Rabbi Elyashiv dies at age 102

 Israel National News is reporting the death of 102 years old Rabbi Elyashiv in Jerusalem. See the story here. The Jerusalem Post's report can be read here.

During my time in Israel, I had a single occasion to be near the venerated rabbi. I wrote about that event here.

Qumran Cave 4

Qumran Cave 4 is without a doubt the most photographed of all the caves at Qumran. But I still like a couple photos I've taken. In this one, I like how the light is coming through the opening from the backside.

I like this one too, but you can't tell it's Cave 4 because of the close cropping.

Looking for Privacy?

If you are looking for privacy; you know, a kind of private prayer closet, the Western Wall probably isn't the most logical choice.

Texas and Israel Bluebonnets

This time of year in central/north central Texas usually means Bluebonnets. It's common for the girls/women in a family to sit among the flowers to have their photos taken with the natural beauties. Following the Bluebonnet theme of the last two posts, here are my girls: one born in Texas, the other in Israel.

Texas Bluebonnets

Here's the flower that I thought was similar to the "Bluebonnet."

Texas Bluebonnet - Lupinus texensis

 

Israel Bluebonnet

I've always thought this flower looks so much like the Texas Bluebonnet, that I named it the Israel Bluebonnet. Turns out that it's from the same family as the Texas Bluebonnet.

Blue Lupin - Lupinus pilosus

Too Good to be True Rental Phones

Shortly before my recent trip to Israel, I was made aware of TalknSave, a company that rents phones to tourists for an unbelievable [to me] price of $5 per day. That $5 per day provides unlimited calls to/from phones in Israel, Canada and the United States.

Having lived as long as I did in Israel, I was skeptical of the offer as being too good to be true. However, rather than dismiss it altogether, I contacted the company and started an interesting "you gotta prove it" relationship with Elie Mamann, the company rep.

I explained my reluctance, which was based on typical Israeli marketing of large promises followed by zero customer service. Eli had heard the same reluctance by others, and he confided that he, too, was skeptical before he began working with this company. He assured me that the service was everything promised or he would not work there. Of course, that sounds like all the other "trust me" sales pitches I have heard in Israel. However, he said one thing that gave me enough confidence to give it a try: "I'm from North America, so I know what you have in mind regarding customer service."

He convinced me, ... sorta. I'm afraid I'll be eternally skeptical of salesmen from that region. But, I told Elie that I would give him a try ... and if the service is all he's made it out to be, I promised to be his biggest supporter. On the other hand, if the service was fluff, I would be a megaphone warning others to stay away.

The result of our group's use of TalknSave was total satisfaction. Elie provided all the personal service he promised, including meeting the group at the airport to deliver the phones at the bus. They also provide pre-paid mailer envelopes and a drop box at the airport for ease of return on the way out of the country.

We had 15-18 people rent the phones (a few different plans), and all were completely satisfied. We also had a few bring their home plans for various reasons. Some were happy with the home plan decision, even though they likely paid more. Those that brought Verizon service were sorely disappointed. Verizon agents may tell you that they provide service in Israel, but members of my group (and a previous one, too) found out that isn't true.

I know that some will wonder, "what's the use/need of having a mobile phone while touring Israel?" Here are some of the benefits:

1. A growing number of tourists are on vacation, but still managing things back at the office because of the instant contact culture (calling, texting, surfing) that we are moving toward. These phones offer unlimited, instant contact at a very low price.
2. Most tourists' families are unaware that when they hear news of rockets coming into Israel, those rockets aren't landing in every location. These phones offer unlimited calls that might be helpful in assuring folks back home that things are okay.
3. In the case that something serious - like war, or the Arab Spring, or hospitalization - happens, these phones are an inexpensive way to be in touch with people back home. That might be helpful for the tourist and their families.
4. As the group leader, my phone gave me an inexpensive way to be in touch with the guide, driver, and other people I needed to reach.
5. Tourists aren't always where they are supposed to be. Those that had phones were easily located. 

Be aware that there are different plans available, including data and text plans. For those that want to take their own "Smart Phone," a SIM card is available in this plan. Also, groups (10 or more) get some perks that singles don't, so it's wise to order the service under a group name, which can be arranged by calling Elie prior to ordering.

If this recommendation interests you at all, whether you are a single or group traveler, please call Elie Mamann at 212-444-1503 or 1-800-941-4909. Tell him that Craig Dunning recommended you do so.

Israel's VAT Tax [fraud]

In Israel, one of the powerful sales techniques used among higher-end souvenir shops is telling the tourist they will receive a "VAT refund at the airport."

