More temporary homes for people from the north!

Liaura, my new favorite person in Israel, has posted the following on Israel Anglo Homes, a Yahoo group to which we both belong. She wants us (that means YOU) to provide this info to people from the north.

START:
Thanks to your efforts and generosity, we have been able to place 50 people in vacant apartments and families in the Tel Aviv and Jerusalem area.
Please continue passing on these messages to the relevant people. The current openings are:

Jerusalem & area:
1. 3 room furnished apt in the German Colony for up to 5 people from the 2/8
2. 4 room furnished apt in Abu Tor from the 3/8
3. Room for 8 in large family house in Kyriat Yovel
4. Room for 3 in religious family's apt in Old Katamon
5. Room for 2 in religious family's apt in talbieh
6. In Ramot Beit, large unfurnished apt. need to clean it and bring mattresses + folding table
7. Room for 2 women or teenagers in Kyriat Arba
8. Room for 4 in a religious home in Bet El
9. Room for 5 children w/ single Haredi mom in Neve Yaacov. The host is a nurse and is willing to help parents who need help w/ their children.
10. Room for 2 small children w/ a single mom in Bakaa

Tel Aviv:
1. 3 room apt available from the 8/8 in Northern Tel Aviv
2. Room for 2-3 people in an occupied apt in North Tel Aviv

The Northerners who receive unoccupied apartments will sign a document in which they commit themselves to leave at the pre-agreed date and have to give a guaranty check with to a lawyer which will be returned to them upon the return of the keys.
To refer Northerners to apartments, please contact Kim: 052-3056460

Liaura Zacharie
Real estate broker,
IDEAL PROPERTIES
Telefax: 972-2-5667664
www.idealisrael.com

__END__

Now back to my comments: If you or anyone you know needs a Realtor, please call Liaura! She's intelligent, compassionate, and has spent a lot of her time helping people from the north, for free. That's the kind of person I like to do business with. As a fellow Realtor, I definitely recommend her.

The Tomato Thief

If you are from the north and are looking for information on free places to stay in Israel, please click on the post entitled "This Just In." Possibly the one before that, as well.

This evening's post is not important. But it may be mildly amusing to dog lovers.
I've mentioned my gorgeous, beautiful, splendid golden retriever, Angel, in previous posts. This post is about her.
Angel loves tomatoes. I've recently discovered that she also enjoys blueberries, bananas, nectarines, apples, and carrots. I don't feed her from the table; I discovered her produce fetish by giving her items that I thought she would surely NOT like, as a joke. Well, the joke backfired when she snarfed up every type of food that I offered her, except mushrooms. She's just a produce-loving dog.
Early this spring, I bought 2 tomato plants. Because fresh tomatoes are so delicious, and, well, have you noticed they are usually expensive? So I decided to try my hand at farming. They grew admirably, and started producing fruit. Angel asked me for some tomato, which I gave her to show her that she wouldn't like it. Of course she loved it. And she took note of where I picked the tomatoes, and since then, I've caught her on countless occasions with her head deep in the tomato plants, looking for ripe tomatoes. She puts them in her mouth and gently tugs them from the vine, and oh is she proud of herself. I put fences up around the plants, but she happily jumps right over them. So now I'm back to buying tomatoes at the market. The End.

A delicious way to help

Here's a fun way to show your support for the IDF: click on the link below, and it will take you to a site where you can write soldiers a message-- and Elite will deliver your message, ALONG WITH CHOCOLATE, for free! It costs nothing for you, and like I always say, you'll always feel loved if you have chocolate. A great way to make someone smile and show you care.
Here's the link:
http://www.websense-media.co.il/has_200706/default.asp?gid=friend

Just the facts, Ma'am

I just called the Jewish Federation to find out a little more.
Phil at the JF said he didn't want to divulge the amount that was raised yet, as his boss hasn't even been informed of the amount yet. However, he did verify that they were shooting for $700,000., and that the UJC (United Jewish Communities; click here http://ujc.org/ for more info on the effort) is trying to raise 18 million USD. He was careful to mention that the amount could change, depending upon how long the violence continues, if it spreads, etc.

