I have been in California for a week, and I can understand why so many Israelis live in this state that is 19 times larger than Israel. It is like being at home. The weather in Southern California is almost identical to that of Israel. Rock and mountain formations are similar. The palm trees, greenery and colorful plants and flowers remind me of home. The only place outside of Israel where Joshua trees are native to the land is in the Antelope Valley, Palmdale, Lancaster, and the Mojave Desert.

Israel's Dead Sea, known as Yam HaMelach or Sea of Salt, is the lowest place on earth. The Salton Sea is the lowest place in California other than Death Valley. The Pacific Ocean along California's western shores cannot compare to the beauty of the Mediterranean Sea along Israel's western shores. The waters of the Pacific tend to be cloudy, opaque and dark, which contrasts with the clear turquoise waters of the Mediterranean. There is no comparison to Israel's world famous pristine white beaches.

Familiar Israeli sights in California include the Super Sal market with its variety of Israeli products, foods and take-out counter serving such dishes as shwarma, falafel, and koobeh. Aroma Cafe is in the heavily Israeli populated San Fernando Valley. For those of us who keep kosher and cannot find places to eat or drink in many non-Jewish areas, the Israeli-born Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf coffee shops with their kosher coffees, pastries, and sandwiches are throughout the state. It is always a good feeling to know that local markets carry Israeli delights such as Krembo and Bamba.

But when it comes to Israeli items, the American prices are four times higher. For example, I went into a Judaica store today and picked up an object whose price I am familiar with. It was marked $45 USD and I saw the same thing in Israel for only 45 NIS. There are 3.7 shekels to a dollar. That means what was $45 in the U.S. would have cost only $11 or $12 in Israel. It was as though the store in the States left the Israeli shekel price on the item and pretended it was dollars not shekels to make a great profit.

Israel's Silicon Wadi, a nickname for the area of high tech companies also known as Israel's Silicon Valley, is second only to the high tech Silicon Valley in northern California. There is such cooperation between the two that this year alone 150 Israeli start-up companies are based in the Silicon Valley. Because California's topography, weather, vegetation, energy problems and lack of water are similar to Israel, California has utilized many Israeli innovations and technology to combat its problems such as wind turbines, giant solar energy panels, and water conservation methods.

Nice to be visiting family and friends, although I am constantly reminded of Israel. I must admit that I am homesick already.

L'hitraot, Shachar