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Jewish Festival Blessings

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Jewish Festival Blessings
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Blessings for Jewish festivals.

Candle lighting blessings

The lady of the house lights candles before sunset to usher in a Jewish festival. After lighting the candles, the blessing on the festival candles is said. On the first night of a festival, we also recite the Shehecheyanu blessing.

shabbat candles 6

Blessing on Festival Candles

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אַדֹנָ-י אֱ-לֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר שֶׁל יום טוב

English Translation: Blessed are you, L‑rd our G‑d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us to kindle the light of the holiday

Transliteration: Baruch a-ta A-do-nay Elo-hei-nu me-lech ha-o-lam a-sher ki-di-sha-nu bi-mitz-vo-tav vi-tzi-va-noo li-had-leek ner shel Yom Tov.

Shehecheyanu

Shehecheyanu is a blessing that gives thanks to God for enabling us to experience a new or special occasion. On the first night of a festival it is customary to recite the Shehecheyanu blessing, after the blessing for the candles, as follows:

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה’ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִיעָנוּ לַזְּמַן הַזֶּה

English Translation: Blessed are You, L-rd our G‑d, King of the Universe, who has granted us life, sustained us and enabled us to reach this occasion.

Transliteration: Baruch Atah Adonay E-loi-hei-nu Me-lech ha-o-lam she-he-chee-ya-nu v’ki-yi-ma-nu vi-hi-gi-ya-nu liz-man ha-zeh.

Blessing on the Bread (Challah)

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם הַמּוֹצִיא לֶחֶם מִן הָאָרֶץ

English Translation: Blessed are you, Lord our God, ruler of the universe who brings forth bread from the earth.

Transliteration: Baruch ata Adonai Eloheinu melech ha’olam hamotzi lechem min ha’aretz.

Digital Israel

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Digital Israel
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Digital Israel.

Expat Insider recently performed a survey on the best and worst countries for digital life abroad.  Israel ranks 6th.

Adapted from an InterNations report:

Over the last years, it has become impossible to imagine a world without digital communication, especially for globally mobile people: staying in touch with loved ones at home, mastering the administrative challenges in a new country, or working remotely as a digital nomad — the digital needs of expats are extremely diverse.

Based on the latest Expat Insider survey, one of the most extensive studies about living and working abroad, InterNations publishes its first Digital Life Abroad Report: Estonia is the best country for digital life abroad, followed by Finland, Norway, Denmark, New Zealand, Israel, Canada, Singapore, the Netherlands, and the USA. At the other end of the scale, expats in Myanmar (68th out of 68 countries), China, Egypt, India, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Peru, Turkey, and Uganda are the least satisfied with their digital life.

Israel makes it into the top 10 countries in terms of quality of life for the first time, thanks to the new Digital Life subcategory, which has helped it to climb up the ranks. The country receives its best ratings for the unrestricted access to online services such as social media and the ease of getting a local mobile phone number (3rd worldwide for both). In fact, nearly all expats (95%) rate their access to online services positively (vs. 80% globally), and 84% say it could not be any better (vs. 58% globally). Similarly, 94% find it easy to get a mobile number (vs. 86% globally), and 80% think this could not be any easier (vs. 58% globally). Expats in Israel are not nearly as satisfied with the availability of administrative or government services online; however, the country still ranks a good 21st out of 68, with 67% positive ratings for this factor (vs. 55% globally).

digital israel

Image Credit: InterNations

About the Digital Life Abroad Report

The Digital Life Abroad Report is an addition to the annually published Expat Insider survey by InterNations. The topical report is based on the Digital Life subcategory, which was added to the Expat Insider survey for the first time in 2018. The subcategory is part of the Quality of Life Index, which covers five other subcategories, including Leisure Options, Health & Well-Being, and Travel & Transportation.