The money will partly be routed through the UJC to Hadassah and the Israeli govt. to set up kids' summer camps; they say that one child can attend camp for a week (away from the north- probably in Beer Sheva and Jerusalem, Phil said) for $350. I don't know how else the money will be used, but they also have an Israel Crisis Fund, and some of the money will go to that.

I know that there's no way it will be enough, but I include this info because I want it to be an encouragement to people reading from Israel that here in the US, we do care, and we want to help you.

If you are able to provide financial support in any amount at all, please donate! Here are 3 places to give to help people in the north:

• Through the UJC's site (again, it's http://ujc.org/).
• If you would prefer that your money go directly --as in cash-- to those in the north, please give generously at http://rockofgalilee.blogspot.com/. These guys seem to be doing a great job of getting money out to needy families.
• I would be remiss if I didn't also include this Christian site: http://www.comebeblessed.com/artman/publish/how_help.shtml, which is headed up by a friend of a friend in the Golan. They provide humanitarian aid to new olim, though I imagine at this point they've expanded their efforts to be anyone who is in need (which would be, um, everyone in the region..). It is a religiously based effort (Christian), so give there if that's how you feel more comfortable.

I don't care where you give. As Nike says, Just Do It.

Rally at the JCC

Well, actually the rally was at the Jewish Federation, but I'm more accustomed to saying the JCC. The rally was quite good. A woman who just returned from being in Israel for 5 weeks spoke (among others), and she described what it was like for she and her family to experience a huge change in the mood of the country during their stay, what it's like to spend time in bomb shelters, the wailing of the sirens, the sound of the katyushas hitting, etc. It was sobering. A Christian Zionist guy also spoke about why it's important to support Israel, to much applause. Apparently he and his wife run a pro-Israel lobby in D.C.; I think his last name was Strang, of Strang Communications.(?) At the conclusion, they collected funds for programs to help affected Israelis from the north, including camps for the kids from the affected areas. I have only read one brief news item about these kid's summer camps, so if anyone knows more about them, please let me know.

How embarassing...

My dog does not keep kosher. As for me, I go back and forth. So maybe my bad influence is partly to blame, but... there is just no excuse for her (my dog's) behavior. Angel is an absolutely gorgeous golden retriever; everyone we encounter comments on how lovely and well-behaved she is. Unfortunately, her behavior around pork is a different story.
We've recently started going to this upscale pet shop, and they have these bins on the floor, full of cow's hooves, lamb's ears, rawhide, and so forth. But none of those will do for Angel; one sniff of that treyf pigs ear, and it's all over for her. Today was the third time in 2 weeks that she's picked a pig's ear right out of the bin. Then, so I can pay for the item, I have to try and remove this disgusting, (now saliva-covered) thing from her mouth, amid her protestations, tossing her head this way and that like a horse, in front of whoever happens to be watching.
Maybe if we make aliyah, these items won't be available in pet stores. One can only hope.
My cat, on the other hand, loves salmon. At this point, it's all about the little victories.

This just in...

I just received another email about several free places to stay in Jerusalem. Here are the emails:

Hi,I have been organizing families from the North in apartments in Jerusalem.At the moment, I have room for three people in a vacant room of a friend's apartment, and room for 2 in a room of another friend's apartment. Both are religious families.If you know people from the North who could use this space for a few days, let me know.Liaura 052-6789494
_End_

(Note: If you call and stay with one of these families, please leave a comment on my blog so I'll know when to remove this notice. It is such a blessing to be able to help-- I'll keep the blog updated with any new offers of shelter. Also, a little plug for Realtors, since I am one: Liaura is a Realtor, who is finding shelter for people from the North, and is not charging for her help. Thank you, Liaura!!)

I have a large apartment in Yerushalayim. It it empty for the summer, but it's unfurnished. If you think that it can be utilized for our families in the north, please let me know .Greta 410-653-3347
_End_

In other news, tomorrow I'm going to the Pro-Israel rally at the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando. It's open to everyone. (Well... I can think of a few people and groups who wouldn't be welcome, but the JF didn't mention those...) It starts at 7 p.m. at the intersection of Maitland Blvd. and Maitland Ave., in the city of, you guessed it, Maitland. If you live in Central Florida, by all means, come!! (I don't think either of my regular blog readers live in Florida...)

Change of name, no change of heart...

