SO, what about my job? 7 weeks in Israel and what are the first results?… During the time I am in Israel I am responsible for two things. Setting up the business here and selecting and keeping in touch with suppliers for approximately 12 countries in Europe. Both responsibilities have their progress. Two weeks ago it was decided that launch in Israel will not be in september but at the first of november., However this was a little of disappointment it is really better for the preparations and the programmers needed this time. Till now the results in Israel are that I have a rather good insight in the Israeli market. I contacted many of the potential suppliers, of whom a couple did the first offers. In fact I try to have selected the suppliers in Israel and Europe before the end of october in order to be sure the implementation phase will be long enough. For Europe we have had a lot of offers and here I expect to fix my deadline for sure.So answer to the question: I am doing well and working well for being sure the my part is done to be ready for the launch in november. In January I will be able to say how business goes….
Yesterday a great shabat evening with my family. Table full with food and among the 14 people 6 children younger than 7. Before dinner it was one big mess with a lot of screaming girls. It was one big and nice happening.
During dinner a lot changed. Children changed from happy and wild to a little bit sad… They did not eat and everybody was all the time asking the: what did you eat? Why don’t you eat anything? It was a little bit sad sometimes to see the fight getting the children fed. In fact not only the children got these kind of questions: Love in our family comes through the belly and the food is great. After eating the biggest meal this week getting the question “Did you eat enough?” is a little strange but you get used to it…. In the end I just can laugh about all the concerns during the eating ceremony of the shabat….
Yesterday (14th of august) Sharon and I went to the second wedding since we are here. Anyhow it was time to make some pictures (see flickr.com or on the right) and furthermore write something about it to inform you what a wedding is about in Israel. In Israel a wedding is called a Chatoena. Main aspect of the wedding is making sure the guests are satisfied, which means food before, food in the middle, food when you dance and food after.These israeli weddings have a sort of standard procedure.After the reseption (with lots of food) first the wedding ceremony, the choepa (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuppah), takes place. This video is a part of the blessings during the ceremony . Yesterday the rabby made many jokes, which made it a very funny ceremony, without breaking the tradition of the Choepa. After the Choepa, you already guessed it, there was a great dinner with delicious food. First course, main course and a really great dessert-buffet. Anyhow, I managed to eat at the reception and eat from most of the offered food (Which is a magnificent achievement). And then….Party. which was nice, a good DJ many good drinks and off course, nice chocolates and other kinds of small food (I thought you call these appetizers (but these are before dinner I guess)). Shortly said: It was a great evening, with nice people, great atmosphere and good food!
A question that was asked me a lot the last months. Is it safe in Israel? My answer always was: “The place I will be is safe, the unsafe places in Israel are not where I will be”. I am still sure this is an accurate answer for that question at the moment I write this post. At the moment you read this post, it could be changed… I read the newspapers and every day you look, something happens in these less-safe places, and some things that happen there can mean the end of being safe at the place I am. If you read this blog and you want to know what is happening in Israel, then the links from the Jerusalem Post on the left could help you getting more into this. I can tell you there is a hell lot more to know about then you see in Dutch news (other countries could be the same). From now on you can expect some of my views on the situation here about once a week. Also the situation of the worldwide jewish community will be elaborated on…This article (http://www.jr.co.il/aliyah/why23.txt) could be an interesting insight on how safety is perceived. Where is it safer for a jew, here in Israel, in France??
The old city south of Tel Aviv (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaffa), is beautiful. Great views, beautiful sunset, great atmosphere on the motsei shabat (The ougoing of Shabat, which is the start of the new week and reason for many people and families to go out for an evening). Read the rest of this entry »
Still busy with finishing my thesis sometimes ( it is hard, but I am sure I will succeed soon) I found this Chinese proverb somewhere…These kinds of wisdom keep attracting me: “you will learn by doing, not by studying” (I know this is a rough interpretation, however….). Still I have Read the rest of this entry »
The last weeks I slowly started to contact companies and people that have my interest with the regard to starting up the business in Israel. In the last two weeks I mailed about four persons, of whom no one replied. As I am used to send comprehensive and well explaining mails to people that do not know me, I tried to do so here as well. But as you know already: this did not work.This mourning I sent a mail in which I showed a little irritation Read the rest of this entry »
Weekend, in Israel this takes place on friday and saturday. Fridayevening is the beginning of Shabat, the day all the jews rest (like god did on the Seventh day after creating the world).The Shabat is for me one of the aspects with main importance in keeping my jewish identity. At home this was the evening the whole family was at home, we rather often had guests and my mother was cooking the finest things. Most important was the warm and cosy atmosphere.In Israel this did not change (however this is not with family of the Netherlands). Sharon and I every week go to family (of her or mine) and enjoy the same rituals we had at home, but at least so important to me, enjoy good food and a very relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere.We are getting to the end of the Shabat, and we invited for Sharon’s birthday some people, for whom I am going to make some food. Tomorrow you will be able to read about tonight! Shabat Shalom!
