Second year student

I've voluntarily cursed myself with a continuation of another Hebrew course. Yes, as if the humiliations of last semester weren't enough, I decided to rise up for the challenge yet again and keep struggling with this foreign language. It is stressful at work again so I need that counterbalance anyway...

A tiny factor for creating stupid, useless arguments between an Israeli guy and a Finnish girl is to urge the Finnish person to read Hebrew. Reading without what I call the vowels. Infuriating. It is simply impossible to guess what a word means if your basic vocabulary is on the same level what a chimpanzee would know after completing immense training for years in this language. To give the Israeli an idea what it is like, I tried the same in Finnish. Do you know what this word is?

rhtomtti

Yes, a few vowels missing. For a Finn, it might be easy to figure out but for you foreigners, probably not. (Hint: I twisted this word in Hebrew to something nasty, similar to the word you use for "glass" in Hebrew.)

To bring back some of the alphabet learnt last time around, I'm posting some familiar writing below encountered in Israel. But for the record, I would not have been able to figure out the red & white text if I hadn't recognized the logo and famous bottle shape...

Mickey D's! Mem, kof, dalet, vav, nun, lamed, dalet, samech... Be-te avon!

Le chaim!

Gesundheit!

Often when I visit Israel, people keep on going about the wonderful educational system that my home country has. How come the kids are so smart and always top the PISA tests, what's our secret? I don't have an answer to this question. I guess we are just doing something right, for change.

Another topic often discussed is health care, and here I've had a gut feeling Finland has not got a lot to boast about comparing to Israel. A recent study by Bloomberg proves my concerns right: the health care system built in the 1970s in Finland doesn't serve the country today anymore. It is inefficient, complicated and expensive.

Finland was ranked 23rd the Bloomberg study, losing to countries like Thailand, Poland, Libya and Mexico. These are countries most Finns would like to regard as "lower grade" countries comparing to Finland... Poorer living standard, GDP, infrastructure etc. Ouch - not quite so in every aspect! Israel topped the study and was placed 4th - beating all European countries.

There was an article in a local newspaper a while back how our health care services should be sold to the Russians. They are often seeking treatment outside their own country, and the proximity to this vast market and (relatively) high quality of health care would impose an opportunity to Finland to make an extra buck. The article also mentioned that many Russians actually fly currently to Israel for medical treatment, obvious reasons being firstly, they need no visa to enter Israel and secondly, the quality of medical care is top-notch.

Even though this study doesn't reveal the entire truth, I do think that Finland could have something to learn from Israel. Read an article related to the study here.

Very much alive - at the Dead Sea

Summer 2013 was the time when I hit the lowest point ever during my life. Literally. Some what 420 meters below sea level.

Nearly ten time saltier than your average sea, the Dead Sea is somewhat a unique formation in the world. In Hebrew, it is called Yam ha Melah - the Sea of Salt - which is actually more describing than naming it dead. Fine, the sea itself doesn't really host life in the water or on the bottom and drinking more than a glass of the salty water means you need to rush to the nearest hospital. But the place is very much alive, hosting hotels and beach resorts both on the Israeli and Jordan shores, not to mention providing minerals and ingredients for the blooming cosmetics business.

The area around the Dead Sea is much warmer that the rest of Israel. If it was +30C when passing by Jerusalem, the thermometer hit my personal record of +42C at the Dead Sea. From afar, and near, it actually looks like any other sea. Blue, watery, pale sandy bottom...

Looks normal, right?

The fun actually starts when you dive in. Well, actually, correction - NEVER DIVE in the Dead Sea. Keeping your head above this sea level is crucial. The saltiness is exquisite and you don't want it anywhere near your nose, mouth or eyes. The sea will kindly remind you of any tiny little cuts (may it be neglected cuticles, uncomfortable shoes you wore the day before) you might have in your body. My hair got dipped in the water when I was floating on my back. After getting out of the sea, some water dripped from my hair to my face and eventually ended up in my eyes. The burning feeling was very unpleasant. I was not able to open my eyes due to the terrible burning sensation (for a moment I could have sworn I'm going to lose my eye sight), so my boyfriend had to lead me like a blind person to the showers to rinse it off. Luckily, the normal water helped rather quickly.

On the positive note, the Dead Sea is very generous and supportive if you happen to be a bad swimmer or suffer from skin problems. Here you can float around without much effort: the saltiness will make sure you stay on the surface. People with psoriasis have been coming to the sea to get help for their condition.

Another beach gimmick that is not very common was the barrels of mud & clay fished out of the Dead Sea, place conveniently near the shore. It was literally about getting dirty - sink your arms elbow deep, grab a chunk of mud and rub it all over yourself. Let it work its magic on your skin until the sun has dried it up, then take a dip and your skill will, most likely, feel nice and smooth.

The quickest "tan" I ever got! The mud also covers any unwanted body hair, hides cellulite and makes your teeth look whiter. Perfect beach attire, that is!

