Even More Questions about Bethlehem!

Our friends from Wisconsin wrote a few more questions. I am now sitting in a hotel in Amman, Jordan and reading them. I have a few more posts with pictures of Bethlehem which I want to put up, but I will answer these questions first.

I am sorry that I am not with my friends in Bethlehem who would be the experts on the answers.

What types of beds do people sleep on?

The beds in the house that I stayed in was very similar to our beds. I think that maybe it did not have a box spring underneath and the mattress was harder. One difference was that instead of blankets and sheets like we are used to there was one blanket wrapped in a sheet (that was made sort of like a pillowcase. It was too hot to use this, so I mostly slept without covers.

If there is a shortage of water, what do people do for showers? For cleaning and washing dishes?

If people do not have water they cannot shower OR wash dishes. People definitely shower less often and in the house where I was staying (and I am guessing in most houses) they had a bucket in the tub so that you could save all of the water instead of it going down the drain. That water could be used to flush the toilet or to water plants outside. 

Most of the time people have some water, but there is not much pressure, so it trickles out. Now and then when there is NO water they have to buy water in big gallon jugs or maybe they have a family member in another part of town that has water and they can go fill up jugs there. At least then they can wash dishes and do sponge baths.  

Do people have air conditioning in their houses?

Most people do not have air conditioning. I did visit a house that had some air conditioning. I doubt that anyone has air conditioning in the whole house. If they have it they only have it in the living room. Some people have fans.

What types of jobs do people do in Bethlehem?

Lots of the jobs that I saw were people who had little shops that sold things or fixed things. For example, the brother of the woman I visited had a small shop fixing watches and he also sold new watches. There are jobs doing construction although not much construction is approved in Bethlehem and so there are not many paying jobs doing this. Some make things and sell them to tourists. There are hotels who employ desk clerks and people to clean rooms. There are taxi drivers, bus drivers, and tour leaders. There are restaurants with cooks. There is a university, so there are professors and schools with teachers. 

I have heard that unemployment is really high. I think that many of the jobs in Bethlehem depended upon tourists visiting and now that less people are coming there it is not easy. Most tour agencies stay in Jerusalem hotels and only come to Bethlehem for a short time. 

I did not see many beggars or any homeless people. 

Do families have pets? If so, what kinds of pets?

There were not many pets that I saw. However, one of the people I know has two bunnies in an outdoor cage. Some people have chickens. I think that those are more for eggs than they are pets. I did see cats and dogs, but they seemed to be outdoor animals that people fed outside.

Do people there have TVs? If so, what shows do they watch?

Everyone has a TV. The couple I stayed with were older, so I am not sure if the shows that they watched would be the same for everyone, but the TV was on most of the time. They turned it on first thing in the morning and even though they weren't watching Catholic masses were going on in the background of everything they did. They also liked to watch the news and what looked to me like soap operas or maybe ongoing adventure shows. These shows were made in Turkey mostly. They said that Egyptian shows had been more popular in the past, but now Turkish TV was better. Lots of people were watching the World Cup whenever a game was on. 

One thing that I thought was interesting was the observation that when you watched old Egyptian shows or movies from the 50s women were not wearing head coverings and the society seemed more open (men and women were relating more openly), but now it is different. Women in shows wear head coverings.

What American sports do people there know of? How do they know about the sports? Do people there watch the Olympics?

I wish I could give you a better answer for this. The couple I was staying with were not very interested in sports. Since the Olympics were not happening I am not sure if they were followed with as much interest as the World Cup of Soccer. 

What kinds of stores do people go to and what do they buy there? We are especially interested in what the kids buy.
This picture from http://www.radiofreepalestine.co.uk

shows what the downtown shopping place looks like.

 Stores are smaller than what we are used to. Most food is bought from the outdoor market. This might be like the Farmer's Market if you have one. However it is bigger. There are all kinds of things that you can buy there including household goods like sponges and pots and pans. There is also goat meat hanging in shop windows and lots of eggs and chickens. 

In the outdoor market there are lots of boys with shopping carts (some like we have and others home made). They will take people's groceries from the market to their homes or maybe to a taxi. Most people walk from their home to the market and if they buy a lot it is hard to get it all home. They pay a small amount to these boys and get their groceries home that way. In this picture from http://cache.virtualtourist.com/2443587-Bethlehem.jpg you can see the boys with carts in the back.

What I saw kids buying was candy and soda. There are lots of small markets, like our mini-markets around and kids had pocket money and went to buy snacks. Junk food is becoming a problem there. Kids really like it and it is easier for parents to give them a little money than it is for them to fix a healthy snack. Does that sound familiar? 

Do any Americans ever come to visit or stay in Jerusalem? Only 2 of us have ever met anyone from Israel, so we are wondering if people there meet any Americans besides you?

I am not in Jerusalem yet, but I think that there are LOTS of Americans in Jerusalem. Many are tourists, but there are also Americans who have come to live in Jerusalem. 


This map shows how close Bethlehem and Jerusalem are. Jerusalem is in the yellow part (Israel) and Bethlehem is in the green part (Palestinian Territories) 

Even More Questions about Bethlehem!

Our friends from Wisconsin wrote a few more questions. I am now sitting in a hotel in Amman, Jordan and reading them. I have a few more posts with pictures of Bethlehem which I want to put up, but I will answer these questions first.

