How do we know that Jews are optimists? Because they don’t even know yet how big it’s going to get, and already they are cutting a piece off.
More photos after the break…
Gilad Shalit video
Happy 5770
Nablus’ record breaking knaffe.
Nablus Entered the Guinness World Record
Originally uploaded by HaSSan .S. Qamhia حسن سعيد قمحية.
I was introduced to the wonderful flavors of knaffe by Adi Levinson a year ago. Now word comes from Nablus that the record for largest knaffe has been broken: 1,765 kilos (3,891 lbs) and 74 meters (243 feet) long. Awesome… wish I could have tried it. Congratulations!
ADL National Leadership Conference
I joined this year’s Glass Leadership Institute class a few months ago. This is a program instituted by the Anti-Defamation League to teach young professionals on the core mission and principles of the ADL. While this is a year-long program, the highlight is right at the middle: A trip to the ADL’s National Leadership Conference in Washington D.C., which includes a visit to the office of Michael McCaul, my State Representative, in order to raise some of the issues that the ADL is concerned about.