In addition to the Dead Sea, this beach with full facilities had a sulphur pool (very warm water - felt like making human soup). I haven't had time to google what kind of benefits sulphur has, but I'm sure it was a very healthy dip in the pool for the recommended 10-15 minutes. And after these extraordinary aquatic experiences, the regular pool at the beach didn't seem too interesting.

The pool with natural water containing heaps of sulphur.

Not to be pessimistic, but I remember when visiting Venice, Italy, I thought how long would the human kind be able to join that wonderful city - until it finally sinks underwater. The Dead Sea might be a similar, disappearing sight on this planet, as it has been decreasing in size. And there was gruelling evidence showing you this: at this beach, the first showers, bar and lifeguard booth were built approximately 70 meters up from the current seashore. That's how much the water level had withdrawn.

Constructions left unused.

So, we have already a warning example of the Lake Aral in Russia - so I suggest you book your visit to the Dead Sea as soon as possible. If you're not able to visit it in person, you can always indulge yourself with dead sea cosmetics I'm sure can be found at your local beauty store.

Shiksa at the shuk

One of the few new words I learnt in Israel this summer was shuk, which means the market. In Tel Aviv, Shuk Ha Carmel - The Carmel Market - is a nice place for any visitor to swing by.

The Carmel Market is probably the reason why they call Israel the land of milk and honey. Or the land of plenty. Since everything grows in that generous climate, you are bound to find all the fruits from A to Z in this place. For a Northerner like me, there are fruits that I didn't even recognize. And I'm still not sure whether sabra is in just plain simply cactus fruit in English or kaktushedelmä in Finnish.

This time, I actually tasted this thorny procude of Mother Nature. Semi-sweet but a bit rough on the teeth thanks to the seeds. Israeli citizens born in Israel are called sabras, and no wonder why. They are a bit hard to handle :).

Even though it was your typical hot July summer day, a stroll at the Carmel market is actually quite refreshing. Not only is there continuous shade thanks to the booths and their marquise, the fresh fruit juices prepared according to your wishes keep you going and contribute your five colors/half a kilo/vitamins from A to Z a day for sure. Talking about a liquid lunch that keeps you filled and is also approved by your GP...

This stuff puts the 0,99 EUR sugary, colored liquid they claim to be fruit juice at my nearby supermarket to shame.

I love going to a market like this and look in awe at all the products they sell. The fruits, the spices, all the beans and lentils, vegetables... I know where I would go for grocery shopping every weekend if I lived in Tel Aviv. And lead such a healthy life, right?! This time, I grabbed some granola, raw tahina, sweet tahina and hamsa keyrings to bring home. As for spices, I still didn't have to bother to buy a refill for some chili, as the tiny red little buggers I got at Mahane Yehuda in Jerusalem last year are nowhere near to finishing. Half a chili is enough to light a fire in my kitchen.

Israel, the only pancontinental country in the world

During my first visit(s) in Israel, I was kind of ready to label the place as one of those typical Mediterranean countries like Greece. There was a lot of text book material in Israel to draw this conclusion from and just to name a few...

• the ever-baffling equation of low salaries and high rents - how do (young) people get by...
• time: it's not uncommon to have lunch at 3-4pm, dinner at 10-11pm
• the free, small, thin and afterwards useless plastic bags at supermarkets
• public transport is overruled by cars, cars and more cars, and the traffic is probably where you're as a tourist most likely to get killed (not the rockets from Gaza or suicide bombers)
• and yes, don't walk anywhere, always take a car
• if people raise their voices, it doesn't necessarily mean there's an argument or a fight, they just are loud
• mothers have a genetic mutation which makes them unbelievably talented in the kitchen
• they make great wines
• and I don't really need to mention the climate.

So yeah, I was heavily starting to believe that the Mediterranean has some sort of substance in its water which evaporates in the air, making all the countries around it, including Israel chaotic and similar somehow. I mean, when you think about it, Spain, Italy and Greece are totally lost with their capability to handle money. On the other side of their shore are Tunis, Egypt etc. who have been in a turmoil and political imbalance for some time already. Not to mention Lebanon, Syria, Turkey. Israel falls under this category, whether it wants to be there or not. The only country who more or less has its act together in that region is actually France. The only reason must be that geographically France extents so much in the North so it is able to breath in some of that cool air to create sense, order and stability.

Photo borrowed from www.greenprophet.com

 (I hope that you readers are smart enough to sense the sarcastic tone of this text. As I don't know you, just wanted to be on the safe side and mention this at this point.)

Wikipedia says Israel is in Middle East, Madonna claims her Sticky and Sweet world tour ended in Israel, Asia. Some claim that the country does not even exist - depending on which source you have at hand. I was, however, based on my first conclusions, ready to label it Mediterranean, which would make it, well sort of European. Israel is participating in the Eurovision song contest, too and I remember someone rooting for Israel's membership in the European Union, as most people living there originate from Europe.

But was I right? On second thought, maybe not. When visiting the country again, and then again, I started to sense some North American tones in the air. I'm not talking about Nike and Coca Cola here (these could be categorized global nowadays) but it shouldn't come as a surprise that some extra American influence has landed in Israel. USA is good buddies with Israel after all.