Hi All.
The email to Israel Anglo Homes (finally) got posted to the whole group, and so far I've received one response. It was from a man who is renting out quite a few affordable apartments on a short-term basis in and around Jerusalem. I'm waiting to hear back from him if he will let people use these for free, or even cheaper than the already low price he's asking. I'll keep you posted.

Update: I just received an email from Sam, apparently a property manager in Jerusalem. I'm cutting-and-pasting it here:

"We have many apartments available all the time and there is NO REAL ESTATE agent fees. Some of the owners may also give a discount." Sam 054-727-2350

In other news, I will shortly be changing the name of my blog from "Aliyah on my Mind" to "Israel on my Heart."
This is due to the fact that I can't commit to an aliyah date at the moment, especially after having an hour-and-a-half long meeting with my stockbroker yesterday. I think I should stay here in the States where I have a great career (I'm a Century 21 Realtor), and I already speak the language fluently, for a few more years. I do hope to continue my real estate career in Israel, but obviously that would necessitate some serious time in ulpan. With my current savings and investments being what they are, I'm not yet ready for retirement. I'm getting there, but I still have a ways to go. And I would really like to not have to work when I make the move, given the difficulty of the transition, etc.
In real estate, it's obviously very imortant to know different communities very well, as well as business customs, etiquette, legalities and contracts, real estate licensing, and so on. So I will definitely have my work cut out for me even before going to work! I really don't know how long it will take me to become successful there, so I'm going to wait a while longer. Do the reasonable thing. Can you tell that I'm feeling conflicted?? Arrgh.

Better Late Than Never...

Never one to join a cause prematurely, I have waited around (to my shame) to join the Stop Iran Now campaign. No more. Things have really gotten terribly out of hand and I certainly don't want to see Iran progress further with their nuclear ambitions. If recent situations in the Middle East aren't enough to mobilize us, then what is?? May God forgive me for my complacency thus far.
I'm hoping you, too, will join the campaign, so here is the U.S. national "Stop Iran Now" website link: http://%20www.stopirannow.com/index.html
Please visit it and see what you can do to help. I mean, really. What is it going to take to wake us up?? A recent letter from Ahmadinejad (oh how it pisses me off that I now know how to spell his name, may it be forever erased) to German Chancellor Merkel
(see here: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3279147,00.html ) shows once again how crazy and determined this guy is.
Please do what you can. Don't sit back and think it will all work out in the end. We tried that not too long ago, and we all know exactly how things did NOT work out in the end. How can we say "Never forget" that and ignore this?!
DO SOMETHING.

How Can We Help?

Hi again.
I've been wishing there were a way to help people in the North, and here's an idea.

A few months back, I joined a Yahoo group called israelanglohomes@yahoogroups.com , where individuals publicize their vacant homes (all over Israel, including Eilat) for rent. I keep getting emails from them, which I can't use right now.

At the same time, I keep reading people's blogs, in which it's obvious that it would be a very good thing if they vacated the North for the time being. For the sake of their kids, if nothing else.

So a light bulb went off in my head: I'm sure some of these homeowners from the Yahoo group would like to help out; many people are looking for ways to help right now. So I contacted the homeowners to ask if they are willing to let people from the North temporarily use their homes for free or at a greatly reduced rate, and now I'm just waiting to hear back from them. If you want to join the group, great! Bear in mind that it takes a few days to get approved, so if you're in a hurry (which would not be surprising given the current situation), you can check back here for updates.

I will also post this on some other blogs.

If you know of anyone in Israel with a room or a home to share, or anyone from the North who wants to get away, please direct them to my blog and I'll do what I can to help connect people with each other.

To Those in Israel

My thoughts and prayers are with you. Please be careful. All of you who have made aliyah are my heroes.

What the...

WHAT is going on here? I don't know how to express.. Lebanon, Gaza.. 3 soldiers now abducted, more killed. I'm thankful that Israel so values life; that of it's soldiers, citizens as well as citizens of other countries/groups. Which is in sharp contrast to the way people in these other countries/groups seem to attribute no value to life at all.

I fully support Israel's campaigns. The language of retribution is, unfortunately, the only thing these entities (Hezbollah, Hamas) seem to understand. I would love for them to prove that statement wrong.

