1. Life in Modern Israel 2009Life in Modern Israel 2009
Israel became a state in 1948 created by the UN. A warIsrael became a state in 1948 created by the UN. A war
immediately broke out with the Arabs and the Israelis gainedimmediately broke out with the Arabs and the Israelis gained
even more land. Since ’48 there have been many wars andeven more land. Since ’48 there have been many wars and
Israel is surrounded by hostile states and in firing range fromIsrael is surrounded by hostile states and in firing range from
Iran. The Israelis take that for granted and say, En Baya—noIran. The Israelis take that for granted and say, En Baya—no
problem. Yet everyone has lost family members in theseproblem. Yet everyone has lost family members in these
wars.wars.

2. The Recent WarThe Recent War
 This photo was takenThis photo was taken
two miles from Gaza.two miles from Gaza.
We were visitngWe were visitng
friends who lived in afriends who lived in a
Moshav and during theMoshav and during the
war slept in bombwar slept in bomb
shelters every night.shelters every night.

3. GoatsGoats
 A goat farm in theA goat farm in the
Negev Desert. WeNegev Desert. We
bought goat cheesebought goat cheese
and had a picnic.and had a picnic.

4. I bexI bex
 Ibex are like wild goatsIbex are like wild goats
and we saw many onand we saw many on
our hikes in the desertour hikes in the desert

5. Ramon CraterRamon Crater
 The Ibex and MsThe Ibex and Ms
Leonard looking overLeonard looking over
the Ramon Craterthe Ramon Crater
which is the largest inwhich is the largest in
the world—14 miles inthe world—14 miles in
circumference, formedcircumference, formed
millions of years ago. Itmillions of years ago. It
is so silent inside I feltis so silent inside I felt
like I was inside cotton.like I was inside cotton.

6. JerusalemJerusalem
 It was February and coldIt was February and cold
but the almond trees arebut the almond trees are
blooming. Behind me is myblooming. Behind me is my
son-in-law and myson-in-law and my
daughter.daughter.
 The next photo areThe next photo are
religious Jews preparingreligious Jews preparing
their dishes for a Koshertheir dishes for a Kosher
household. Most of thehousehold. Most of the
religious Jews live inreligious Jews live in
Jerusalem. My family isJerusalem. My family is
secular.secular.

7. Up north in the Carmel MountainsUp north in the Carmel Mountains
 In February, theIn February, the
mustard blooms andmustard blooms and
everything is alive ineverything is alive in
yellow. This area isyellow. This area is
about ten miles fromabout ten miles from
the sea but because ofthe sea but because of
a higher elevation isa higher elevation is
much colder—in themuch colder—in the
5o’s in the winter.5o’s in the winter.

8. Avocado FarmingAvocado Farming
 My son-in-law is anMy son-in-law is an
avocado farmer andavocado farmer and
took us to the fields sotook us to the fields so
we could ride thewe could ride the
cherry picker andcherry picker and
gather the fruit. Belowgather the fruit. Below
are lemons, also onare lemons, also on
the farm.the farm.

9. Israel TodayIsrael Today
 Israel is a beautifulIsrael is a beautiful
country no bigger thancountry no bigger than
NJ but on theNJ but on the
Mediterranean. It wasMediterranean. It was
founded as a state infounded as a state in
1948 by the UN.1948 by the UN.

10. Shabbat in Tel AvivShabbat in Tel Aviv
 Folk dancing on theFolk dancing on the
Tel Aviv beach.Tel Aviv beach.
Anyone canAnyone can
participate. Youngerparticipate. Younger
people go to clubs andpeople go to clubs and
dance all night.dance all night.
Drinking is not theDrinking is not the
thing. Dancing is.thing. Dancing is.

11. The Negev, about two miles fromThe Negev, about two miles from
GazaGaza
 This bomb shelter wasThis bomb shelter was
at a carrot plant.at a carrot plant.
Israelis only receive aIsraelis only receive a
15 second notice.15 second notice.
Those who live nearThose who live near
Gaza have bombGaza have bomb
shelters in theirshelters in their
homes. All Israelishomes. All Israelis
have gas masks.have gas masks.

