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1. You don't have to explain Sukkot to anyone.
2. People are not afraid of talking to you on the bus or in class. There seems
to be less of a distance between people.
3. There are no dress codes, no such thing as "semi-formal" and you can never be
under-dressed.
4. When most of the people around you are Jewish you don't define them by it.
5. If all else fails and there's an awkward pause in conversation you can always
bring up the "where is the best Hummus?" question and know that it'll start a
heated discussion. There's even a Hummus blog dedicated to that purpose.
6. Watching the sunrise from top of Masada
7. In Israel, I feel natural.
8. Israel is the only country that, before I even arrive, I feel a part of the
community.
9. Tel Aviv is the third-leading sushi capital in the world, per capita.
10. The Shabbat siren and the calm and silence in the city afterwards.
11. On Yom Kippur no one drives; the streets and freeways are empty of cars and
filled with children on bicycles.
12. Despite everything, I love Israel because I am surrounded by people of my
own kind.
13. Because of the potential.
14. It takes a village to raise a child. In Israel, we have that village.
15. Though it’s a shame we need the army, it serves to unify Israelis from all
walks of life.
16. Being here makes one feel that he/she is an active part of living history.
17. Any stranger at a bus-stop can start talking to you about politics and
philosophy…and then try to set you up with their niece.
18. Israelis can be very introspective and self-critical people, which can be
seen in the vibrant arts scene.
19. Israel is the biggest small country I know.
20. In Israel, I can say ‘Walla’ as an answer to anything.
21. Israel gives me an understanding of Jewish identity.
22. People know how to pronounce my name.
23. Regardless of how religious you are, people have a profound connection to
this land.
24. Israel feels like home.
25. I'm interested in the multicultural process and all the political mechanisms
behind the successful (or unsuccessful) materialization of the Jewish state.
26. Israel is where my children can make Jewish choices and not have to make the
choice to be Jewish.
27. The same day you are in the north, you can find yourself in the south.
28. The Old City at dawn.
29. Co-existence in action in Haifa.
30. Getting unsolicited advice from strangers.
31. Meeting your family you never knew.
32. I love how people won’t wait in line anywhere, but the escalator is the one
place that it is forbidden to move.
33. Mondays aren’t so bad and Thursdays are even better.
34. You can wear jeans to work anywhere you work, except for the Knesset, but
even there you can wear your Crocs.
35. The bustle every Friday afternoon as everybody prepares for Shabbat.
36. The intensity of people’s feelings.
37. The endless variety of faces.
38. The tolerant intolerance.
39. The hospitality.
40. The way it is encouraged to be pushy and speak up for yourself—this is never
considered rude in Israel.
41. The country-wide celebration of Jewish holidays.
42. Israeli folk-dancing on the beach.
43. The ethnic and cultural diversity found across the country.
44. Here I feel that everyone can do anything they want-- everything is
possible.
45. You’re more likely to see your Jewish friends from all over the world in
Israel than anywhere else.
46. In Israel, loving the country means knowing and loving the land itself, not
only the society or the State - people go hiking, people know everything about
plants, animals, and the history of the place.
47. When you are away you miss it, when you are here, you feel like you have
been here forever. And on some level it’s probably true.
48. If you ever get lost in Israel anywhere (except the desert. some old lady
will stick up for you when you sound silly and the bus driver begins to mock
you! And the bus driver will listen to her and actually feel bad about it
afterward.
49. Eating out at kosher kitniyot free restaurants on pesach.
50. You get to witness a sibling rivalry that spans millennia.
51. Because it is the Jewish people's only true home.
52. Living in walking distance to the Kotel.
53. You can serve in the army during the week and then come home on the weekend
and protest.
54. Hebrew subtitles on Hebrew television programs
55. It has democracy and democratic dissent.
56. This is my language.
57. The shared concerns of myself and my friends.
58. Because my friends understand exactly what I’m talking about when I say ‘Kishkashta’,
‘Hasamba’ and ‘Ma Sheva?’ (cartoon characters and children’s books).
59. Although it has existed for only 60 years, Israel has become an enormous
attraction for people across the Jewish Diaspora.
60. Major aliyah waves, like the one from the former Soviet Union during the
‘90s, have enriched Israeli society with eclectic images and symbols and gave it
the opportunity to become pluralistic and cosmopolitan despite Israel’s small
population and territory.
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