Photo borrowed from www.tabletmag.com

I mean, take a look what's going on in the retail business in Israel: malls. Everyone does their shopping in huge, clean, state-of-the-art malls. With food courts, cinemas and the GAP. Old cute city centers are suffering in the shadow of these beautiful air conditioned architectural erections. Or how about that Mediterranean style traffic? On a second thought, everyone is driving an SUV, Jeep or any other monster truck that is sure to set you back with the gasoline budget. There must be more Buicks in Israel than in Europe, not to mention the unexplainable absence of the ultimate solution to congested, parking-handicapped busy Mediterranean cities: the Smart car. I did not see even one in Tel Aviv, although my logic was that this would be the car I would own if I was living there.

Another thing to add to this mix is the food and restaurants. Stingy Scandinavian restaurant owners will leave you hungry but in the land of plenty - both USA and Israel - your food portions will be huge and probably too large for you to handle. Tipping is common in some places in Europe but it is far more prominent in Israel, just like in the States. It is mandatory and if you leave too little, the waiter will run after you asking "what the hell". This would never happen at least in my precious Finland, and no need to add that I am a cheap tipper. Put the final price on the tag or the menu so I know what I'm getting, please. One more thing the US and Israel have in common that the society is a melting pot. The US has by now formed a strong national identity and culture (yes, I think the US has culture, you Euristocrats shush now), Israel is getting there but the fact remains that both countries are built on immigration.

So, there obviously are some factors that make Israel more American than most of the countries in Europe. I don't want to let you off that easy, though, since things never are so simple when it comes to Israel. There are some key American factors that are missing in that country. Despite the huge food portions, obesity isn't nearly as big a problem in Israel as it is in the US. So, it must be the famous healthy Mediterranean diet that keeps their weight normal? Also, in American companies' high school, Starbucks and Burger King would easily be voted "most likely to succeed". Nope, not so much in Israel. They prefer their own Aroma coffee, Moses burgers and maybe the kosher McDonald's on the side.

So, I am left a bit confused here. The country located in Europe, Asia or Middle East. The country that uses other than Latin alphabet (Hebrew, Arabic and Russian must be most popular), speaking at least a hundred languages and driving American cars with Mediterranean attitude, while eating a kosher American burger and sipping Israeli coffee. I guess this is something you get when you combine centuries of exile and diaspora around the world in a religion and these people cramming themselves together again in a tiny country, cooperating with the Americans and located in a bad crazy neighborhood. With all its beauty, complexity and flaws, a truly unique country in the world. This is what Israel is now.

Photo borrowed from www.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk

Kosher golden arches

My recent visit was yet another typical taunt for my poor boyfriend, as I demanded to try or do things unique only for Israel. One thing on the list was to try my very own friendly neighborhood restaurant's kosher version... McDonald's.

Not all McDonald's restaurants are kosher in Israel. We actually had to search for one online. Before, I wouldn't have been able to tell a kosher and regular McDonald's apart (I actually hadn't seen one, there aren't that many around) but now finally after visiting one, the difference is obvious, of course: thou shall not cook a lamb in its mother's milk. Therefore, products containing dairy (special coffees, Sundaes etc.) and meat products are sold and served from two totally different counters. Naturally, meat and dairy need to be kept separate.

Only dairy products from this corner. For burgers, move little to the right.

 I had wondered before how they have chosen to tackle this problem in an all American fast food restaurant with non-kosher food. Maybe replacing regular milk with soy milk in the milkshake? It was nothing like this, though.

Even though the McDonald's in Israel had some interesting burgers on the menu that are not sold back home, I opted for a classic and ordered a Big Mac. And you know what, it tasted the same. Minus the cheese, of course. I'm lovin' it!

Looks the same, taste the same, cost the same. McDonald's stays true to its flavors.

The Promise

I overheard a coffee break discussion at work the other day about a TV mini series called "The Promise"(Luvattu maa in Finnish, bad translation). The series had worked as an eye-opener for some of the people discussing it how the Jews in Israel are not as innocent as they appear to be. What was this series all about? Naturally, I had to check it out asap...

Since I had missed the TV airing times for the series, I was lucky to catch all the four episodes online at Yle Areena service (getting my tax money's worth). Warning for those who do not want spoilers, I advise you to stop reading now.

The plot seemed interesting at first... A young English girl named Erin travels to Israel to keep company for a friend who flies back to do her military service. Before this trip, Erin had found his grandfather's old diary from the days when he was stationed in Palestine during the British Mandate. Erin's visit to Israel starts all ooh-la-la-you've-got-villas-with-pools, shopping in swanky boutiques and dancing the night away in a huge, pulsating nightclub. As the story bounces back and forth between modern day (Erin) and the 1940s (the grandfather), shots from liberated concentration camps are shown and those who survived, how happily they arrived in Palestine - liberated, alive, in search for hope after the horrendousgenocide. You might think the series is a ploy from the Israeli government for good word-of-mouth. But then the story changes. The brother of Erin's friend shows up and he is pro-Palestine and starts showing her the other side of the coin.

