Doublelife: A Book Review

I received a copy of Doublelife: One Family, Two Faiths and a Journey of Hope by Harold Berman and Gayle Redlingshafer Berman in the mail the other day. I had heard of the book through various social media channels, but I didn't remember ordering it. This, in and of itself, is not that unusual for me since I have a very bad case of book addiction. When we made aliyah, my husband (who is also a book addict) and I brought well over a thousand books with us. And that was after we sold off at least an equal quantity.

Turns out, I was sent a review copy by the book's publicist. I cracked it open and, despite the escalating pace of Pesach preparations going on in my home, no less than in Jewish households across the world, I finished the book over Shabbat.

I generally like books that are first-person accounts and Doublelife falls into that category. The book is written as a series of letters between Harold, a secular Jew from New York and Gayle, the Minister of Music in a mega-church in Texas. Herein lies my major criticism of the book. I found the format much too contrived, particularly after the couple married and began living together.

Having said that, I was struck with the self-congratulatory tone that the couple expresses as the book opens about how they are not going to fall prey to the difficulties of intermarriage. Through the years (and it's important for the reader to note the dates of the "letters" in order to understand the passage of time in the story), religion becomes a central issue in their marriage, and that's where the story becomes much more interesting.

First Harold, in response to his inability to answer challenges from a Christian colleague about why Jews don't believe in Jesus, begins to learn about his own Jewish heritage. Later, the obvious spiritual sensitivity of the child they have agreed to raise as a Jew, pushes the family closer to Torah observance. Indeed, these are some of the most moving passages in the book.

The reader is carried through the inevitable hurdles - finding the right community, the challenges of Gayle's conversion, the need for careers that are compatible with a Torah life - that the family faces. I found this the most interesting part of the book.

I knew, from before I opened to the very first page, that Gayle and Harold made aliyah at some point and are raising their children in Israel. But there is not a hint of that part of their story in this book.

I'm anxiously awaiting the sequel. I love hearing people's aliyah stories. And this untold part of the Bermans' story adds support to my contention that ba'alei teshuva and converts make aliyah out of proportion to our numbers in the general Jewish population.

The awkwardness of the format aside, it's an engaging story and one that has a happy ending for the Bermans and for the greater Jewish community. Another Jewish family finds their way home. What's not to love?

Not Exactly Kisei HaKavod

Item: In an Orthodox shul I attended while visiting friends in another community for a simcha, the men sat in beautifully constructed synagogue furniture from Kibbutz Lavi...

http://furniture.lavi.co.il

...while the women sat in Keter chairs that had been stacked in a corner.

Item: I attended a lecture on Derech Eretz held in an Orthodox shul. Separate seating was set up for men and women. The men sat in the regular men's section and the women were seated in rows of folding chairs that began behind the end of the men's section. I arrived on time and paid the same price for admission to the lecture as men were charged, yet the very best seat I could get was further away from the speaker and less comfortable than the seating available for men, including those men who came late.

Did I mention the topic of the lecture was Derech Eretz?

Item: Praying in a certain Orthodox shul for Yom Kippur, it is impossible for me to see when the aron kodesh is open. The only way I know to stand is from the scraping of chairs and the rustling I hear coming from the men's section.

Item: In an Orthodox shul I attended while visiting family in another community, the men's entrance was through decorative double doors in the front of the building. The women's entrance required me to pass by the shul's dumpsters, enter an unmarked door on the side of the building and climb two flights of stairs.

Item: The blogger A Mother in Israel recently hosted a guest photoblog by photographer Rahel Jaskow which chronicles the many ways in which the space for women at the Kotel is compromised.

Item: Though my husband and I were the first ones at a concert of Jewish music being held in an Orthodox shul, and despite the fact that I was charged the same ticket price as the men, I was told I must sit in the cramped women's section behind tables two rows deep and to the left of the performer. Men had their choice of  seats facing the performer and had plenty of room to dance. A man who came 45 minutes late was able to sit two rows from the performer.

I could continue with similar examples of a lack of derech eretz I've experienced as a woman over the years, in different communities and in different countries, but I believe the point is clear. We in the Orthodox community have a derech eretz problem when it comes to women in synagogue spaces.

I'd like to assume that it's a problem of oversight rather than of intentionality.

Please don't misunderstand me. I'm not suggesting that I want to wear tefillin or serve as a ba'al tefilla or be called for an aliyah. I'm not inherently opposed to separate seating for tefilla. Please don't conflate and thereby dismiss what I'm saying because my point is based on gender. I'm not revealing my disdain for being a Jewish woman and I have no secret desire to be a Jewish man. I'm a committed, faithful Orthodox woman, married to a former pulpit rabbi, who would like to be treated with dignity whenever I enter an Orthodox synagogue.That hardly seems like a controversial expectation.

I'm speaking here about derech eretz and kavod habriot - the simple human dignity of women that is often violated in public Jewish spaces. No woman should have to feel diminished because of thoughtless spatial planning.

