Dateline Jerusalem – I do not know why, but as midnight approaches, I get ravenously hungry. Perhaps it is because of all the recipes I have reviewed for the Rosh Hashana New Year holiday.

Dateline Jerusalem – For most of the world that follows the Gregorian calendar, we are in the year 2012, from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31. But at sundown in a couple of weeks beginning on Sunday, Sept. 16, the first of Tishri, according to the Hebrew calendar it will be the Jewish new year, the year 5773, counting from the day of the creation of mankind, Adam.

Dateline Jerusalem – As the daughter of a mathematician father, A”H, but one who did not inherit his brilliant genes, I am fascinated by statistics. In the short 64 years of the State of Israel, Israel has ranked among the top nations of the world in several categories. Despite being surrounded by enemies that threaten Israel’s very existence, Israelis are among the happiest people in the world, ranking No. 8, according to a Gallup world poll and No. 14, according to a U.N. report.

Dateline Jerusalem – No wonder the Weizmann Institute of Science, in my town of Rehovot, Israel, ranks as one of the top 100 universities in the world.

Dateline Jerusalem – It started on Shabbat a couple of weeks ago when visiting friends. The electricity went off for a few minutes. The lights went back on, but their air-conditioner unit needed to be re-set, and dealing with electricity on Shabbat is forbidden. At least their apartment had cross ventilation when the windows were opened.

Dateline Jerusalem – I am in one of my complaining moods. This week I am writing seriously. No flowery descriptions of the beauty of Israel. No lists of all of Israel's technological, medical, environmental and scientific accomplishments to society and mankind.

Dateline Jerusalem – At 5 a.m. in Israel, it is 7 o’clock the night before in California. Israel is 10 hours ahead of California. My oldest daughter awakened me about 4:30 a.m. to inform me of my granddaughter's dance recital in a half hour.

Dateline Jerusalem – A major tragedy occurred this week when a busload of Israeli tourists was blown up by a Muslim suicide bomber in Bulgaria. It occurred on the 18th anniversary of the bombing of a Jewish Community Center in Argentina by Iranian terrorists.

Dateline Jerusalem – As I melt in my non-air-conditioned apartment in 95-degree heat and 76 percent humidity, I wonder what my family in California feels like in 105-degree heat but with only 12 percent humidity. Either way it is too hot.

Dateline Jerusalem – What a unique idea! My friend's daughter had a bat mitzvah, and instead of having the usual party to celebrate her 12th birthday and entrance into Jewish womanhood, the family invited me and her school friends to join them on a 2 1/2 hour air-conditioned bus ride and tiyul (Hebrew for trip) to the city of Tiberias.