12. Carrot plant in the NegevCarrot plant in the Negev
 114 kibbutzim send their114 kibbutzim send their
carrots to this plant to becarrots to this plant to be
washed, sorted and sentwashed, sorted and sent
out to Russia—about 30out to Russia—about 30
tons a day. The plant istons a day. The plant is
open 24 hours and aopen 24 hours and a
worker can earn up toworker can earn up to
8000 shekels which is8000 shekels which is
about 2000 dollars, a goodabout 2000 dollars, a good
salary for an Israeli.salary for an Israeli.

13. Weekend tripWeekend trip
 We are in the south, inWe are in the south, in
the Negev desert andthe Negev desert and
in a village belongingin a village belonging
to the Nabeteans, anto the Nabeteans, an
ancient people whoancient people who
were nomads andwere nomads and
trades in spices.trades in spices.

14. The Baby House on the KibbutzThe Baby House on the Kibbutz
 A kibbutz is communalA kibbutz is communal
living and these villagesliving and these villages
were set up in the 1930’swere set up in the 1930’s
as a way of sharing farmas a way of sharing farm
equipment and all otherequipment and all other
services. The houses areservices. The houses are
very simple but food isvery simple but food is
very cheap and there is avery cheap and there is a
dining hall and lots of childdining hall and lots of child
care. Also, someone takescare. Also, someone takes
care of the cars and thecare of the cars and the
laundry. Everyone workslaundry. Everyone works
hard but life is simplehard but life is simple

15. After School in the KibbutzAfter School in the Kibbutz
 Kids go to lunch in theKids go to lunch in the
dining hall and thendining hall and then
are on their own. Thisare on their own. This
is just one room inis just one room in
their hangout. Theytheir hangout. They
have places to playhave places to play
soccer and basketballsoccer and basketball
but no video games orbut no video games or
TV!TV!

16. Arab building on the kibbutzArab building on the kibbutz
 A beautiful place—A beautiful place—
where my daughter’swhere my daughter’s
wedding took placewedding took place

17. Tel AvivTel Aviv
 Lots of skyscrapersLots of skyscrapers
because land isbecause land is
scarce.scarce.

18. The shoukThe shouk
 An outdoor marketAn outdoor market
where everything iswhere everything is
availableavailable

19. SpicesSpices
 Israelis eat a lot ofIsraelis eat a lot of
grains and vegetablesgrains and vegetables
made tasty with spicesmade tasty with spices

20. ON TourON Tour
 After the HolocaustAfter the Holocaust
many immigrantsmany immigrants
again were prisonersagain were prisoners
of the British—this isof the British—this is
one camp.one camp.

21. Winter in IsraelWinter in Israel
 Fields of anemones,Fields of anemones,
wildflowers. Everythingwildflowers. Everything
is green in the winteris green in the winter
and then the landand then the land
becomes a desert inbecomes a desert in
the summer—dry andthe summer—dry and
brown.brown.

22. Irit’s Place in the shoukIrit’s Place in the shouk
 We had hummus,We had hummus,
salad, soup, bread,salad, soup, bread,
orange drink for aboutorange drink for about
3 dollars each. That’s3 dollars each. That’s
my son-in-law, Ori, andmy son-in-law, Ori, and
my daughter, Nicolemy daughter, Nicole

23. The Beach in FebruaryThe Beach in February
 Tel Aviv--a city on theTel Aviv--a city on the
beach. We walked onbeach. We walked on
the beach everyday orthe beach everyday or
rented beach chairs.rented beach chairs.
Lots of surfers went inLots of surfers went in
wearing body suits.wearing body suits.

24. The kibbutzThe kibbutz
 One of the nicerOne of the nicer
houses on Kibbutzhouses on Kibbutz
Dahlia up north.Dahlia up north.

25. Garden on the kibbutzGarden on the kibbutz
 People have funPeople have fun
making the gardenmaking the garden
their own design.their own design.