To identify the best and worst countries for digital life, survey respondents were asked to rate their satisfaction with the following factors on a scale from one to seven: the unrestricted access to online services such as social media, the availability of government/administrative services online, the ease of getting a local mobile phone number, the ease of paying without cash, and the ease of getting access to high-speed internet at home.

For a country to be featured in the Expat Insider 2018 survey and subsequently in the Digital Life Abroad Report, a sample size of at least 75 survey participants per destination was necessary. In 2018, 68 met this requirement, with a total of 18,135 expatriates taking part in the survey, representing 178 nationalities and living in 187 countries or territories.

First-aid for Burns

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First-aid for Burns
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First-aid and treating burns

Lag B’Omer bonfires and enthusiasm sometimes result in careless behaviour and nasty burns can result.  The tendency to place all kinds of tinder on the fire as well as treated wood, plastic and anything that will burn can result in flying embers.  Make sure there is a responsible adult present at the Lag B’Omer bonfire who can administer some fireside first-aid if necessary.

first aid for burns

First, second and third degree burns – Image credit: WikiCommons

How to treat burns in children

There are three types of burns.  They are all painful and damage the skin and surrounding tissue but all need to be treated differently.

  1. First-degree burns, such as sunburn are minor and heal quickly. First-degree burns result in reddened skin.
  2. Second-degree burns are serious injuries that require medical attention. Symptoms of second-degree burns include blistered and peeling skin.
  3. Third-degree burns are severe and require immediate, professional medical attention. You will likely notice dry/charred, white, yellow or bright red tissue. Although the severely burned area may not be blistered, it often is surrounded by blistered areas.

Burn first aid

  • Stop the burning process.
  • Run cool water over the burn.
  • Do not use ice directly on the burn wound.
  • Do not apply home remedies/ointments.
  • Cover the burn with a clean bandage or cloth.
  • Take Paracetamol, Ibuprofen or Acetaminophen for pain.
  • Seek medical attention if needed.

International Museum Day Israel

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International Museum Day Israel
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Free entrance on Lag B’Omer – International Museum Day in Israel.

international museum day lag bomer

May 23rd, 2019, Lag Ba’Omer is a school vacation day.  The Israel Museums Association, and many museums throughout the country are offering free entrance and invite the general public to visit dozens of museums on the occasion of the International Museum Day.

This year, the theme of International Museum Day will be “Museums as Cultural Hubs – The Future of Tradition.”

This theme was chosen in order to put the spotlight on the museums’ important role in preserving the tradition, passing it from generation to generation and adapting it to future generations.

English list of museums open to the general public on the Museum Day, free of charge.  Click here for the Hebrew list.

Museums in Northern Israel

Museums in the Sharon

  • Battalions Museum – Avichail
  • The Khan Museum – Hadera
  • Museum of Archeology & Glass – Kibbutz Nachsholim
  • Kfar Saba Museum
  • Janco Dada Museum – Ein Hod
  • Ramat HaSharon Geology Museum

Museums in Tel Aviv & Central Israel

  • The Israel Museum – Tel Aviv
  • Rishon L’Zion Museum
  • Holon History Museum
  • Haganah Memorial Museum – Holon
  • Ilana Gur Museum – Old Jaffa
  • Petach TIkva Art Museum
  • Nachum Gutman Art Museum – Tel Aviv
  • The Yemenite Heritage Center – Rehovot
  • Tel Aviv Art Museum
  • Agam Musuem of Art – Rishon L’Zion
  • Eliyahu Golomb Haganah Museum – Tel Aviv
  • Palmach Museum – Ramat Aviv
  • Etzel Museum – Tel Aviv
  • The Feiglin Museum – Tel Aviv
  • Israel Defense Forces History Museum – Tel Aviv
  • Avraham Shtern Lechi Museum – Tel Aviv
  • Steinhardt Museum of Natural History – Tel Aviv
  • Israel Diaspora Museum – Tel Aviv University Campus