What started as a seemingly positive story about Israel, quickly turns sour for the Jewish folks. The only "negative" thing about the Arabs/Palestinians portrayed is a suicide bomber attack in a cafe but the rest concentrates on how seemingly the majority of the Jews were members of Irgun (and therefore murderous, deceiving and just terrible people hungry for blood) and how the settlers spit and trash the Arab citizens of the country. While these might not be far-fetched, I'm sure all of Israel is not like this and most of them would be embarrassed of such things to begin with.

Erin's visit to Gaza was the anti-climax of the show, the character's unreal attempts to sympathize with the locals and chaining herself to a building to stop the destruction of it. Please, how naive. The conflict lies way deeper and the fact that Erin tried to solve it by clinging on to a young Palestinian girl (who was to be used as a human shield by the IDF) was just irritating.

The series, I'm guessing, is trying to be impartial and demonstrate the story through the Brits, Jews, Arabs, 1940s and modern time. Quoting the grandfather character from the end, at first he would have let the Jews have anything (after seeing the concentration camps) but now... he wasn't so sure anymore. A country born out of violence will live with the same violence until the (bitter?) end.

The whole conflict is sad, and probably most of the people in the area are not war-maniacs wishing for the blockages, bombings and rockets to continue. When things are prolonged and go on for a long time, societies and nations evolve and change, and the root of it all starts to get blurred. When you kill, it's terrorism? When we will, it is self-protection? Difficult questions that "The Promise" wasn't able to answer and probably didn't intend to do so, after all.

Picture borrowed from Wikipedia.

Saving Private... Pictures

The IDF recruits - mainly the female ones - have made headlines a couple of times by posting seductive photos of themselves in little clothing accessorized with rifles in the social media. Usually these photos have lead to disciplinary measures in the army, but never-the-less the ladies manages to show another side of, ehm, army life.

Probably one of the world's most useless polls, but The Sun magazine decided to find out which country has the sexiest female soldiers. I could have sworn Israel would have won this due to to recent activity in SoMe, but surprisingly, it was Romania who took home the 1st prize. Israel placed 6th, Finland 8th.

IDF's finest...

www.mirror.co.uk

...and a more humble Finn wearing "cucumber salad".

www.puolustusvoimat.fi

As you probably might know, military service is compulsory for both guys and girls in Israel. And we're not talking about a few months here. At its lowest, you can be done with your service in Finland in mere 165 days. In Israel, guys need to prepare for 3 years and girls for 2. This for teens finishing their high school might seem like an eternity. Finns at that age would be planning gap years and what not, while their Israeli counterparts prepare to endure military life for longer than in many other countries.

I've often wondered how lucky I am in that sense that my local army is not at all interested in my services. In Finland, women are in no way obliged to do military service but can voluntarily join. However, before doing so they need to go through e.g. a medical check to get approval. I have no friends who would have gone through this trouble...

Oy vey what an oil!

My love affair with Moroccan Oil continues... Now I've finally acquired a bottle of this nectar for thirsty hair home. It is a pricey product (125ml bottle costs about 50,00 EUR), but nothing beats the sensation, smell and feeling of soft hair after applying this magic substance.

After checking some prices, getting this good stuff directly from the source is more affordable. A 200ml bottle in Israel would leave me around 40,00 EUR poorer - but still give me twice as much of the oil. Needless to say, next time around I won't be carrying olive oli home from Israel but Moroccan Oil!

Picture borrowed from http://aroundthewaycurls.com

The gay "Marry Me"

It was not a long time ago I wrote here about the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest and Finland's poor success in this merry musical event. But now out of the blue, a parody video of her song has been made - also to reflect a very hot topic currently in Europe related to the title of the song: yes, it's a gay version of Krista's "Marry me"!

Awesome, but what makes it even more awesome, the video was made by an Israeli and a Swiss guy. This is not their first time when using Finland's ESC participants as a source of inspiration - they did a similar video in 2010.

Check out the latest made by the Parody Guys Dekel Ben Avi and Bastien Venturi's and look for glimpses of Helsinki and Tel Aviv! There's no such thing as bad publicity and since 150 volunteers participated in making this video, let's hope this video boosts Krista's success in the upcoming contest! Love is in the air :-)...

PS. Is the onion ring a common joke in Israel? I think I heard it before!

Got to appreciate stereotypes!

Have you ever come across the little book series called Xenophobe's guides? I have, and have two editions - guess which ones? ;-)

The Israeli version I have read through twice, first time last summer. The Finn version I read yesterday for the first time and actually laughed out loud. People on the same airplane turned around to see why I was so noisy (like typical Finns would do).

