Israeli Independence Day

Happy 64th birthday, my love!

Here are the celebrations live from Mount Herzl.

Update: You have to read Benji’s 64 Things I Love About Israel. Here’s the first ten as a teaser:

1. I love how Israelis can be completely indifferent to politics but will still argue about their favorite hummus place until they blow an artery.

2. I love that when I went clothes shopping, a guy let me use his dressing room even though he wasn’t done yet. I didn’t catch his waist size but he was definitely an XL gever-gever.

3. I love the “mmm-bye” farewell greeting used by certain Israelis when hanging up the phone. It’s a cross between “l’hitraot” and a Hanson song.

4. I love that after striking up a conversation with a complete stranger at the Ben-Gurion baggage claim, not only did he offer me a ride home but we also discovered that we shared over 60 mutual Facebook friends. Seriously, how are there any Jews who still don’t know each other?

5. I love that because we were unable to get home due to the Jerusalem Marathon, we agreed that our driver would drop us off somewhere else, take our luggage to his home in Ma’ale Adumim, and deliver it to us later, with not a fear in the world that it wouldn’t go exactly as planned. The guy got out of his car to bring the bag all the way to my door. Now that’s service.

6. I love how the worker at Bank Leumi decided she could call me “motek” after knowing me for all of 2.4 seconds.

7. I love that the NU Campaign agreed to sell my line of “yiyeh b’seder” t-shirts to bring a bit of humor to our lives. And if they don’t have your favorite color? Yiyeh b’seder. 

8. I love how when you call a wrong number on Passover, they still say “hag sameah” before hanging up.

9. I love that instead of worrying about kids developing peanut allergies, parents feed their babies Bamba before the doctor has even finished cutting the umbilical cord.

10. I love how every time the Tel Aviv bike rental project opens a new station, people post “mazal tov” in the Facebook comments.

12 thoughts on “Israeli Independence Day”

  1. Some of the marching soldiers at the ceremony are holding Uzzie sub machine guns. They are almost never used by the Israeli army anymore eventhough they are made in Israel.

  2. Hag sameah to all—non-Jew and Jew alike who stand with Israel! Happy 0x40 to the State of the Jews, the Jewish State! Long may she live; may she soon see her enemies perish. Happy Independence Day to the nation-state rightfully held by the Jewish nation upon part of their one and only piece of land in the world!

  3. I don’t want to spoil the surprise, but guess what we got you for your birthday? Hundreds of millions of American dollars to expand your Iron Dome defensive missile system. What did you expect, a tennis bracelet?Happy 64th and many more to come from all your American friends!

    1. “Hundreds of millions of American dollars to expand your Iron Dome defensive missile system.”

      I hope it’s really a present. A true gift, with no strings attached, would really be something I’d be thankful for. Even though I’m not in favor of the Iron Dome approach (not the Iron Dome itself, but the approach that leads to its preference over other ways of dealing with terrorism), and even though I hope Israel will soon cease to be the recipient of any gifts for any other state.

  4. In the concluding words of the Kaddish prayer, “May He who establishes peace in the heavens bring peace to us and to all Israel, and let us say Amen.”

  5. Throughout its 64 years, Israel has upheld, preserved and extended the best of Western civilization in the arts and sciences even as Europe sinks into decadent dhimmitude. Here, in keeping with this festive occasion, is the joyous finale of Beethoven’s “Emperor” piano concerto performed by Tal-Haim Samnon with the Israel Philharmonic conducted by Zubin Mehta.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2qwVmiJtrE

  6. As you go about your Independence Day celebrations, and if grilling is an integral part of your plans, please remember this. Indirect heat. And a good ketchup-based barbecue sauce. God may have chosen the Jewish people to be a light unto the nations, but when it comes to barbecue, it was like you got held back in the 4th grade. Listen to us Americans when it comes to grilling IQ. We know barbecue. Have a great day, Israel.

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