So I'm having a personal crisis about this, a crisis which has been going on since Gilad Shalit was taken over 2 weeks ago. Not that my own crisis matters in the greater scheme of things; it doesn't. First and foremost, I pray that these real crises will end quickly, and that the kidnapped Israeli soldiers will be returned home in safety. But my own crisis is of a religious nature. The phrase "What would Jesus do?" is such a cliche, but one I have to consider now. As a Christian, I prefer to stifle these militant feelings I get. Because while I agree completely with Israel's response to the current crises, on a personal level, I think I'm not supposed to hate people in Hezbollah and Hamas. But they certainly make the commandment to "love thy neighbor" a very hard one to keep.

I don't like to see innocent civilians get killed. Who does? But I have to admit, I often wonder how many truly "innocent" civilians there are in Gaza. I mean, are the men willing to launch explosives over the wall? Are the women raising their kids to become suicide bombers? Do their children already hate Jews, and peace? Thoughts like these are troublesome. How do you deal with your feelings of anger, even hate, towards terrorist groups? This is not a rhetorical question. I'd love to get some answers.

The Bible says "Vengeance is Mine, saith the Lord; I will repay." But leaving it to God, and loving one's neighbor, is a lot easier said than done.

Hi All!
To answer the questions that Emah S, the new Israeli citizen :) asked me in the 'comments':

Hmm. I guess whether I will start living as a Jew depends upon what that means to you. I mean, I won't be frum, since I'm secular. I do observe/celebrate Jewish holidays already, even though I'm a Christian. My Christian friends have learned to accept my differences in holiday observance. To be honest, with my family (I'm single, so 'family' is mom and brother) I just celebrate regular Christian holidays. I've tried to incorporate Jewish holidays, but my brother feels weird about it, because we weren't raised with them. So I don't want to make him feel uncomfortable.

In Israel, I would attend services at a Christian place of worship as opposed to a synagogue. I have attended services with friends and family at several synagogues, but I don't go to any regularly. I feel that it would be deceptive to do that on a regular basis. I recently met a guy who regularly attended a conservative temple, and he's a Christian. He didn't proselytize, but when people asked him about his faith, he answered honestly. (The rabbi later questioned him then asked him not to continue attending, with which he complied.) This is a tough situation, because as Christians, we are taught to share our faith openly if asked. I would never choose to have a conversation like that at a synagogue; I just feel it's disrespectful and uncalled for. So I'm very reluctant to put myself and others into an uncomfortable position by attending regularly. Essentially, while I have tremendous respect for Judaism, it don't want to put on airs by pretending it's my faith, because I want to be honest-- both with myself and the people I'm talking to.

As far as whether I identify with being Jewish, I guess I do to a certain extent. Because of my upbringing, I probably have a similar mindset to many very secular Jews. I identify strongly with the Holocaust, I'm wary of people from lands that have been antisemitic (past and present), and I identify with a lot of Jewish cultural concepts that were an integral part of my upbringing.

Here's a story from my family's past that sort of explains a lot:

My mom's parents had a mixed-faith marriage. My grandfather assimilated into US society, at least outwardly. They married during WWII, and when he got out of the Navy, I think he wanted to try to forget the catastrophe, so he distanced himself, changed his last name, and married a happy-go-lucky Christian girl (can you say shiksa?). Later,when my grandma sent my mom for confirmation in a Lutheran church, she asked my mom's Jewish dad to buy my mom a confirmation Bible. That's when my grandfather decided there was a problem. He sent the Bible, along with Leon Uris' novel, _Exodus_. He said that if she was going to learn her mother's faith, she would darn well learn his beliefs, too. I think the zionism in _Exodus_ was the closest thing to faith that he had.
Now, it would be easy to judge my grandfather for several of the decisions that I just wrote about. But please don't; how can any of us know if we would have done the same thing in his shoes? He wanted to spare himself and his family the pain of a Jewish life, when the Holocaust was just ending and it was too huge of a thing to deal with. Isn't it still? But it was even more so back then. I remember how later in his life, he would take me out for Jewish food, quiz me on math, and make sure I identified with the Holocaust and know some of my family's history. So in some ways, yes, I identify with being Jewish in a cultural sense.