VAT stands for Value Added Tax, which currently is 16%. The VAT is what most of my readers would know as sales tax, and is added to every transaction that involves money.  However, certain services and items related to tourists are exempt from VAT, if the proper procedures are followed.

In the tourist trade, vendors who are appropriately recognized by the government offer a special receipt that allows the buyer to "get [their] VAT back" for each item they take out of the country. However, this only occurs if:

1. a certain purchase threshold is met, and 
2. if the shop is certified, and
3. if the shop actually provides the appropriate form to the buyer, and
4. the buyer shows the item at the VAT desk at the airport.

Up to this point, everything seems more or less reasonable. It's a hassle, and some buyers don't know the rules, or don't receive the proper form, but it's pretty nice to get 16% of the purchase price back.

The process is as follows:

1. Shop in properly certified shops, which will have a green VAT REFUND logo.
2. Purchase enough goods at the same time to meet the spending threshold. (I've heard different numbers, beginning at $100.)
3. Get the proper form and keep the receipts.
4. Do not pack the Duty Free item until it is presented to the VAT clerk located inside the departure hall, prior to the first security checkpoint. After the clerk verifies the item and stamps the form, the item may be packed in checked luggage or hand carried. Jewelry is verified only beyond passport control at the Change Place VAT desk in Duty Free. 
5. After passing all security checks and passport control, present VAT refund forms at the Change Place VAT desk in the Duty Free hall.
6. Receive a 16% rebate on your purchase(s) in dollars or shekels. I’ve been told that you can receive the refund via credit card also, but it takes up to three months.
7. Fly home happy with your purchase(s) and the extra money in your pocket.

Sounds easy enough. And it is, as long as you follow the procedure exactly. However, there is one catch: At step 6, don't expect to get 16% as you were told by the sales clerk because there is a hefty commission of 20%, which brings the actual refund to 12.8%.

I’ve been told there is a sliding commission scale, depending on how much VAT has been paid. Unfortunately, the Change Place website provides no such information. So, BUYER BEWARE! If you're budget is dependent upon the VAT REFUND, you need to recalculate what you can afford to spend.

It's a good thing . . .

. . . that I'm not drinking Dr. Pepper now, because most of the few stores in Israel that sold it have removed it from their shelves. It seems there is a kosher issue, of sorts.

Don't be alarmed, the formula of the sweet delight hasn't been changed. It's still the pleasure that you remember,  even if you prefer Dublin Dr. Pepper over Dr. Pepper.  (If you don't know what Dublin Dr. Pepper means, skip over it for now.)

You can read some blog reports about what happened to Israel's limited supply of Dr. Pepper, but I'll thumbnail it for you here: The Dr. Pepper company in Britain, which apparently is a major importer to Israel, has a hechsher (kosher stamp) from an organization that "certifies" OR "approves" items as kosher. There's a difference, and this is where it can get tricky.

"Approves" means that based on an interview with the company the supervisor determines the product is kosher. "Certifies" means the kosher supervisor actually visits the company and inspects the product to determine it is kosher. In a case where the supervisor certifies an item as kosher, that certification is valid only in Britain. Thus when the certified cans of Dr. Pepper were shipped to Israel, the certification became invalid. The end result of this discovery (the illegitimate kosher stamp) was that the London-sourced cans were removed from the shelf, leaving mostly French or Polish made Dr. Pepper. And, who wants one of those?

For those with no experience with kosher rules and/or practices, this may sound really strange or overbearing or unnecessary. But in the Orthodox Jewish world, following the dietary rules isn't something left up to chance or personal choice.

If you have little or no idea what kosher is, you can read more in this article by the Kosher London Beis Din, ". . .  one of the world leading kosher certification agencies operating in 50 countries across 6 continents.. . . "

We Will Return, Part II

According to Haaretz News, Hamas leader Khaled Meshal said, "Palestinians must resort to resistance no matter how costly it is, until Palestine is free and Israel is destroyed (emphasis added)."

That was said in Iran at an international conference supporting the Palestinian Intifada, which was headlined by Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Khamenei was quite outspoken regarding the two-state solution. Among other things, he said, "Our claim is freedom of Palestine, not part of Palestine. Any plan that partitions Palestine is totally rejected," And, as if he was intentionally confirming the content of my last post, he clarified, "Palestine spans from the river (Jordan) to the sea (Mediterranean), nothing less."

Other reports from/about the conference:
-The full text of Khamenei's speech is provided by the Islamic Republic News Agency.
-The Arab Monitor also has some commentary.