Jerusalem & Surrounds

Southern Israel

  • Museum of Philistine Culture – Ashdod
  • Yad Mordechai – Kibbutz Yad Mordechai
  • Negev Art Museum – Beer Sheva
  • Museum of Islamic and Near Eastern Cultures – Beer Sheva

Lag B’Omer Laughter

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Lag B’Omer Laughter
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10 of the best Lag B’Omer jokes to share  around the bonfire.

jewish jokes full size

There is nothing quite like Jewish humor, Jewish mother and guilt jokes, food jokes and endless jokes were we poke fun at ourselves.  Some of the world’s best comedians are Jewish; Groucho Marx, Jackie Mason, Jerry Seinfeld, Joan Rivers and Mel Brooks to name but a few. Here are a few jokes to share around your Lag B’Omer bonfire.

Q: How many Google employees does it take to light a bonfire?

A: Five. One to the light the match and 4 to design the home-page graphics

Q. What do you call the a baby potato on Lag B’Omer

A: Small fry.

Just in time for Lag B’Omer, Intel Israel announces its greatest invention to date. Hailed as the fastest and best microprocessor of all times – the potato chip.

Lag B’omer is for pyromaniacs who weren’t satisfied with Hanukkah.

 What started a fire online? Tinder.

A man comes home and find his house on fire. He rushes next door, phones the fire department and shouts “Hurry – my house is on fire!”

“OK,” replies the fireman, “how do we get there?”

“Don’t you still have those big red trucks?”

Q: What do you call a potato that smokes weed?
A: A baked potato.

Q: What do you call a potato that’s reluctant to jump into boiling water?

A: A hesi-tater.

A young Israeli returns from an extended trip in India just in time for Lag B’Omer – “I was going to try walking on hot burning coals but I got cold feet.”

Q: What is a potato’s life philosophy?

A: I think, therefore I yam.

Have a joke you’d like to share with us?  Please do in the comments section below.

FREE LEGAL ADVICE

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FREE LEGAL ADVICE
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Some free legal advice for Israel’s Anglo community.

legal resources

Need some free legal advice? Ask an Israeli lawyer.  Use our resources contributed by licensed English speaking lawyers and advocates in Israel recognized by the Israel Bar Association, they are also licensed to practice in certain other countries.

Signing a contract, purchasing a home, family related issues, labor laws, vad habayit – these are all issues that olim are faced with and  hurdles that sometimes need to be overcome. 

We’ve put together a selection of useful articles but, do bear in mind none of these articles replace the specific and personal advice that will be given to you by your legal counsel.

General

Business Owners

Cannabis

Children’s Rights

Death

Funeral arrangements and your last will and testament – Adv. Jay Hait

Foreign Law

Marriage & Divorce

Marriage

Divorce

Powers of Attorney – POA

Real Estate

Social Media

Social Security for Americans in Israel

Eurovision first semi-final

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Eurovision first semi-final

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Eurovision schedule for first semi-final – Tonight, Tuesday, May 14th, 2019.

Seventeen countries will be participating in the first semi-final round of the 2019 Eurovision in Tel Aviv tonight!  Some 200 million people world wide will watch the 3 day event. Here is tonight’s official schedule as provided by Eurovision.TV as well as live streaming information.

 

eurovision schedule first semi final

Where to find the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest live online

In an exceptionally progressive move that recognizes its status as a truly global event, Eurovision provides an official stream (without commentary) of its events on YouTube that is accessible from almost anywhere in the world.

Official streams

Semifinal 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkhYYwF7XaU

Semifinal 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMnZWPe-UaM

Final: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dsx4pVjUth0

 

 

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Eurovision Israel 2019 -Second Semi-Final Schedule

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Eurovision Israel 2019 -Second Semi-Final Schedule

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Eurovision schedule for second semi-final – Thursday, May 16th, 2019.

