Shopping in Israel

Last night, during a completely typical erev Shabbat shopping trip to Rami Levi, my heart was full.  As I searched through the freezer cases for a bag of broccoli, I heard an announcement over the intercom calling people to come to the area behind the dairy section to daven ma'ariv (the evening service).  I saw men walking up and down the aisles, in between the bags of milk and frozen pizzas, waving any man back into the refrigerated section, encouraging them to come and make a minyan.  In the grocery store.

Some people find the secret to life in Israel in stories that take place on its buses and in its cabs.  Everyone is Israel has a story about a taxi driver! I don't know. There's something about grocery shopping in Israel that seems to really capture an essence of this place for me.

Another shopping in Israel lesson:  As we are rapidly learning, parents have to buy textbooks here.  So we've been on a multi-week search for the right books for our soon-to-be 10th grader.  Today, we went to a store on Emek Refaim in Jerusalem to snag the last few books on her book list  (almost done!).  Between the car and the store, we discovered that there's a street festival at that location every Friday.  Jazz music was piped in and the whole place was covered with a tarp to keep out (some of) the strong mid-day sun.  To my great regret, some of the pictures I thought I took ended up as video instead of still shots, but I hope these few photos will give you a flavor for the chavaya (experience).

Sign at the entrance, advertising another weekly event on Wednesday evenings.

Tupperware is being sold in the Holy Land.

A few craft tables covered by the tarp.

Regrettably, I can't figure out how get the video of the artisan breads to convert to still shots.  Too bad.  But here's a picture of a Porcupine challah I just couldn't resist buying.

Gorgeous, fragrant spices sold from open pans.  There's definitely a, ahem... different sense of hygiene in this country.