Saturday, July 21, 2007
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Galilee: Fieldwork
Hi everyone! Sorry for the delay in updating my blog. I've been busy conducting interviews up north and my hands are actually sore from typing them all up. So, I'm going to limit the commentary on this post to try and avoid a full-blown repetitive strain injury. There will be some nice pictures though, promise!
First, this is the valley I study, called Bet Netofah in Hebrew and Al Batouf in Arabic. Be sure to click on this image for a larger view!
This tree in the valley is rumored to be over 3,000 years old.
Here is a picture looking over the inner courtyard of the youth hostel in Nazareth that I use as a homebase when I'm in the Galilee.
You can see the city of Nazareth from one of the other balconies.
More to come...
First, this is the valley I study, called Bet Netofah in Hebrew and Al Batouf in Arabic. Be sure to click on this image for a larger view!
This tree in the valley is rumored to be over 3,000 years old.
Here is a picture looking over the inner courtyard of the youth hostel in Nazareth that I use as a homebase when I'm in the Galilee.
You can see the city of Nazareth from one of the other balconies.
More to come...
Thursday, March 8, 2007
TEL AVIV Flood
Perhaps calling this a flood is a bit of an exaggeration. However, it was very difficult to cross the streets in Florentin and stay dry during the rainstorms last week. This is the view from my apartment window! The great thing about the downpour was that it washed away all the dog crap. Yes, my neighborhood has many fantastic bars, cafés, and restaurants—and also a lot of people who do not pick-up after their pets!
SDE BOKER: Arrival
Last weekend (March 2rd to the 4th), I took a bus to the south of Israel to see my friends Yaakov and Safa’a who now live in the small academic community of Sde Boker in the Negev. I interned with Yaakov two summers ago in Jerusalem and he is heavily involved in my current project, which evolved out of that earlier work.
After I arrived, Yaakov showed me this beautiful view of the desert from campus.
Yes, I'm sure every visitor has a picture just like this. That is indeed the moon.
Later, we sat down to the fantastic meal that Safa’a had prepared. Apparently, Yaakov told her that I love to eat. So, she made a number of dishes containing rich meats. Then, he informed her that I do not eat meat. So, she basically prepared two complete dinners. We were all very full in the end.
After I arrived, Yaakov showed me this beautiful view of the desert from campus.
Yes, I'm sure every visitor has a picture just like this. That is indeed the moon.
Later, we sat down to the fantastic meal that Safa’a had prepared. Apparently, Yaakov told her that I love to eat. So, she made a number of dishes containing rich meats. Then, he informed her that I do not eat meat. So, she basically prepared two complete dinners. We were all very full in the end.
SDE BOKER: Purim Parade
Last weekend was Purim. This online reference provides some background on the holiday. I will not embarrass myself by testing my own memory of Jewish Sunday school classes attended more than twenty years ago. The high school students on the campus put on an impressive parade. The themes seemed to be: (1) India (2) Pirates (3) the USSR and (4) Underwater stuff.
Many young Israelis go to India after finishing military service. Some go for only a month others for a year or more. From the stories I've heard, the visits often involves a lot of backpacking and sightseeing, spending as little money as possible, experimenting with various drugs, listening to techno/trance music, and perhaps volunteering in local organizations. You can see two DJs in this picture--and trust me--the music was good, loud, and hypnotic.
The highschoolers that created this parade have not performed their military service yet and probably have not gone to India at all or for an extended period of time. However, the campus has many international students from all over the world.
The images they created of India varied from good humored to a few that struck my perhaps overactive (and American) "PC" nerve, such as people begging for "rupees". I look forward to reading comments from my friends at UM, especially those familiar with Israel or India.
Two pirates conspiring on one of the floats. After two recent movies, the theme made perfect sense. I'm sure there is also something political lurking in there concerning terrorism, occupation, and natural resources. But, I'm not about to dig all that up on Purim.
There is a very large Russian population in Israel. That is the only reason I can think of to explain these floats, costumes, and songs.
No parade is complete without a bowling-pin shaped Lenin doll. Could someone please tell me the proper name of these traditional figures?
Ahh, the cold war. I seem to remember something about the Soviets sending a dog into space. Is that what is referenced here?
Two mermaids and a little girl in the Negev.
Can you guess the song blaring out of this yellow submarine?
Many young Israelis go to India after finishing military service. Some go for only a month others for a year or more. From the stories I've heard, the visits often involves a lot of backpacking and sightseeing, spending as little money as possible, experimenting with various drugs, listening to techno/trance music, and perhaps volunteering in local organizations. You can see two DJs in this picture--and trust me--the music was good, loud, and hypnotic.
The highschoolers that created this parade have not performed their military service yet and probably have not gone to India at all or for an extended period of time. However, the campus has many international students from all over the world. 
The images they created of India varied from good humored to a few that struck my perhaps overactive (and American) "PC" nerve, such as people begging for "rupees". I look forward to reading comments from my friends at UM, especially those familiar with Israel or India.
Two pirates conspiring on one of the floats. After two recent movies, the theme made perfect sense. I'm sure there is also something political lurking in there concerning terrorism, occupation, and natural resources. But, I'm not about to dig all that up on Purim.
There is a very large Russian population in Israel. That is the only reason I can think of to explain these floats, costumes, and songs. 