I imagine that most people involved in making decisions that lead to these sorts of circumstances are not intentionally hostile toward women but are rather unaware of the consequences of their actions. I believe these are, in the main, sins of omission rather than of commission. My intention here is to draw attention to the issue in the hope that, by sensitizing more people to the unintended consequences of careless synagogue design, things can change for the better.

Haveil Havalim #401: The Pre-Pesach 5773 Edition

Founded by Soccer Dad, Haveil Havalim is a carnival of Jewish blogs -- a weekly collection of Jewish and Israeli blog highlights, tidbits and points of interest collected from blogs all around the world. It's hosted by different bloggers each week, jointly coordinated through our Facebook Group. The term 'Haveil Havalim,' which means"Vanity of Vanities," is from Qoheleth, (Ecclesiastes) which was written by King Solomon. King Solomon built the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and later on got all bogged down in materialism and other 'excesses' and realized that it was nothing but 'hevel,' or in English,'vanity.'

          If you're a Jewish blogger, please join our Facebook group and consider sending in your posts and hosting an edition yourself.

Life in Israel

A Mother in Israel, I am very jealous that I didn't get to host this extraordinary guest photo blog by Rahel Jaskow on my blog. Separate and Unequal at the Western Wall. Best not to record my blood pressure after I read this post. I'm a very calm and even-tempered person, but the appropriation of the Kotel by one group infuriates me.

Shlomo Skinner writes about the significance of the Hebrew month of Nisan and the custom of reciting Birkat Ha-Ilanot (the blessing on budding fruit trees)

Mrs. S photoblogs a visit to Hevron.

Real Jerusalem Streets photoblogs a whole different understanding of the BDS strategy (boycotts, divestment and sanctions) and, in so doing, shows the world what the streets of Jerusalem really look like.

What a week for photo blogs. Here, Batya photoblogs about lions in Jerusalem and here about an ordinary walk in Israel.

A mother and a son write movingly about the recent enlistment of the youngest of a crop of brothers into the Israeli Defense Forces. Their words make my heart soar with pride in the Jewish people.

Politics in Israel

Lots of Israelis are none too fond of America's interference in Israeli business. Batya and Esser Agaroth wrote on this theme a lot recently.

A none-too-flattering look at AIPAC by Esser Agaroth.

Batya wants to Keep Barack Hussein Obama Off Our Roads!

Batya explains why the 22 state solution is better than the Two State Solution. 

Esser Agaroth talks about what connects Obama, Pollard and Passover.

Pesach is Coming

Jacob Richman shares a huge number of educational Passover resources.

Esser Agaroth shares a surprising secret for single men making Pesach.

Inspirational Roundup

A Settler's Dream inspires with The Chassidic Approach to Joy

Mordecai Holtz writes 10 Lessons I've Learned From My Mentor, a moving tribute to the recently deceased Rabbi Dr. Stanley Wagner, A"H, his wife's grandfather, who had a profound impact on his life. My favorite was Tip #2.

Batya writes about a bit of hashgacha pratit on the Jerusalem public transportation system.

May you each be inspired by something you read here.

Chag Sameach.

GUEST POST: An Israeli-American Living in an American-Israeli City

This guest post was written by Anabelle Harari. Her bio appears below.

An Israeli-American Living in an American-Israeli City
(or it the other way around?)   

This past fall I signed up for a photography course. It was run by an American who was completing her masters in Art Therapy. The advertisement read as follows:

“Are you a new immigrant looking to gain some photography skills? Come learn how to use photography as a method for exploring aliyah and liminality.”

I was sold.

While technically, I am not a new immigrant to Israel, I certainly feel like one. You see, I was born in Israel and shortly after my family moved to America. I grew up like any other Jewish kid in northeast Philadelphia- listening to the Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears, hanging out the mall on the weekends, and while at times I really wished I had blonde hair and my name was Ashley- I felt like I fit in.

However, there was one caveat- I was Israeli.

My family spoke Hebrew in the house, we never had goldfish or Doritos in our kitchen- only imported Israeli products, I listened to Eyal Golan on the way to school, and while all the other kids at my Jewish day school ate white bread sandwiches with peanut butter and jelly, I ate pita bread with chocolate spread.

Fast forward 15 years and I find myself in Israel once again. While I have been traveling in between Israel and the States for a while now- visiting friends and family, the obligatory birthright trip as well as a few other Jewish programs that bring wide-eyed Americans to experience Israel- I built a life for myself in America- not Israel.

However, when it came time for my boyfriend to study at a yeshiva- we knew the only choice would be to spend some time in Israel, specifically Jerusalem.

I arrived here feeling pretty confident. I speak the language- what more is there to really know about living in Israel? Turns out- a lot. Living in Israel has not only pushed all my boundaries, it has also made me realize how utterly American, I really am.

I enjoy my space, I enjoy central heating, but mostly I enjoy not being yelled at or being asked when I’m going to get married every other day. By American standards, Israelis are rude. They are loud, they are pushy, and they are extremely nosy (read: the married question coming from the guy at the grocery store).

And while this can become frustrating beyond words, I have come to actually appreciate this “rudeness.” The guy at the grocery store may be judging me, but he actually cares that I marry a nice Jewish boy. And the aggressiveness? After yelling at me about why I didn’t have a Tuedah Zeut card, the woman at the bank actually invited me to her home for Shabbat.