We Will Return!!!

Many people who are discussing a "two-state solution" to the Middle East problem are unaware of the sentiment and symbolism expressed in this photo:

The key in the photo can be found at the southern entrance to Jericho and is used both as a reminder and a warning. It is used as a reminder to the Arab people that they have an obligation to regain any territories that are considered to be stolen by the Jews (i.e. the land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea). Also, it should be understood by the West to be a warning that a Jewish state is ultimately unacceptable in the neighborhood.

The key in the photo isn't a unique example; it's actually a well-known symbol among Palestinian refugees, many of whom still hold keys to property they (or their predecessors) left in 1948. This is why the final disposition of the Palestinian refugees "right of return" (to Israel or Palestine) and the recognition of Israel as a Jewish state are critical issues in the negotiations between the two sides in any discussion of a two-state solution.

"The Key" demonstrates that it's much more complicated than simply having the UN declare a Palestinian state as was requested last Friday.

The Holy Land's Underbelly

On Wednesday evenings, my friend Bill and I go to Tel Aviv to teach at the Sudanese church, which is located near the central bus station in south Tel Aviv. This an area that is heavily populated by foreigners - some legal, some illegal.

One Israeli described the demographics like this: "It's so crowded with foreigners that it's hard to find an actual Israeli there. And if you do, they are simply passing through going to or from the bus station." His observations are pretty accurate. After our meeting with the Sudanese men, we generally get a bite to eat at the nearby pedestrian mall. Besides eating, we also wander around trying to strike up conversations with whomever we can; but mostly we are observing, trying to figure out how things work in this island of foreign workers.

Not only is this the foreign workers' stomping ground, it is also an area with homeless people who have found themselves on the streets due to drug abuse or mental illness. I'm sure there may be some other reasons, but those seem to be the most prominent.

The homeless guys in the photo above, are sleeping in the shooting gallery. That's where heroin addicts hide in the shadows and inject themselves  (see the video below). The place is littered with filth, all the things associated with homeless drug addicts: human waste, trash, treasures collected from dumpsters, rats, empty lighters, spoons, and old needles and syringes.

At times it's overwhelming to see the collection of misery that has settled in that area. And, I'm talking about the majority of those in the area, not just the heroin addicts sleeping in their own waste. My heart aches both for the addicts and for those who have made their way to Tel Aviv - however they did that - to work one level above slave conditions (worse in some cases) in an effort to send some money back home, or to seek a better life for themselves.

What's astounding is the emptiness and collective hopelessness that permeates the area. Pubs of one ethnic variety or another are the gathering places, the anesthesia that dulls the emptiness that is life for so many of these wanderers.

In contrast to this painful scene, are the men who meet us to study God's word at the Sudanese church a couple streets over. They, too, have tales of hardship to tell, but they aren't empty or hopeless. The difference? It isn't in the hardship of their lives verses the hardship of those we painfully observe on the walkway each week, because their lives are equally challenging. The real difference is the hope of the gospel.

I'm encouraged every Wednesday night to sit with these men and see a real example of the hope and contentment the gospel offers; to see the effects of believing in the supremacy of Christ over all other suitors.

Here's a video of two guys shooting heroin in the shooting gallery last night.

UPDATE: Here's the same video with brightness and contrast adjustments:

I Was Skeptical

One of the things that many tourists say after being in the Old City is "except for the Jewish Quarter, it's so dirty."

In fairness to the other quarters, it should be noted that the Jewish Quarter has been completely rebuilt since 1968, so if for no other reason, it simply looks cleaner and neater because it is much newer. It should also be noted that the Jewish Quarter also seems to get better municipal services.

Having offered that caveat, I want to add that the people in and around the Jewish Quarter don't seem to throw trash on the ground to the degree that people in the other quarters do. Now, that statement is an observation, not the result of scientific data gathering. I simply see what I see: People in the Jewish Quarter tend to not throw trash on the ground, while those in the other quarters have historically just thrown their candy wrappers, coffee cups, cigarette packages, etc, on the ground.

So, I was skeptical when I noticed new trash cans (with liners) in the Muslim Quarter, specifically along the high traffic Al Wad Road, which connects Damascus Gate with the Western Wall Plaza.  That the cans are chained down might suggest some higher ups in the municipality were skeptical as well. The cute stickers say (only in Arabic) "The city is your home, keep it clean."