No parade is complete without a bowling-pin shaped Lenin doll. Could someone please tell me the proper name of these traditional figures?
Ahh, the cold war. I seem to remember something about the Soviets sending a dog into space. Is that what is referenced here?
Two mermaids and a little girl in the Negev. 
Can you guess the song blaring out of this yellow submarine?
SDE BOKER: Negev Walk
Several units of the Sde Boker campus of Ben Gurion University specialize in Desert Studies. Although I would like to eventually speak to experts in this discipline, I was excited just to go for a simple walk with friends in the Negev. Omar, a masters student, joined us for the afternoon.
From what I gather, in ancient days this part of the desert received more rain than now. These small stone damns trapped water for agriculture. You can see from the island of green grass that the system still works!
I expected a barren landscape and instead found this.
The good thing about being the man with the camera remote is that you know when to smile every time.
Amazing that so little water is necessary to make something so pretty.
Two rusted skeletal cars marked the beginning and end of our walk. You can see one of them in the far left of this photograph.
From what I gather, in ancient days this part of the desert received more rain than now. These small stone damns trapped water for agriculture. You can see from the island of green grass that the system still works!
I expected a barren landscape and instead found this.
The good thing about being the man with the camera remote is that you know when to smile every time.
Amazing that so little water is necessary to make something so pretty. 
Two rusted skeletal cars marked the beginning and end of our walk. You can see one of them in the far left of this photograph.
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Florentin Apartment
I've been lazy in updating this blog. Without my camera, I had less incentive to write. You read that verb tense correctly! My camera is working again, thanks to an international warranty and a local repair shop. I still need to tell you about a wonderful trip to the north I took organized by Fulbright Israel. For now though, let's start with some pictures of my apartment in Florentin.
This post should gratify my family, who thinks I live like a squatter in tiny apartments in order to save money for books and travel. I'm not completely denying the charges, but as you will see, this place is up to code. My building is only a few years old. I would have preferred to live in one of the original Florentin apartments with beautiful tiling. However, these often separate the public areas by function instead of having large combined spaces like the one shown below. I really do prefer the new layouts. Feel free to click on the images to see details!
These first three pictures are of different parts of the main space, which functions as a kitchen, dining area, and living room. The far end shown here gets lots of light in the morning. The rectangular assemblies above the windows contain an exterior hard curtain made of plastic strips that can be lowered by a fabric belt inside. I'm not sure if these have any security benefits, but they do block the sunlight while watching TV. An example of Haneet's (my roomate) arts and crafts seems to float near the ceiling. Of course, all the furniture and equipment belong to her. The pink slippers are not mine either.
The dining room table has a lot of empty space around it. We have not come up with a solution yet.
I've been riding Haneet's bike to school. It is a little small, but very fancy. I've never had a bike with a full suspension system!
The kitchen is large enough for two people. You need to light each burner on the gas stove (on the right) manually with a match. Two of the four burners do not work that well. Still, I really like cooking here.
The bedroom has only the primary tools for studying and sleeping. Can you hear the bare walls beg for my friends in urban design to email artwork ASAP?
Yes, the mirror that extends into the shower is a little stange. I choose not to judge free home furnishings very harshly. The washing machine in the next room attaches to the water tap next to the toilet and returns dirty water into the bath tub. Why?! Designing an apartment with separate feeds in another room cannot be too complicated for a country with an internationally recognized high-tech sector.
Israeli's call this a "safe room" because it is reinforced. The far window actually leads to a public corridor with elevator and stair access. You can see the small washing machine I mentioned earlier in the far right corner.
This post should gratify my family, who thinks I live like a squatter in tiny apartments in order to save money for books and travel. I'm not completely denying the charges, but as you will see, this place is up to code. My building is only a few years old. I would have preferred to live in one of the original Florentin apartments with beautiful tiling. However, these often separate the public areas by function instead of having large combined spaces like the one shown below. I really do prefer the new layouts. Feel free to click on the images to see details!
These first three pictures are of different parts of the main space, which functions as a kitchen, dining area, and living room. The far end shown here gets lots of light in the morning. The rectangular assemblies above the windows contain an exterior hard curtain made of plastic strips that can be lowered by a fabric belt inside. I'm not sure if these have any security benefits, but they do block the sunlight while watching TV. An example of Haneet's (my roomate) arts and crafts seems to float near the ceiling. Of course, all the furniture and equipment belong to her. The pink slippers are not mine either.
The dining room table has a lot of empty space around it. We have not come up with a solution yet. I've been riding Haneet's bike to school. It is a little small, but very fancy. I've never had a bike with a full suspension system!
The kitchen is large enough for two people. You need to light each burner on the gas stove (on the right) manually with a match. Two of the four burners do not work that well. Still, I really like cooking here.
The bedroom has only the primary tools for studying and sleeping. Can you hear the bare walls beg for my friends in urban design to email artwork ASAP? 
Yes, the mirror that extends into the shower is a little stange. I choose not to judge free home furnishings very harshly. The washing machine in the next room attaches to the water tap next to the toilet and returns dirty water into the bath tub. Why?! Designing an apartment with separate feeds in another room cannot be too complicated for a country with an internationally recognized high-tech sector. 
Israeli's call this a "safe room" because it is reinforced. The far window actually leads to a public corridor with elevator and stair access. You can see the small washing machine I mentioned earlier in the far right corner.
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