Does it make sense? No. Does it have to? Not really.

Being in Israel has made me value my American-Israeli upbringing. It has allowed me to take a critical look at the things I experience on a daily basis, and it also has made me appreciate this in-between state of being. Not quite American, not quite Israeli.

It seems that I have found the perfect place to be not quite this and not quite that- Jerusalem. Jerusalem is a liminal place in itself. It’s Israeli, it’s American, it’s everything in between jammed into one neatly packed city.

So now, when people ask me what it is like to live in Israel again, I give them my short yet complicated answer- it’s liminal. And I leave it that.

Anabelle Harari is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College. She is a sustainable food blogger and the community attache for BirthrightIsrael Experts. She lives in Jerusalem and you can connect with her @thelocalbelle.

Ontogeny Recapitulates Phylogeny

Ontogeny Recapitulates Phylogeny. I have no idea why I remember this phrase, which I learned as an undergraduate student 100 years ago. It's actually quite fun to say. Ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny. Ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny.

What it means, in essence, is that the development of an embryo goes through all the same stages as its organism's evolutionary history.

I learned that ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny, not in evolutionary biology, where it seems to have been repudiated, but in a linguistics course. There, the theory states that the individual acquires language in roughly the same sequence in which the language originally developed. One echoes the other.

Which makes me think of cauliflower.

Naturally.

Every time I cut a head of cauliflower, I marvel at how each floret is a miniature version of the entire head.

It has a stem and a top and, if you cut the stem, you get smaller florets that also have a stem and a top.  And so on. And so forth. Whenever I cut a head of cauliflower, the words "ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny" echo in my head.

Then I think about Hashem and the amazing variety of fruits and vegetables He put into this world for us, with all their colors and smells and flavors and textures and sweetnesses and I feel happy.

Chodesh Tov.

Two Tiny Moments

Today was grocery day. We went to the grand re-opening of a store that is reputed to have the very best prices in town. Lots of bags, boxes, cans and bottles, but they have zero produce.

I found a recipe for spinach burgers online that I'm going to tweak to make pareve. Alas, at the second grocery store today, the place where we regularly shop, there was no frozen spinach.

On the way home, we stopped at a third large grocery store and, again, no spinach.

What the heck!? Did Popeye move to Ma'ale Adumim?

There is a smaller store, a cross between a grocery store and a makolet (mini-market), in the neighborhood we pass without really going out of our way. I actually needed zucchinis too. And the onions I forget to get at the last two stores.

I found many fat zucchinis and perfectly acceptable onions at store #4. Emboldened, I went to the frozen section to look for my spinach.

"?יש תרד" (Is there spinach?) I said to the guy stocking the freezer section in perfectly correct Hebrew that I had looked up on my translator app just moments before.

He looked at me with those deer-in-the-headlights eyes I get whenever a clerk is explaining something to me in rapid fire Hebrew.

And he says to me, "I, eeeh, don't speak English."

That's okay, these gorgeous ceramic pomegranates popping up in time for Tu B'Shevat cheered me right up.

Postscript:

In the end, I made spinach balls instead of burgers. Vegan. And yum.

Something Momentous

These are the tools of a voter in Israel. The blue teudat zehut - my national identity card, the postcard that told me where my polling place was, and the slips of paper, each representing the two parties between which I have been tossed for the past few weeks.

Last night, I dreamed that a candidate for one party told me to vote for the other party. That's how deeply uncertain I was.

Today, I stood there and asked Hashem to guide my hand. Today, I voted for the 19th Israeli Knesset in the modern State of Israel. This was my first time voting in a national election as a Jew in in Jewish county. Like a lot of my fellow olim, I said Shehecheyanu- the blessing for special occasions, to express thanks to Hashem for sustaining me and getting me to the point where I can express myself by voting for the party that I think best represents my interests in the government of the State of Israel.

The actual voting took less than 10 minutes, including waiting in line. 

I still feel a little shaky. 

I did something momentous.

In the end, as with all other decisions, the outcome is ultimately in Hashem's Hands.  In the end, I derive great comfort from that.

Haveil Havalim Blog Carnival #394

Founded by Soccer Dad, Haveil Havalim is a carnival of Jewish blogs -- a weekly collection of Jewish & Israeli blog highlights, tidbits and points of interest collected from blogs all around the world. It's hosted by different bloggers each week, jointly coordinated through our Facebook Group, and headed up by Jack.  The term 'Haveil Havalim,' which means"Vanity of Vanities," is from Kohelet, (Ecclesiastes) which was written by King Solomon. King Solomon built the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and later on got all bogged down in materialism and other 'excesses' and realized that it was nothing but 'hevel,' or in English,'vanity.'

If you are a blogger and would like to submit a post or two for consideration for next week's roundup, please email Esser Agaroth  and put "HH" in the subject line.  If you're a Jewish blogger, please join our Facebook Group.  Volunteer hosts are also being sought. All you need is a Jewish blog and about an hour of your time.

