Dateline Jerusalem — Where else but in Israel? It rains upon demand, and the entire country goes on strike. The two events, however, were not connected. The weather had been beautiful, cooler, in the low 70s, and without the unbearable humidity of most of the year.

Dateline Jerusalem — I cannot seem to get adjusted to Israel's time zone, but I am no longer in sync with California, nor am I on Florida/New York time. I tried to figure out where I should live according to my body clock. India!!! No wonder so many young Israelis travel there when they get out of the Israeli Army. Perhaps their body clocks are also on Indian time.

Dateline Jerusalem — Sitting under the stars, dining with lit candelabras, communing with nature, how peaceful and romantic. For this last week throughout Israel, families and friends gathered together to eat (and the men also sleep) in temporary structures called sukkahs to celebrate the festival of Sukkot in remembrance of the “season of our gladness.”

Dateline Jerusalem — There are many ways to get to Jerusalem from where I live, by car or taxi, by bus,
by train. Depending on the time of day, traffic, and the mode of transportation, the trip can take from 45
minutes to two hours. Although the most scenic way to travel, the train route takes the longest because there
is no direct train from my town.

Dateline Jerusalem — IWater? Okay. Watermelon? Okay. More water? Okay. Fruit, like refrigerated or frozen grapes? Okay. More water? Okay. No coffee or caffeine drinks like cola or tea. Okay. More water? Okay. Honey cake? Okay. More water? Okay. No salty or spicy foods, but okay to smell spices. Okay. More water? Okay.

Dateline Jerusalem — I am blessed with a wonderful family and terrific friends. I grew up in the U.S. and now live in Israel, the two greatest countries in the world. Again, my life has been blessed. And although it may sometimes seem like I complain in my writings, I am only describing life as I see it. In my eyes it is a wondrous, glorious life that is not perfect, but as close to heaven as it can be for me.

Dateline Jerusalem — Contrary to popular opinion outside of Israel, National Insurance (similar to Social Security) and Health Insurance contributions are mandatory in most cases, even if someone is unemployed. If you are an Israeli citizen living abroad, you are not necessarily exempt from these payments. Many an Israeli returning to Israel discovers that he/she owes thousands of shekels in addition to penalties. Therefore, mandatory health care is not necessarily free health care.

Dateline Jerusalem — I was a Girl Scout. My mother was our Brownie Troop leader. That
was over 50 years ago. When my oldest daughter was of age, I followed in my mother's
footsteps. Following family tradition, I understand that my granddaughter also will be saying
the Girl Scout motto, “Be Prepared!” Since California and Israel both have earthquake fault
lines overdue to erupt, G-d forbid, I have kept my earthquake supplies throughout my
home. I am prepared, not just for earthquakes but for possible war.

Dateline Jerusalem — I chose to live in my town in Israel for four reasons. One, there were many
Americans or English-speaking persons here. I knew at my age I would be illiterate when it came to
speaking or understanding Hebrew. Two, it had a reputation that everyone could get along with each
other, secular and religious, diverse races and cultures, and 70 nationalities.

Dateline Jerusalem — This week I traveled to Tel Aviv, along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. Its pristine white beaches and turquoise and aquamarine clear blue waters make it a popular vacation spot despite its heat and humidity. Known as “The City That Never Sleeps,” some have compared it to Las Vegas with its 24-hour entertainment, clubs, bars and all night partying. But it is also a city of culture, with several museums, an opera house, live theater, and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra directed by world-renowned conductor Zubin Mehta.