Usually I am not a big fan of stereotypes, probably because I like to consider myself as a non-typical Finn: I don't like the sauna or summer cottages. I don't go silent in all five languages, I do master smalltalk and use body language and facial expressions when communicating. Even though the Xenophobe's guide to the Finns touches upon these features I don't recognize in myself, the book offered me moments where I had to be honest to myself: alas, this is so true, this is how I am. How spot on.

What about the Israeli one? The great thing about the book is that it actually talks about Israelis - not necessarily pin-pointing Jews. It manages to go where I have not been able to go yet: define what is Israel, who is an Israeli and who is a Jew. Because an Israeli doesn't always equal Jew or Jew an Israeli.

These books are highly recommended reading if you're interested to know about the people in a country. Not where to get good lunch or what are the most important sights, but who make up the country to what is is!

Shiksas keep out

It was Friday afternoon, I had worked until 6pm again and felt really bored with all that... Playing around with my mobile phone on the subway before hitting the bar to have a drink with friends, I tuned in for the daily Times of Israel newsletter and noticed this ad:

Exactly what was needed to catch my attention. My imagination started galloping... why not enter this contest - what's the worst thing that could happen? One year in Israel, working for one of these companies, learning the language, getting a real taste of the culture (so I'd actually know what I'm talking about here), and a perfect getaway and wake-up call from the ever-so-dull routine I have developed back home. I could rent out my apartment for one year, no biggie, and IBM, KPMG or the likes of them would not look bad on my resumé either.

Before I texted "let's try this out!!!" to my Finnish friend who is an Israel fan, I started reading the details of the contest. My enthusiasm took a nose-dive from 100 to 0, when the rules for the contestants were:

• Must be Jewish or of Jewish descent.
• Must be a citizen of the US or Canada.

My first reaction was that this is discrimination - something I'm not really used when living in Finland and belonging to the boring majority of people here. "This is my Israel"? More like that is their Israel, shiksas from the 236th tribe keep out. Landing a dream job in Israel is not for you.

Then I started thinking that the newspaper and newsletter are probably not really targeted to the likes of me to begin with. That ad was never meant for my eyes to be seen and to be misunderstood that it is not for everybody but concerns North American Jews who are thinking of aliyah.

Well, never mind, it was not meant to be. After a mojito and catching up with friends, things didn't seem so grim after all. There are other dreams and jobs out there.

(View the contest here.)

Goldie Locks' secret

Well, not such a secret any longer. The famous Moroccanoil products have finally taken off in Finland as well, and you can spot them being sold at many hairdressers' and beauty salons. I was introduced to Moroccanoil some time ago when the long, cruel winter had made my locks look dull, dead and dry. To defy these three D's, my hairdresser introduced my hair to Moroccanoil - and it came back alive!

This winter has been extraordinarily long and cruel. It's mid-March, and we still got freezing temperatures and new snow coming in. I decided to opt for Moroccanoil to battle the syndrome of dry hair, and naturally am happy to support these miracle Israeli products meanwhile. The shampoo and conditioner were expensive, but hey, but you get what you pay for. The flagship product, the treatment oil itself, is something even Madonna would take with her to a deserted island!

Find your favorite product at the official website. For where to buy Moroccanoil in Finland, check this page.

Greetings from Israel! We are here to save you from dull & dead hair!

Nomen est omen

The Latin proverb that got the honor of serving as this post's header is something I sometimes believe in. The name is an omen. The RMS Titanic sank – after all it was named after the gods that were overthrown by a better race in Greek mythology. Titanic nor the Titans lasted to see the future. Or what about the Finnish football team called Atlantis? Needless to say, they declared bankruptcy and nowadays have disappeared and are never to be found, much like their more famous namesake island.

Jewish names, both first names and family names are a very interesting topic for anyone interested in etymology and history. This is where the nerdy part of this post begins, so stop reading unless you really are interested :). There is the most obvious source for first names: Biblical writings. Abraham, Jacob, Adam, Noah, Ruth, Sarah, Deborah... All familiar names even to the Christians. On a more general note, nearly all names that have an ending -el can be traced back to the Hebrew language: Daniel, Gabriel, Michael, Raphael... Other common first names used by the Israelis or Jews have a more simple explanation in the Hebrew language.

There is a superstition in Judaism (especially among the Ashkenazim) that you must not name a child after a living relative. The Angel of Death might confuse these two persons carrying the same name – and accidentally grab the new-born from here to eternity. And by the way, how is a Jewish naming ceremony of a baby since there is no baptism or Christening? For boys it is at the brit milah ceremony (circumcision, at the age of 8 days) and for girls at a ceremony in a synagogue.

There is a trend among the Jews returning to Israel that they change their change or translate their last name of more foreign origin into Hebrew. Sometimes the Hebraization of the name is very literal: Abrahamovich (the -ovich/-owicz/-owitz ending meaning “son of” in Slavic regions) becomes Ben Avraham. The famous Israel Prime Minister David Ben Gurion chose a more of a free styling change for his name: Gryn became Ben Gurion. Some chose a more thorough road and abandoned their old name altogether, and started using e.g. Ben-Artzi, meaning “son of my land”.