The Old City has several full time street sweepers, which probably accounts for some of the ease with which its residents toss their litter on the ground. Kids and teens seem to be the worst, but I see a lot of adult men modeling the litter dropping custom, too. I've also been told that in the Arab culture exists the idea that "what's inside my home is mine, what's outside is not." And this maxim probably contributes to the acceptability of simply dropping litter wherever one may be when there's litter to be dropped.

Further observation: While there is still a considerable amount of littering in the target area, the campaign does appear to be helping. I hesitate to use the word working, but slowly it might actually be working. Obviously time will tell, but there is already a noticeable difference in the appearance of Al Wad Road after the first month or so. And, to my great surprise, the cans are still in place and stocked with liners. I thought for sure they would have been stolen or destroyed within the first couple of weeks. I was wrong.

The Balfour Declaration

November 2 is remembered by some Israelis as Balfour Day, since the "Balfour Declaration" was drafted on that day in 1917.

Last week that day came and passed without much fanfare, though the declaration was mentioned to me by an Arab friend as he rewrote some Middle East history for me.

"The Balfour Declaration called for a Jewish home in Uganda" he informed me. In fact, the Balfour Declaration calls for the establishment of a Jewish homeland "in Palestine." (Click on the image to see a larger, more easily readable image.)

That he missed this one so wildly, makes me wonder how accurate he is in reporting what happened at this or that conflict point as he keeps me up to date on what's happening in the local struggle between the Jews and Arabs.

For Sale: Jewish Head Covers

Texas Deer Season is Upon Us

Archery season has opened in Texas, so I thought this "shot" from about a week ago would be appropriate. This trio was 400-500 yards away from me, so they were out of range for anything but my Nikon. Oh yeah, I spotted them southeast of Jerusalem, about 6,900 miles away from Dallas, Texas.

Day of Atonement: Kaparot

Kaparot is a controversial practice among some orthodox Jews whereby they sacrifice a chicken prior to the Day of Atonement. It is controversial in many quarters: among the animal rights activists, among the religiously non-observant, and among biblicists.

The animal rights activists are against this practice for a variety of reasons: the most obvious reason being that the chickens' throats are being cut with a razor blade. However, they also protest this practice as being cruel because the chickens are reportedly kept in small boxes standing in the sun without food or water sometimes for up to a few days. Some also suggest that the way the chickens are secured by their wings being held back, can only cause pain and distress for the chickens.

The religiously non-observant see this practice as ghoulish and cruel, suggesting that placing sins on someone else is unfair or silly. Some simply protest it as nothing more than superstitious cruelty.

The biblicist finds this practice controversial because it sort of resembles the Day of Atonement ritual in that it captures the element of substitutionary atonement, but misses most of the details: The biblical practice of which this is a derivative is described in Leviticus 16 and includes a priest, sacred clothing, incense, a holy place, a bull, a ram and two goats; none of which are either available for or used in the kaparot ceremony.

WARNING: The video is VERY graphic!

The Mystery Revealed

Paul reveals an age old mystery: How are Jews and Gentiles related to each other through the gospel?

Ephesians 3:6 NIV -
This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are:
1. Heirs together with Israel (see 1:3-14),
2. Members together of one body (see 2:14-16), and
3. Sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus (see 2:12-13).

I think this mystery is difficult for some on both sides of the Jew/Gentile divide to accept. Difficult to understand, perhaps. But it shouldn't be difficult to accept.

He Left Ninety Nine

Shepherds in the Field

Yesterday, I was reminded of the part of the nativity story which recounts that "the shepherds were abiding in the fields" (Luke 2:8) when I had the opportunity to meet this shepherd in the fields near Bethlehem.

His name is Hajj Ali, which means that he has been on the Muslim hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. And unfortunately, in contrast to the shepherds of Luke 2, Hajj Ali only recognizes Jesus as a prophet and not yet as the "Saviour who is Christ the Lord" (2:11).

He was a friendly man who told me that he had been grazing his sheep in this area for more than 50 years. He seemed very pleased that I would stop and talk with him, though it was challenging because he only speaks Arabic. We did the best we could and had a friendly exchange.

I asked if I could take some pictures, and he gave me his approval, but suggested that I should give him some money for doing so. I dug around through the change in my pocket and found a 10 shekel coin and put it into his weathered hand. I understood from his grunts and hand gestures that 10 shekels wasn't enough; he wanted the rest of the change in my hand, which all together totaled about 12 1/2 shekels. A small price to pay for the nice photos that I got and the joy that my daughter Grace had running amongst his sheep.

If I understood him correctly, he intended to use the money he got from me to buy some tobacco for his pipe, which was a prominent feature in most of the photo-opps he offered.