There are a pack of new-to-HH bloggers mentioned, as well as some old favorites, in this week's roundup. It's also a very Israel-centric issue. Not that I'm complaining about that :-)

Don't know if immigrants all over the world do this, but in Israel, it's very common to celebrate the anniversary of the day you make aliyah. In this post, Lauren takes a look back on previous posts on her her third aliyahversary. I'm not gonna lie. I was happy that she mentioned one of my own top posts of all time.

As you might have anticipated, there were a lot of weather-related postings this week. Israel had extraordinary weather - heavy rains throughout the country that continued for days and, on Thursday, real, honest-to-goodness snow in Jerusalem and other places around the country.

In this post, Susan from Aliyah on Purpose, reflects on the weather and her first aliyahversary. As far as I know, Susan is a new blogger at HH. I plucked her from obscurity because she often makes me laugh. It's worth reading her blog, called Aliyah On Purpose, on a regular basis. Not by accident, her daughter writes a blog called Aliyah by Accident.

Ruti from Ki Yachol Nuchal! is planning a wedding (Mazal Tov!) so she didn't have time for a lot of words this week. Instead, she gave us one of her fabulous photo blogs, full of snow shots.

Batya had a busy blogging week. She reflects on the way Israelis react to a lot of rain, the way Israelis react to a little snow, the joy of excellent customer service and why a trip between Jerusalem and Shilo will demonstrate that the Land belongs to the Jewish people.

Besides weather in Israel, the upcoming national elections are on everyone's mind. Shev from they call me SHEV writes about how making aliyah changed her perspective on politics.

Esser Agaroth also had politics on the brain last week, though from a, ahem... less uplifting perspective. In this post, he talks about the nasty side of Israeli politics on the far right .And here, he reflects on the recent choice of the Obama administration and what he sees as the fundamental nature of Arabs.

Continuing on the darker theme of governmental threats to the Jewish people, Rafi reminds us what happened in Germany the day after Kristallnacht in 1938.

Shlomo from Thinking Torah reflects on former Chief Rabbi Rav Ovadia Yosef's controversial statement that yeshiva students are better off leaving Israel rather than serving in the IDF. He also reviewed a new English translation of the Mishnah Berurah this week and suggested what English speakers should think about before they invest.

Back to the joy! Living in Israel impacts all of us. Ima2seven writes about how, after learning more about them, she now views the vegetation that grows out of the Kotel stones in a spiritual way.

Finally, in Sussmans b’Aretz, perhaps another new-to-you blog, Romi writes about an "Only in Israel" experience with ricocheting money. I loved her story so much, I wrote a post about the very same thing.

Go ahead. Click a link. Enjoy more of the world of Jewish blogging.

It Just So Happened

A friend and fellow blogger just posted a fabulous story about how she lost a pile of money in a car lease deal that went bad, only to find that Hashem restored the money to her in a most unexpected way.


Living in Israel, I tend to be hyper aware of being under Hashem's hashgacha pratit (Divine Providence or, if you wish, His personal attention). Especially when it comes to money.

Like a lot of olim, we still have some dollars in an account in the Old Country. The particular account we have doesn't charge service fees if we maintain a certain dollar balance. Since we don't earn dollars anymore, so it can be tricky to maintain that balance.

After a recent trip to America, the balance in our dollar account was threatening to drop below the minimum. And, at something like $14/month in service fees, I was trying to avoid that. But how do I move dollars into that account when I don't earn dollars?

Just then, I got a message from a friend and former neighbor asking if she could electronically transfer me a dollar amount, exactly equivalent to the amount I needed to add to our US bank account, in exchange for the equivalent in shekels. Thanks to the wonders of electronic banking, the whole thing was resolved in a few hours. And it just so happened that she and I were going to be at the same place in Jerusalem that very evening so I could give her the cash.

There have been two other recent occasions when we encountered unanticipated expenses. And money just so happened to show up unexpectedly.

If your eyes are open, if your soul is open, you can feel Hashem taking care of you. I'm sure it happens elsewhere too. It's just more obvious here.

Please comment if you have a similar story to share.

Chagim, Targumim and Harsh Reality

I get a lot of feedback from readers who especially like the photo blogs I do occasionally. Most of these pictures already appeared on my Facebook wall, but for those of you who haven't seen them, here are some images of holidays in Israel, some awkward attempts at English translation and one sign that represents a harsh reality.

These gel Chanukah candles are lit inside a glass box with the etched Jerusalem scene. When they are all lit, as in this photo, on the last night of Chanukah, the image is peaceful and serene.

You know Tu B'Shvat is coming when the dried fruit, packaged or fresh mounds, begin to be displayed. Instead of Easter, Halloween and Christmas, we see Jewish holidays promoted at the entrance to grocery stores here.

 

 

 

Although Purim isn't for 7 more weeks, we saw this display of costumes already out in the toy store. Yeah, we bought stuff and felt very ahead of the curve on this one :-)

Awkward attempts to translate product instructions into English are an endless source of amusement. This particular language is for a feminine hygiene product.