(Mind you, a similar trend aspired in Finland during the 1800s when independence was still a dream – but a desire for a Finnish nation lived among the people. Many people with a Swedish last name changed or translated their last name according to whatever circumstances the family had. Even I would be called Eriksson nowadays if there hadn't been a switch by my great-great-grandfather.)

Many of the Ashkenazi Jews have a very German-sounding last name. Only three family names are of pure Jewish origin to begin with (Cohen, Levi and Israel). But as most did not have a family name but were merely called the son or daughter of someone, the German and Austro-Hungarian empire that in the 1700s imposed the Jews living in the region to adapt a last name... There are beautiful examples of e.g. Edelstein (“precious stone”), Rosenthal (“rose valley”) to more humble names such as Klein (fine, it means “small” but is associated a big fashion house nowadays) or Fisch (needs no translation). You can't judge a person by their last name though: not all German names mean that the person is Jewish. The Sepharic Jews had, by the way, adopted the use of family names much earlier.

Those going through conversion to Judaism usually adapt a Hebrew name for themselves. Traditionally, males pick Abraham and females Sarah. These names are favored because Abraham is quoted in the holy book to be “the father of a multitute of nations” (= hence, he can be the father of a convert having a totally non-Jewish background) and Sarah was his wife. Not everyone goes with the flow, of course. Madonna is known as Esther, and Marilyn Monroe never revealed which Hebrew name the Rabbi gave her from the Bible. My first name would not need much Hebraization: change one letter and there you have it...

This post is merely a scratch on the surface of the interesting world of names. If you're interested to learn more, dig in at behindthename.com, for example.

This blogger's mind-boggler

I can't remember where I picked up this little book of whys, but it is a pretty efficient, straight-to-the-point declaration on matter relating to the Jewish faith.

The first "why" question, in the first chapter, explains the fact that why the religion of the mother is the primary factor in determining if a child is Jewish or not. I'm pretty sure I've discussed this topic before in my blog; how Judaism only considers those born from a Jewish mother as Jews. You are considered non-Jewish, if your mother is non-Jewish. Doesn't matter if your dad is a rabbi, you're still not among the chosen ones.

This rule was established because of a pretty simple reason (here comes the why). One can be sure who gave birth to a child - but of the father you can never be sure. Or to say the least, in some circumstances it can be questioned. Fine, nowadays we have those mail order DNA tests and all that to help you if you're in doubt, but back then for the Jews, perhaps just a teeny tiny bit suspicious by their nature, the mother was the 100% source of Judaism and this remains until today.

So, us shiksas out there, out here. Anything that would crawl out of our foreign loins would never be considered Jewish. But here comes the catch: if I did have kids with a Jew, the kids would be entitled to receive Israeli citizenship. And even my children's children would still have this birth right.

This is where the confusion begins. Israel, the state established for Jews, historically based on Zionism, is willing to grant its citizenship just-like-that to someone that officially, according to the real, religious rules isn't even Jewish. My little book of whys does not answer my question why is this and how this contradiction persists.

One could argue back that not all Israelis are Jews. And this is true. While Jews are the majority in the country, there are minorities of Arabs/Muslims, Druze and Christians. Therefore, you might catch an Arab with an Israeli passport at the airport. But no "outsider" Christian or Arab would be granted the citizenship without ifs or buts and allowed to do aliyah, unless their would prove one of their grandparents being Jewish (the Orthodox Jews would probably add here, that it would have to be the maternal grandmother - if any). And we come back to the matter of one having a Jewish bloodline.

And yes, shiksas can convert. Someone might point out here that even the first Jews ever were converts. But Judaism is not something you can just go and be 100% , is it? Same thing if I convert, I'd always be Christian by background. If I lived in Switzerland for 20 years and got citizenship, I'd still be Finnish under the surface. Nationality and religion are something more profound, something you're born into. Political ideologies e.g. communism doesn't know this kind of so-called restrictions. One can be a 100% communist regardless of where they come from. But can a convert-Jew ever be considered 100% Jewish? This is probably a matter of opinion...

When it comes down to it, Judaism and Israel are more than just a plain religion or a plain sovereign country. They are like Siamese twins, so grown together that you can't separate the one from the other. There are two heads thinking independently: the Jewish one thinking in religious terms and the Israeli one tuned into a more secular mindset. Somehow, though, they need to co-exist, because both without one another, would be way worse off.

Want more?

Here is a couple of my favorite websites. Topics and news on Israel and Judaism. Just sharing them with you, in case my blog isn't enough, ha ha!

The Times of Israel - my all-you-need-to-know what is going on in Israel. The daily e-mail newsletter keeps me updated. News and mostly other formal stuff. But check out blogger Sarah Tuttle-Singer: she is hilarious but with a point!

Jewcy.com - what ever is going on in the Jewish world, celebs and all, check out this website. Drew Barrymore's life as a shiksa. Jewish celebrities high school yearbook photos ranked. Not your bubbe's recipes section. Subscribe!

