The Big Hike: Day One

Pesach is here, and my big plans were to meet a bunch of friends near Nahariya and hike to the kineret. We were meant to sleep on the beach last night and start of bright and early this morning. I have maps and personal accounts. Flashlights and a sleepingbag. I was ready. Slowly, one by one, my group disintegrated, until there was one - me. :(
I decided to stay up North though and hang out.
So day one of my big supposed hike I slept in a comfortable bed in Maalot, and woke up around 10. I hiked to the bottom of the hill and caught a ride to Nahariya. I spent the day on beach reading a great book - Night Fall by Nelson Demille - which I recommend to everyone, and then I caught a ride back to Maalot. I shall end night one watching an exciting movie. Oh the life I lead... 'till next time.

Good Jewish Girls...

My mom always told me that when she was growing up there were some things "Good Jewish Girls" just didn't do. I'd imagine hitchiking would be on the list. I'd also imagine that's only b/c they didn't make those rules here.
My first tremp from Kfar Darom to Kisufim was by an 18 y/o kid about to go into the army and his sister. He was driving his sister's friends out of the Strip, and I joined them. They let us off by the Kissufim junction where there was a convention of teenage girls taking pictures and hugging and jumping and yelling and waiting for their mini busses to come pick them up. After about 20 minutes of packed car after packed car pass us by, a car stops. In the most American accent the man yells across the passanger (lady) that they were going to pass Kiryat Gat, if that helps...I asked if they thought I'd be able to get a tremp to Yerushalayim from there (in English) and he responded in English that he was really going to Efrat if I wanted a ride there. Efrat! perfect...I tremp from there all the time!
Climbed into the car, with one other Israeli hitchhiker, and we were off.
They were the cutest couple. They were in their mid 50's, he had been living here for about 10 years, and she made aliyah this past summer. They met and were soon married! Listened to old country music and then credence the whole way to Efrat.
Got to Efrat and stepped out of the car, while another car pulled up and said he was going to Katamon. Perfect! I couldn't ask for more door to door service! My new driver is in his mid 20's lives in Katamon, his family lives in Efrat. He picked up 3 other girls who were also waiting for a ride to Yerushalayim.
Good Jewish Girl...yeah, they tremp...with good Jewish families and have good Jewish stories. There has to be something to be said for a society which raises kids to believe someone will be going their direction and will pick them up...
Shavua Tov!

Lose Lose

Yesterday I had the opportunity to hear the most interesting conversation. I was sitting in the tachana merkazit enjoying a nutritious lunch, when I couldn't help but overhear the English conversation that was going on at the table behind me. Being the polite person I was, I waited until the end of the conversation before leaving...
One person, who has apparently been here for some time, was explaining to a friend who was visiting for the holiday the necessities of pulling the Jews out of Gaza and giving it to the Arabs. The visiting friend voiced some concerns over the Jews who live there, and consider it their homes. The veteran replied that they were just religious ppl who could live anywhere, and were just using this to further their anti government feelings.
He explained that these religious fanatics don't even serve in the army, they are all on welfare, and they hate the State of Israel.
His friend then asked about the soldiers that were eating at another table with kippot.
The Lefty Evil Veteran replied those are the worst kind! They join the army, but then don't listen to the commanders - only to their rabbis. They are in all the elite units, and are becoming top ranking officers.
At that point my phone rang, and I missed the rest. The two were gone before I was off the phone.
So, in brief the religious fanatics who don't even serve in the army are becoming high ranking officials?
Those self sufficient who built jobs and businesses are being kicked out of their neighborhoods and forced into government funded projects
And they hate the State of Israel, yet they fight tooth and nail to keep the Land of Israel?
Interesting...

Compu Cripped

I am amazed at how crippled I became the beginning of this week. I am calling it Compu Crip. Technically Speaking: The electric cord for my computer refused to supply my laptop with batery power, thus disallowing my computer to prove useful in the least. I called Dell and they gave me another company's name to be in touch with to fix the problem. They gave me two numbers for this other company. One was out of order, and one was a fax. I called information, and they gave me a different two numbers. One had a message on it stating their hours of operation (I called during those hours, and still only received the message) while the other sent me to a voicemail. I finally was able to get someone on the line, and explained to them my problem. They told me they had the part, and wanted to know when I was coming to pick it up. Their office is over an hour bus ride to another part of the country... I asked them if they could send it by mail, but surprisingly enough - they couldn't! I whined about my computer crisis to enough people, that someone fianally suggested something proactive. She said she had the same problem with her Compaq, she took the cord to some Russian computer store, and they fixed it for her. I took them my cord, and 100 shek later...cord was fixed! voila :) I am now happy, and almost completely recovered. Almost b/c my computer is still having what might be termed as side-effects... For some reason, it refuses to recognize the need to be online when I plug it in a work. At home she's fine and as you can see online... but at work, on the wire - she refuses. I'm able to get onto the network and print, but I can not check my e-mail, or access files I've stored online...