My husband took this photo of a funny product on a grocery store shelf. What is Agglomerated? Turns out to be a real English word meaning "to form or collect into a rounded mass." Not sure what it adds to the description "instant coffee", but some have suggested that Brits use the term agglomerated. 

 

Sadly, this sign, seen often in Yehuda and Shomron, is a reality in our complex little country. At least until Moshiach announces himself.

Food Shopping in Israel - new! with pictures

Whenever I have questions about how to translate it, where to buy it or how to prepare it, I find the people in my circle of olim incredibly helpful. 

When I asked fellow olim to share their tips for food shopping in Israel, I was overwhelmed with hundreds of Facebook messages and emails. I went to work, culling the duplications, deleting the personal opinions (unless they were mine) and dividing the responses into information about specific food items and miscellaneous tips about food shopping in general.

This took many, many hours more than I intended, but there's some really quality (and money-saving) information here.There is nothing about this post that pretends to be scientific or comprehensive. It's information that a very giving group of olim thought to share. I did my best to organize it. In some cases, Hebrew names are transliterated and in some case they are spelled in Hebrew letters. It depends on how I received the information.

My deep thanks to the members of the anglo olim community who responded so generously.

And now, here are some things we have learned along the way that might make things easier for you, whether you've yet to make aliyah or have already been living here for some time. Naturally, I take full responsibility for any errors.

SPECIFIC FOOD ITEMS

Apple sauce: Canned resek tapuchim is not actually apple sauce.  It has pits and skin. It can be used 

for baking.

Baking powder: Avkat afiya (אבקת אפיה) is baking powder, but it often says it in English as well.
Some advise importing baking powder. Sold in little packets, usually 10 per cellophane wrapper. One packet is about one scant Tbs.

Baking soda: Soda leshtiya (drinking soda) is baking soda.  It comes in little blue boxes next to the vanilla sugar. You can also find baking soda in decent-sized plastic containers (clear plastic, like the spice jars). It is sometimes labeled as Sodium Bicarbonate in English.

Bananas: It took me awhile to get used to Israeli bananas. They are slightly different. Although bananas are generally available year round, summer bananas often go from green to overripe without an edible stage in between. Winter bananas are much better. Also, Israeli bananas may look more brown and bruised than you're used to on the outside and still be perfect inside.

Bread:

·        There is great bread in Israel, but it's not always possible to find an exact duplicate for what you are used to.

·        There are a couple of brands of packaged, lower calorie breads that are widely available.

·        There is no such thing as white bread in Israel. The closest is called לחם אחיד,  a government subsidized light rye.

·        There is also a government subsidized challah. It's very plain and very inexpensive.

·        Real Jewish rye bread is almost impossible to find unless you go to a special boutique like bakery such as Teller in Machane Yehudah (the shuk) in Jerusalem.

Bread crumbs: Come in cellophane bags, not cardboard canisters.

Broccoli: I had to forget all about the 10 oz boxes of chopped broccoli that were a staple in my American kitchen. I buy the 800 gram bags from the freezer case and I learned to slice the florets into smaller pieces for quiches and soups. I tried kitchen shears but a sharp knife on mostly defrosted florets works best. I've seen the price range by brand from 13 NIS to 40 NIS for the same amount of frozen broccoli. Bodek brand is available here but it's the highest priced.

 
Brussel sprouts: Frozen only. Imported. Not widely available.

Buttermilk: Rivion is the closest substitute, but you can often substitute with gil or leben. Or use milk and a bit of lemon juice.

Chicken:  

·         It's often cheaper fresh than frozen.

·         If you buy frozen, check the date it was frozen.

·         Whole chickens cut in quarters or eighths are not sold here.

·         Buy a decent pair of chicken shears and learn to cut up whole chickens.

·         White meat is often cheaper than dark.

·         There is a difference between chicken wings for cholent and normal ones.

Cooking cream:

·         Called shemenet l'vishul.

·         Comes in 250 ml and 500 ml cardboard boxes like juice boxes.

·         Comes in 23%, 15%, and 10%. 

·         There is also a pareve version, though that's harder to find.

·         Half and half doesn't exist here. If you want coffee cream buy 10% cooking cream.

Cornmeal/Cornflour/Cornstarch - "Cornflor" can be either cornmeal (sometimes called kemach tiras and sold in the same section of the store as beans) or cornstarch (sold in the baking aisle).

Cheese:

·         Lots of people mentioned that it was scary to use to cheese counter but so worth it.

·         Sliced and grated cheese are significantly cheaper when purchased from the cheese counters.

·         The cheese counter is also likely to have types of cheese that you won't find in packages - like cheddar and feta.

·         If it's not crowded at the cheese counter or the cheese stand in Machane Yehudah (the shuk), you can ask to taste different cheeses.

·         You can ask at the cheese counter to slice your cheese thin.

·         Tnuva makes cheddar but it's very very mild. Ask for something "charif yoter" (sharper).

·         Many supermarket deli counters have pre-sliced packages of popular cheeses, such as Gilboa and Emek. This obviates the need to wait in line and is the same cheese that you have sliced to order at the counter. There are also pre-packaged grated cheeses, such as mozzarella and parmesan.