Bubala Please - already mentioned this last December. So far four episodes featuring an ethnic variety presenting Jewish stuff. Hell yeah, putos. The latest episode is on Purim - a Jewish holiday that was celebrated this week!

Tundra Tabloits - proud Finnish supporters of Israel and the US. From a political point of view.

Jerusalem Post - catch up on on-going stuff in Israel. Here you also have a possibility to practice your Hebrew reading skills (if you need any).

Judaism 101 - all you could ever need to know about Judaism is crunched into this website. A comprehensive guide for beginners and for the more experienced ones.

The Shiksa Blog - warning, browsing this blog may wake up your kosher appetite! Delicious recipes I intend to try out... one day...!

Divas, monsters and music!

The time of the year is getting closer... Yeah, yeah, yeah! All the countries in Europe are digging into their national talents to find the perfect, unheard, cheesiest euro-trashpop song to bring home gold in the annual Eurovision Song Contest!

Finland has made its choice and goes to Malmö, Sweden this year equipped with Krista Siegfrids, who is desperate for you to marry her. Check out the video below... Can you spot influence from Katy Perry, 80's Madonna, maybe a dash of Carly Rae Jepsen? I actually quite like it!

Finland has won the Eurovision Song Contest just once since joining in 1961. It happened in 2006 in Athens, when don't-ask-me-where-they-came-from Lordi won the contest with back then records points. Hard Rock Hallelujah rocked Europe and found its way to my iPod, too. I remember that night well when I was in a nightclub and towards the end of the contest, the DJ stopped playing, people stopped dancing, someone turned up the TVs, people gathered around the screens to stare in awe and amazement - is this really happening? It did - and needless to say Hard Rock Hallelujah was played non-stop for the remainder of the night. Never ever had Finland received douze points from so many countries!

Israel has been a bit more successful that Finland in this musical battlefield. They joined the contest in 1973, and have won a total of three times. The most memorable one of the winners is by far Dana International with his her Diva performance in 1998. The 70's were Israel's golden era though when they won twice in a row.

Finland has many years been very confident about succeeding in the contest, but more often than that we've come in last place, sometimes missing qualification and next year's contest even. Those with the money are always in (the UK, Spain, Germany and France) and those with good neighbors are guaranteed with success. Yes, certain blocks for voting have been formed - and Finland is highly discriminated in its own block. The other Nordic countries rarely vote for us, even though we quite diligently always remember to grant at least Sweden some points. For example, Greece and Cyprus can rely on each other, Ireland and the UK favor one another and the Warsaw pact (Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, Russia, Armenia) always pull through for each other.

Despite the contest being called Eurovision, many non-European countries participate. Israel is a good example of this. I have not noticed Israel belonging to any voting block, so, maybe Israel and Finland should establish one? The Edge Countries Axis? :-)

Casting votes, light, shadows?

Finland has carefully tuned into the election day of Israel this Tuesday. I only had to open the TV in the morning when preparing to go to work, and Hebrew letters and Israeli flags were all over the screen. Speculations about the results were exchanged: if Netanyahu wins is peace in the region more unlikely? And what about other topics, such as cost of living expenses in Israel which cause debates among the citizens of the country?

Following the day and news, Israelis seem to have been very active in voting this time and while this might be of benefit for the opposition, Netanyahu is still expected to take home the prize. Final results of the elections will be released tomorrow. Let's hope that casting all the votes will create a government that will cast light on a stable, peaceful Israel.

Eilat, Eilat

Eila is a Finnish female name. That's why the Israeli town ”Eilat” sounds like two Eilas in our language. So, what about visiting these two lovely ladies – if you get my joke? :)

It all started with my cousin actually. It was a painfully long Finnish winter. Dark, cold and snowy – the usual stuff. A break in a warm, sunny destination sounded like a great idea. As Spain, Italy or Greece aren't too warm in March/April, we looked for a destination more in the South, but close enough for the trip to be reasonably priced and worth going for one week. Eilat fit our criteria. But, between my work projects and her thesis pains, we weren't able to find a time slot that would fit both of our schedules.

I told my mother about this who then suddenly jumped at the chance: I want to visit Israel! It didn't take long until we booked the holiday in Eilat in January, and my long, dark winter started looking much better as I had something to look forward to in early March. From then on, it was counting the days till we leave.

And finally the 8^th of March came. The charter flight took something between four and five hours, and when landing at Ovda airport my tired, blinded-by-the-winter-darkness eyes saw palm trees, desert and the so bright sunlight. It was like landing in a bliss of my own making, guarded by an armed man when stepping out of the airplane.

The formalities entering Israel did take a while. The border control people were very keen on our holiday plans, and probably found it interesting that we had different last names – yet were family. Never mind, after the 24 questions we were greeted by smiling Israeli men at the airport, welcoming us to the country.

There was an hour drive from the airport to the town of Eilat, and the scenery was nothing but desert on the way. Those kibbutzim build in the area seemed like an utmost miracle, how anyone could cultivate anything in this dry land. The tall palm trees standing in orderly rows in the desert, pushing out delicious dates for us to enjoy, reminded me of persistent soldiers – standing there straight, diligently, and loyally persisting the heat and sun.

