2.06.2013

Captivated Audience

Only in Israel does personal business become everyone's business. 
As I was walking passed a quiet street corner, I noticed a couple of policemen and civilians standing next to a police car, discussing a situation that had occurred between both parties.  What stood out to me, however, were the few passerby stopping no more than one foot from the parties mentioned.  These passerby were definitely not involved in what had happened, but were merely curious as to what was going on.  I was a bit surprised they weren't interrupting the conversation to give their opinion on what may have happened.  It's apparently their business too, after all.   

1.31.2013

Costume Change

Only in Israel are Purim costumes from both ends of the spectrum; ultra-revealing to, well, ultra-not.
Having received a costume catalog in the mail, I decided to glance through the pages. On one side of a page you could find costumes consisting of things like risque (to put it nicely) Spider-woman, fairy, and nurse. Flip the page and the costumes were of much more modest ideas such as a Chasidic Jew, Moses from the Torah, and Sabbath queen. Just as the politics and religious views of this country differ greatly among the population, so do choices of Purim costume. I think I'll go for something in between.