·         If you go to the cheese counter and ask for a mix you get shredded scraps of whatever's left over at the time.

·         Gvina levana (white cheese) is like soft cream cheese, with a little less tang.

·         Hermon is like a salty farmers cheese or a way less salty feta.

·         Baby belle cheeses in the red wrappers are not kosher in the US but are kosher here.

·         The cheese market in Machane Yehudah (the shuk) in Jerusalem has amazing white cheddar cheese from England that is OU.

·         Israel has lots of other cheeses that you can't get kosher in the US.

·         Tiv Tam cheese can most closely be described as pressed cottage cheese, but it's actually strained gvina levana. It is also used as a substitute for Philadelphia cream cheese in cheesecake. It comes in a block wrapped in plastic see through wrap. It spoils quickly so buy it close to use.

Cream Cheese:

·         Philadelphia is occasionally found here, but it's expensive.

·         Gvinat shamenet which is the cream cheese sold in the rectangular containers has a softer consistency. There is one in a black and white speckled tub that looks like a cow pattern and spreads like light cream cheese from the US.

·         The one most like whipped cream cheese here is Napoleon brand (gold & white container)  gvina shamenet b'signon Tzarfati and comes in cups in a few varieties. The one with the yellow daisy is plain.

·         Some people make their own cream cheese.  Take a cheese cloth and hang Israeli 5% cream cheese over night and in the morning you will get the cream cheese you are used to.

·         Another way to make your own cream cheese: add 1/8 teaspoon salt to shamenet and let it strain. You are left with whipped cream cheese.

·         Some use Israeli gvina levana instead of American-style cream cheese for cheesecake

Crembo: A marshmallow, cookie and chocolate confection that's ubiquitous in the winter and nowhere to be found in the summer. Comes in mocha and vanilla, in 8 and 40-packs.

Dairy products: Like milk in the US, many dairy products in Israel come in different fat percentages. This is true for sour cream, hard cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt and, of course, milk.

Deli:

·         Pastrama is not pastrami. It's turkey breast in different incarnations.

·         Try כתף בקר as an affordable beef cold cut.

·         Pastrama cafrit is close to American turkey bologna.

Eggs:

·         There are two dates stamped on eggs. The earlier one is the freshness date if the eggs are unrefrigerated.  The second is the freshness date when they are kept cold.

·         Egg shells are not, ahem... pristine here. Washing them introduces bacteria into the egg. They are, however, generally much fresher. You'll get used to it.

Egg noodles: Called itriot beitzim

Fish: A great chart by fellow oleh Marc Gottlieb on the different kinds of fish available in Israel.

Flour:

·         White, whole wheat and 70% whole wheat are widely available.

·         Flour is sold by the kilo to avoid infestation.

·         Pre sifted is very expensive. Consider buying an electric sifter.

·         I have found the texture of the flour somewhat different, requiring that I add a bit more flour to some recipes.

Grains: Grains should not be bought in a corner store, but rather in one with a large turnover. When buying grains in cellophane, lift up one corner and check for webs, an indication of infestation.

Hawaij:  a Yemenite spice blend to give soups soup/cholent/stew a rich flavor.

Herbs:  Some herbs, including parsley (petrozilia), dill (shamir) and celantro or coriander (cuzbara) are highly perishable.  Cut them up and put them in small plastic bags and freeze. Use as needed.

Hot dogs:  Israeli hot dogs are generally chicken. Beef hot dogs are harder to find. Chofetz Chaim (a Jerusalem butcher that might be worth getting to know) sells beef hot dogs that are the closest to tasting like an American hot dog and they cost the same as the Israeli beef hot dogs. Also try the Tirat Zvi brand beef naknik americai which come in a package of six.

Ketchup: Israeli ketchup is sweeter. Heinz is widely available. We buy cheap Israeli ketchup for cooking and Heinz for french fries and burgers.

Lasagna: Comes in boxes about half the height of a 1-pound box. Dry lasagna is completely flat (no ruffled edges) and is both wider and thinner than lasagna in the US.

Leben: The pink and orange Yotvata brand leben tastes just like yogurt, is one-third the price and has natural colors  from carrots and beets.

Lemon syrup: Try Prigat brand lemon syrup to make lemonade and sweetened iced tea.

Margarine: One stick of American margarine/butter is 100 grams (half an Israeli stick).
Blue Bond stick margarines are widely available and come in yellow wrapper (unsalted), blue (salted), red (butter flavored). Yellow is best for baking.

Meat:

·         Meat cuts in Israel take awhile to master. Here's Marc Gottlieb's great chart of the meatcuts you'll find in Israel.

·         You can get basar chamim (chulent meat) already cut into chunks.

·         Check that meat is kashered--sometimes it's sold without soaking/salting.

·         Ground meat is often mixed with soy.

·         Osher Ad and Rami Levy Mehadrin, both in Givat Shaul, have great selections of the OU Kashrut Israel line called "It's Fleisch" frozen meats with the names we are familiar with, such as brisket, corn beef, etc.

Milk:

·         Skim milk is hard to find.

·         Generally, you can find 1% (red) and 3% (blue). Whole milk is basically 3%. These are the opposite colors from the US.