We stayed at Hotel Astral Coral which definitely was worth its price tag. It was centrally located, and the proximity to the Eilat Airport (located right downtown) did not bother us at all. When arriving at the hotel, the reception desk was congested with Israeli tourists all shouting and yelling very loud, and the hotel poor staff trying to meet their demands. Typical Mediterranean mess where no one seemed to get nowhere. It looked like it might take a while until we get a room, so I dug out my Greek attitude and elbowed my way rudely through the masses of these loud, short, dark-haired pensioners and handed over my passport to get a room. It paid off, as the guy at the reception gave us a very, very spacious room with a view to the pool. Toda!

Just looooved waking up to this every morning!

The first thing we did was to head for some food. And something local, please. We headed for a street side restaurant serving falafels, Jerusalem mix, shwarma and my personal favorite – hummus. After the confusion on how to order (sit down and wait, go to the desk, pick it up yourself, what about tipping, how much is this in euros) we got huge plates of fresh stuff in front of us – and couldn't even finish the half of it. Delicious! Then we visited a supermarket to pick up some water, local snacks and dates.

Eilat isn't a very big place, so we decided to check out whatever the tour guide had recommended. Right the next day, we took a taxi to a nearby kibbutz where shabbat buffet dinner was served. Never mind the humble surroundings, the buffet table was something I had never seen before. There were... So. Many. Different. Dishes. Everything fresh, everything local. It does not get any better than this! By the time I had sampled through the delicious salads and veggie stuff, I barely had room for the meat - let alone dessert. Israelis know how to eat, and they do it well! The people enjoying this massive feast were mixed: tourists like us, young teenagers working at the kibbutz and local Jews. They recited their shabbat prayers and blessings without anyone interfering or getting annoyed. Only my mother and I shyly spied on them and wondered what they were saying in Hebrew, as we had never seen or heard something like this in Finland.

Unfortunately I didn't take photos at the kibbutz, but this was just the salad section of the dinner at our hotel. One night, the hotel treated us for the dinner for free. Toda again!

A couple of other things I enjoyed in Eilat was, ehm, the Mall by the Sea. It doesn't take much to please me, but visiting the Gap, Gant, shoe shops etc. keep me happy no matter where I am. When entering the mall, handbags where screened for weapons or bombs - but that's just how things work in Israel. At least you know you're safe inside. Another sight is the local Aquarium and underwater observatory. Getting there by local bus was cheap and relatively easy. It was fun, and the perfect way for us non-divers to see the underwater wonders of the Red Sea without getting our feet wet.

Here you can get familiar with the wonderful fauna and flora of the Red Sea.

A souvenir I picked up at the Aquarium.

There is also a quite nice beach promenade in Eilat, packed with little shops selling souvenirs and whatnot. I stocked up on affordable but good Dead Sea cosmetics as they were a steal at €2/tube or jar. A special offer at the sunglass hut prompted my mother and I to buy sunglasses: Marc Jacobs for her, Dior pour moi. My vacation also included a day trip to Petra in Jordan (be prepared for some border control formalities) and a day visit to Jerusalem.

A holiday in Eilat offers two birds with one stone: catch the ancient city of Petra in Jordan while you're in Israel.

Eilat is a nice destination for a vacation, if you're looking for a quiet place to spend a relaxing week at. Compared to the other Mediterranean countries, here you won't be bothered by pushy (door)men at restaurants, nightclubs or souvenir shop but may stroll around in peace. I saw only one stray cat during my visit, and no one got food poisoning (hooray kosher?:). For beginners, it might take some time getting used to armed soldiers, kosher hotels (e.g. automated elevators and coffee machines on shabbat, no meat at breakfast) and Israel is not a country of low prices compared to Finland - price levels are more or less the same except for the cheap cosmetics and falafel joints. I would go to Eilat again, and then seize the opportunity to swim with the dolphins and buy the Mulberry Alexa bag tax free at the Helsinki Airport upon departure!

I just wanted to grab a small bite. Not chicken wraps the size of my arms and a whole loaf of bread...!

HEL-TLV-HEL!

Yes! Our ah-so-Finnish airline Finnair has announced that Tel Aviv will be a new summer destination in the airline's schedule. Starting early June, you Finns or you Israelis who are reading this have the possibility to fly directly from Helsinki-Vantaa airport to Ben Gurion - or vice versa. There are flights on Mondays and Fridays. Hope the one on Friday leaves Israel before sunset!

But trust me, this Finnair route is a very convenient one, compared to the uncomfortable journeys I have made (one via Riga, one via Warsaw, one via Kiev...) with crazy early wake-ups and long transits.

There is no Helsinki post on my blog, but you can read what I think about Tel Aviv here. The latest nickname I heard for the city is "The Miami of Europe". Not too far fetched, I'd say. :)

Picture courtesy of goisrael.about.com

 Source for the flight news in Finnish.