Dateline Jerusalem – While driving through the brownish gray cloud of smog in Southern California, I began to get homesick for the bright blue skies of Israel. I admit Tel Aviv has its share of smog, but it is in the beginning stages. Even the ocean waters of the Pacific are dark, cloudy and opaque compared to the clear, turquoise jeweled Mediterranean Sea with its pristine white beaches.  The date palm trees and Joshua trees that dot the California desert are reminiscent of those that adorn Israel's landscape.  Israel and the California Mojave Desert are only places in the world that Joshua trees are native.
 
At the mall in my daughter's neighborhood, many  kiosks are manned by young Israelis. I could not wait to try out speaking Hebrew. I purchased some Dead Sea salts and asked the price in what I thought was good Hebrew. The Israeli girl had no clue as to what I was saying.  She looked at me as though I were speaking an unknown foreign language. I tried again, this time a little louder.  Again she looked confused, as if I were testing her English.  Finally I spoke in English. She understood me perfectly. No wonder Israelis prefer I speak English when I butcher the Hebrew language.  Even my 8-year-old granddaughter can pronounce my Hebrew name “Shachar” better.
 
The ever so popular Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf shops that compete with Starbucks and other coffee shops in the States are actually originally Israeli.  Perhaps that is why they are kosher. The one in my sister's neighborhood had great tuna salad sandwiches and giant bagels to go along with flavorful coffees and teas. The one in my daughter's neighborhood had an assortment of croissants like chocolate, jalapeno pepper, traditional butter-flavored, and containers of Middle Eastern hummus. Trader Joe’s in both neighborhoods carried glatt kosher meats, poultry on its shelves and braided challah for Shabbat.  I could actually manage to keep kosher during my stay.  Just before I travel back home, my family and friends are going caravan to a kosher steakhouse to celebrate my visit.
 

It Really Is Like Home

I understand why Israelis feel at home in California.  Not only are there familiar cafes like Aroma and markets like Supersal, but the climate is the same.  When I check the temperature in Rehovot and the weather in Los Angeles, I am amazed at their similarity.  Driving in my daughter's neighborhood, I could not but feel at home with the palm trees and exotic plants.  Just as the Dead Sea, Yam HaMelach, in Israel is the lowest point on earth, the Salton Sea is the lowest point in California. It is interesting to note that Yam HaMelach means Sea of Salt, as does the Salton Sea.
 
It is true when I visit California just about everything makes me think of Israel. I am constantly comparing the similarities and differences. Too bad that there is 8,000 miles between my homes.
 
L'hitraot.  Shachar