It's kinda funny that I'm supposed to be studying Conflict Management & Negotiation right now and instead the government, university heads and students are all at battle with each other.

Hmm... What would I say if I could speak my mind?

Anyway. Here's a photo I took of a hauntingly empty classroom where education is supposed to be happening:

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Tonight I learned - nay - was reminded that there's a reason why my parents didn't sign me up for a second year of ballet and I dropped out of Israeli dancing class in sixth grade.

I can't dance.

Well, that's not true. I can bump and grind and rock out in front of any mirror any day. I can create a buzz on the club dance floor (or in the corner, or ( Read more... )

Now that summer is upon us, there's a new series of jokes going around the cynical Israeli circuit, which revolve around the same punchline:

"So, what are you doing this summer?"
"That depends - when does the war start and end?"

"Hey, feeling like a weekend in a tzimmer?"
"Maybe; but let's wait for the wartime deals."

All jokes aside - though it's hard ( Read more... )

It's the night of Lag B'Omer, which means Jerusalem is up in smoke, though we've done it to ourselves. Bonfires abound (as do marshmallows) as we celebrate... Wait, what is it we're celebrating? It seems to matter not; all anyone wants to do is run around the city and collect wood and burn things. Kind of like the way Halloween has lost its meaning ( Read more... )

My leg is famous thanks to BY's photography and this website:


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The good Jewish husbands bring their wives a bouquet of flowers on Friday afternoon for a shabbat shalom.

The great Jewish husbands take their wives on a Friday afternoon stroll through the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens so she can pick out her own.


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I joined over 100,000 other disgruntled Israelis to protest and rally against the current government. The truth is, I was there more to observe than to voice my opinion; I let my body exist in Rabin Square to do the talking but I kept my mouth shut. I'm feeling very numb about the whole thing. It's painful.

I will say I made an interesting ( Read more... )

Here is example #178 of something you'd never see handed out in Jerusalem:


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I just read this article by Nehemia Shtrasler from Haaretz about why the student strike is a bit ridiculous. I can't help but agree with his logic. I come from a world where university is a completely different animal altogether, so I can appreciate the Israeli government's role in providing a heavily-subsidized tuition. On the flip side, I'm ( Read more... )

To get inspired, I think you need, at minimum, two things:

1. An open mind.
2. Surroundings with potential to inspire.

I guess they are both the same thing: It's all about being open to everything around you having the potential to inspire. If you sit around and wait for people to inspire you, you may wait forever. And even the most interesting places ( Read more... )