·         Sometimes 1.5% is available.

·         Milk comes in liter cartons and plastic bags. The bags are 1 liter, which is basically 4 cups.

·         Milk in plastic bags is price-controlled and should cost the same anywhere. It is also cheaper in bags than in cartons.

·         There are clear produce bags near the tubs of milk bags. I have found that the produce bags begin to tear if you put more than 2-3 bags of milk in them.

·         Milk doesn't have vitamin D added unless you buy Yotvata or Tnuva brand 3% milks.

Milk drinks: are milk with water and other flavors added

Oats:  Plain oats are found next to the sugar free stuff, or granola bars, health food, but never with flours, cereals, or grains. Instant oats can be found in almost any supermarket, but the price is around twice that of in the Machane Yehuda shuk, where you can also buy coarse oats. This is called Qvaker (from Quaker Oats.) There is Qvaker Dak-instant oats and Qvaker Ave-the coarse oats. You can also find these at a health food store.

Onions: Yellow (though they are called batzal lavan) and sometimes red onions are available. Raw onions are very strong here and peeling them is a challenge. I have never seen Vadalia onions in Israel.

Paprika: Paprika is sold with and without oil and hot and sweet. Hot paprika is not a bad substitute for cayenne pepper.

Parsnip:  Occasionally available in winter in limited markets.

Pastry:

·         Sufganiyot in Israel are not the same as American style donuts.

·         Herby Dan, Mr. Donut and Brooklyn Bake Shop have American style donuts.

·         Brooklyn Bake Shop has awesome black & white cookies (and a black & white cake) as well.

Pastry Dough/Pie Crust
It is possible to find prepared graham cracker crusts in Israel. If you use them, stock up when you see them because they are hit or miss. Some stores that cater to American olim sell pareve Oronoque prepared pie crusts, but they are very expensive. A great alternative is the widely available puff pastry dough . Comes in a sweet variety (called batzaik sh'marim - metukim in the green wrapper below) and a plain (batzaik alim). There are several brands. I have never been able to distinguish a flavor difference, so I just buy whichever is cheapest. They go on sale often.

Pickles: come in brine or in vinegar. Brine is most familiar to Americans.

Potatoes:

·         Thin-skinned red and white potatoes are widely available. I hardly ever peel potatoes anymore.

·         If a grocery store sells potatoes in a mesh bag, it's perfectly acceptable to open the mesh and take only the size and quantity of potatoes you need.

·         I have seen fresh new potatoes (small) in the gourmet produce section. They are expensive.

·         Since canned potatoes are hard to find here, I just use sliced fresh potatoes in my brisket.

·         No russet/Idaho potatoes here.

Poultry: Marc Gottlieb's poultry chart.

Pizza sauce: יחין makes great lasagna and pizza sauce and they are very affordable. They come in tubs like the tomato paste.

Rubbing alcohol: comes in a tiny bottle and looks exactly like nail polish remover (acetone).

Salsa Rosa - a combination of sour cream and tomato sauce. Very common pasta sauce in restaurants.

Shamenet: Generally refers to sour cream (shamenet chamutza). But the word also refers to cooking cream (shamenet l'vishul), cream cheese (gvinat shamenet) and whipping cream (shamenet lhaktzafa which is 38%).

Silan:  Date syrup that makes a great substitute for honey or molasses.

Soup mix: Available in 1 Kg bags as well as the more familiar plastic tubs. Chicken soup mixes are available pareve and meat. Osem makes both without MSG. 

Sour cream:

·         Called shamenet.

·         Comes in 4-pack of small plastic tubs (200 ml each) or in 1/2 liter containers.

·         Sour cream is a perfect substitute for ricotta in baked pasta dishes such as lasagna.

Spices:

·         Spices are often located close to the meat counter and not the baking aisle

·         Here's Marc Gottlieb's chart of the names of spices in English, Hebrew and transliterated Hebrew:

·         Here's Jacob Richman's spice chart.

Strawberries: Strawberry season in Israel is winter.

Sugar: 

·         Sugar (white and brown) is a bit coarser than Americans are used to.

·         White sugar comes in paper or 1 Kg clear plastic tubs. A kilo in a paper bag is much cheaper so I buy in paper and refill the plastic tubs.

·         I reuse the tubs to store bread crumbs, rice and other grains.

·         Brown sugar comes in the same 1 Kg clear plastic tubs.

·         Both dark and light brown sugar are available.

·         Dark and light brown sugar can sometimes be found in large plastic bags.

·         Light brown sugar is called demerara sugar.

·         Confectioner's (icing) sugar (אבקת סוכר) comes in small packets. One packet is 3/4 c.

Sweet red pepper: Gamba

Swiss chard: the mehadrin packages of what is called alei selek is actually swiss chard.

Techina: buy plain techina paste, add water, lemon, olive oil, garlic and spices for techina. Add water and honey for halava spread.

Tomato paste:

·         Comes in cans and small red plastic tubs, generally two or four together.

·         There are codes on tomato paste that refer to the thickness of the paste.