Eighteen countries will be participating in the second semi-final round of the 2019 Eurovision in Tel Aviv on Thursday night. Some 200 million people world wide will watch the 3 day event. Here is Thursday’s official schedule and line-up as provided by Eurovision.TV as well as live streaming information.

Seventeen countries performed during the first round on Tuesday, May 14th and 10 countries moved to the grand-finals on Saturday night; Belarus, Greece, Cyprus, Estonia, Serbia, Czech Republic, Australia, Iceland, San Marino and Slovenia.

The sound and light effects at Tuesday’s performance were nothing less than outstanding.  Israel has outdone herself.  Is there a stand-out song?  That’s for you to decide.

This is the list of countries performing on Thursday evening.  Watch channel 11 on Israel TV for the broadcast at 10pm.

eurovision second semi final

Where to find the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest live online

In an exceptionally progressive move that recognizes its status as a truly global event, Eurovision provides an official stream (without commentary) of its events on YouTube that is accessible from almost anywhere in the world.

Official streams

Semifinal 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMnZWPe-UaM

Final: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dsx4pVjUth0

Kobi Marimi

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Meet Kobi Marimi – Israel’s contestant in the 2019 Eurovision.

kobi marimi
Image Credit: Eurovision TV Gallery

Kobi Marimi’s personal and professional life

  1. Kobi was born in October 1991, the same year as the Gulf War.
  2. His family are of Iraqi descent.
  3. He grew up in Ramat Gan and started acting when he was 13 years old.
  4. Marimi is a professional acting graduate and has appeared in numerous plays. He won the award for the most promising actor in Israel’s Musical Theatre Festival in 2017.
  5. With no professional music experience, he took a chance when he entered ‘HaKochav HaBa” – the Israeli version of the hit reality show Rising Star
  6. Sometimes compared to Freddie Mercury, his look, unique style and vocal capabilities stood him in good stead and he won “HaKochav HaBa” ensuring him a chance to represent Israel at the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest in Tel Aviv.
  7. Kobi Marimi will be singing ‘Home’ in the finals of the Eurovision on Saturday, May 18th, 2019 in Tel Aviv
  8. Single, he lives in Tel Aviv and has previously worked as a host at a pub and a cashier at a movie theater.
  9. Social media presence – he has around 75,000 Instagram followers and over 12,000 likes on Facebook as well as 6,500 followers on YouTube.

What are the odds of Israel winning the Eurovision in 2019 as well?

Does Israel stand a good chance of winning twice in a row? Not likely this time, but it has happened several times before, and Israel won back-to-back in 1978 and 1979.

Other countries who’ve had consecutive wins include Spain (1968, 1969), Luxembourg (1972, 1973) and Ireland (1992, 1993, 1994 — and then again just two years later in 1996!).

‘Home’ by Kobi Marimi – Eurovision 2019.

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Lyrics to ‘Home’ by Kobi Marimi, Israel’s Eurovision song for 2019.

lyrics home kobi marimi
Kobi Marimi : Image credit Eurovision Image Library

The song “Home” by Kobi Marimi will represent Israel at the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest, held in Tel Aviv, Israel. His song will compete in the Grand Final on May 18, 2019.  Kobi Marimi was selected to represent Israel after winning “HaKokhav HaBa L’Eurovizion” (Rising Star for Eurovision) on February 12, 2019.  You’ve only got a few days to learn these words!!

English lyrics for the song ‘HOME’

Caught up in this moment ’til my heartbeat stops
I’ve been running barefoot to the mountain tops
Nothing comes as easy as it goes
I can hug the water when it snows
I feel the sun upon my skin
And I am someone, I am someone
You pulled my heart, I took it in
It made me someone, I am someone
And now I’m done, I’m coming home
I used to listen to the way they talk
Counting down the minutes from the ticking clock
I feel the sun upon my skin
And I am someone, I am someone
You pulled my heart, I took it in
It made me someone, I am someone
And now I’m done, I’m coming
Home was so far, collecting scars, I refuse
Another touch…
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