·         Tomato paste concentration is measured in BX (pronounced 'bricks'). The higher numbers are more concentrated (less water).

·         Tomato paste is typically sold in 22⁰BX or 28⁰BX. 22⁰BX is less concentrated than 28⁰BX.

·         Some say 22⁰BX is tomato sauce.

Vanilla: Imitation vanilla is widely available. Real vanilla is very expensive. If you're a baker, you might want to import real vanilla or learn to make from vanilla bean and vodka.

Vanilla sugar: This is sugar made with vanilla beans or mixed with vanilla extract. Comes in small packets. One packet is a scant Tbs.

Vinegar: White vinegar here is synthetic. Natural vinegar here is light brown but tastes exactly like natural white vinegar from the states.

Yeast: Yeast comes in many different forms. Fresh yeast comes in 4 ounce cubes or in granulated form in packaged from the company Shmirit. Dry yeast is sold in the baking department, generally in 500 gram vacuum sealed foil packages.

MISCELLANEOUS TIPS

American products: Some stores in neighborhoods that cater to American immigrants carry a lot of imports that are not otherwise generally available.

Cartis Moadon: This is a store loyalty card. It's usually the first thing a cashier will ask you in any grocery store. "Cartis moadon?"

Cleaning the kumkum: If you use your kumkum (electric kettle) for a long time you will get calcium deposits inside.  Put in a few tablespoons of lemon salt (melah limon), boil the water and leave over night. In the morning, rinse it out and it will be all clean with no scrubbing.

Cooking from scratch: You will likely do much more cooking from scratch since many prepared/convenience foods are not available in Israel. It's often healthier, and definitely cheaper.

Grocery stores:

·         All grocery stores offer delivery service in Israel, but stores in charedi areas in cities will often automatically offer delivery, without you needing to ask.

·         Supersol (Shufersol) is a very good store brand and their products are worth trying.

·         It's a different culture. In Israel, people will leave a half-empty cart on line, holding their place, while they finish their shopping. This annoys some people.

·         You have to visit a fair number of stores to understand the lay of the land in terms of what is available. Many interesting items can be found in health food stores such as Eden Teva Market in Ramot.

·         Prices are not the same in every branch of a store chain.

Kitniyot at Pesach: Oy! This is a whole separate discussion. Suffice it to say if you don't eat kitniyot on Pesach, you're going to need to take a knowledgeable friend to the store with you when you shop for Pesach. And you're going to need to learn the words, lo chashash kitniyot which means there is no suspicion of kitniyot and you can buy it and l'ochlei kitniyot, which means it's kosher for Passover for those who eat kitniyot.

Stores in certain neighborhoods in Jerusalem, in Modi'in Illit and other cities that specifically cater to American and/or Ashkenazim will have more options than in most of Israel where the majority are kitniyot-eating Sefardim.

Learn metrics.

Make friends with your grocer. He can teach you tips about how things are used in Israel with which you are unfamiliar -- and you can get a Hebrew lesson in the bargain.

Packaging: Many more things are packaged in cellophane than in cardboard (e.g. bread crumbs, pasta, etc.)

Produce:

·         Eating seasonal is a new concept. You can't always get what you want when you want it. On the other hand, it's always a joy when new fruits come into season.

·         On Sunday evenings, the fruits and vegetables at the Jerusalem shuk are cheaper than usual.

·         The internet is a great resource for learning how to use ingredients with which you are not familiar (e.g. kohlrabi, dragon fruit, etc.).

Quantities:

·         Packages are generally much smaller in Israel. Perhaps that's due to the fact that people have less room to store things and there are no warehouse clubs here.

·         The one consistent exception is toilet paper which seems to come only in large quantities.

·         Certain common spices come in very large containers.

·         If you are buying something that sells in packages of 1 liter or 2 - check the price. People assume that per liter, the 1 liter will be more expensive. Amazingly enough - a lot of times, it is cheaper to buy two or three ONE liter bottles than to buy the two or three liter bottle.

Receipts: Look at your receipts after finishing grocery shopping. Sometimes you are entitled to free gifts that you can claim from the kupa rashit (service desk).

Sales:

·        Sale price signs on grocery store shelves generally list the last four numbers of the UPC code for the products that are actually included in the sale price. CHECK THE CODE. Do not assume the merchandise above/below the sign is actually connected to the sale.

·         Look at the sign. See if it says mogbal l' - restricted to x number of items- that means, you can buy only that number for the sale price; after that, it will be priced at full price.

·        When something is on sale "2 for..." or "3 for..." etc., you only get the discount if you buy that number of units.

·         1+2: This means, buy two, get one free, NOT, buy one, get two free as I once thought when buying pasta. Remember, Hebrew reads right to left :-)

Stores in Israel periodically run brand sales where everything from a particular brand is on sale - typically 20-25% off.

Translations: A GREAT tool in the grocery store is a smart phone and a translator app so you can translate words on packaging.

I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted now. Comments, corrections, clarifications are most welcome.

NOTE: If you have more questions about what's available in Israel, I highly recommend that you join the Facebook group called Israeli Foodies. The people in that group are super helpful about everything food-related in Israel.