I am sorry that I am not with my friends in Bethlehem who would be the experts on the answers.

What types of beds do people sleep on?

The beds in the house that I stayed in was very similar to our beds. I think that maybe it did not have a box spring underneath and the mattress was harder. One difference was that instead of blankets and sheets like we are used to there was one blanket wrapped in a sheet (that was made sort of like a pillowcase. It was too hot to use this, so I mostly slept without covers.

If there is a shortage of water, what do people do for showers? For cleaning and washing dishes?

If people do not have water they cannot shower OR wash dishes. People definitely shower less often and in the house where I was staying (and I am guessing in most houses) they had a bucket in the tub so that you could save all of the water instead of it going down the drain. That water could be used to flush the toilet or to water plants outside. 

Most of the time people have some water, but there is not much pressure, so it trickles out. Now and then when there is NO water they have to buy water in big gallon jugs or maybe they have a family member in another part of town that has water and they can go fill up jugs there. At least then they can wash dishes and do sponge baths.  

Do people have air conditioning in their houses?

Most people do not have air conditioning. I did visit a house that had some air conditioning. I doubt that anyone has air conditioning in the whole house. If they have it they only have it in the living room. Some people have fans.

What types of jobs do people do in Bethlehem?

Lots of the jobs that I saw were people who had little shops that sold things or fixed things. For example, the brother of the woman I visited had a small shop fixing watches and he also sold new watches. There are jobs doing construction although not much construction is approved in Bethlehem and so there are not many paying jobs doing this. Some make things and sell them to tourists. There are hotels who employ desk clerks and people to clean rooms. There are taxi drivers, bus drivers, and tour leaders. There are restaurants with cooks. There is a university, so there are professors and schools with teachers. 

I have heard that unemployment is really high. I think that many of the jobs in Bethlehem depended upon tourists visiting and now that less people are coming there it is not easy. Most tour agencies stay in Jerusalem hotels and only come to Bethlehem for a short time. 

I did not see many beggars or any homeless people. 

Do families have pets? If so, what kinds of pets?

There were not many pets that I saw. However, one of the people I know has two bunnies in an outdoor cage. Some people have chickens. I think that those are more for eggs than they are pets. I did see cats and dogs, but they seemed to be outdoor animals that people fed outside.

Do people there have TVs? If so, what shows do they watch?

Everyone has a TV. The couple I stayed with were older, so I am not sure if the shows that they watched would be the same for everyone, but the TV was on most of the time. They turned it on first thing in the morning and even though they weren't watching Catholic masses were going on in the background of everything they did. They also liked to watch the news and what looked to me like soap operas or maybe ongoing adventure shows. These shows were made in Turkey mostly. They said that Egyptian shows had been more popular in the past, but now Turkish TV was better. Lots of people were watching the World Cup whenever a game was on. 

One thing that I thought was interesting was the observation that when you watched old Egyptian shows or movies from the 50s women were not wearing head coverings and the society seemed more open (men and women were relating more openly), but now it is different. Women in shows wear head coverings.

What American sports do people there know of? How do they know about the sports? Do people there watch the Olympics?

I wish I could give you a better answer for this. The couple I was staying with were not very interested in sports. Since the Olympics were not happening I am not sure if they were followed with as much interest as the World Cup of Soccer. 

What kinds of stores do people go to and what do they buy there? We are especially interested in what the kids buy.
This picture from http://www.radiofreepalestine.co.uk

shows what the downtown shopping place looks like.

 Stores are smaller than what we are used to. Most food is bought from the outdoor market. This might be like the Farmer's Market if you have one. However it is bigger. There are all kinds of things that you can buy there including household goods like sponges and pots and pans. There is also goat meat hanging in shop windows and lots of eggs and chickens. 

In the outdoor market there are lots of boys with shopping carts (some like we have and others home made). They will take people's groceries from the market to their homes or maybe to a taxi. Most people walk from their home to the market and if they buy a lot it is hard to get it all home. They pay a small amount to these boys and get their groceries home that way. In this picture from http://cache.virtualtourist.com/2443587-Bethlehem.jpg you can see the boys with carts in the back.

What I saw kids buying was candy and soda. There are lots of small markets, like our mini-markets around and kids had pocket money and went to buy snacks. Junk food is becoming a problem there. Kids really like it and it is easier for parents to give them a little money than it is for them to fix a healthy snack. Does that sound familiar? 

Do any Americans ever come to visit or stay in Jerusalem? Only 2 of us have ever met anyone from Israel, so we are wondering if people there meet any Americans besides you?

I am not in Jerusalem yet, but I think that there are LOTS of Americans in Jerusalem. Many are tourists, but there are also Americans who have come to live in Jerusalem. 


This map shows how close Bethlehem and Jerusalem are. Jerusalem is in the yellow part (Israel) and Bethlehem is in the green part (Palestinian Territories) 

More Answers to our Questions

From Wisconsin:  Here are our answers to your questions - we enjoyed thinking and talking about them. :-) We watched the bread baking video this morning and started to answer the questions below. We talked about how the bread looked like giant bagels (is it challah bread?) and the oven was similar to the pizza ovens in restaurants here.


Khader wants to know:


Do you have soccer class at the school? 

No we do not have a soccer class, but we learn to play during physical education class. Many girls and boys like to play soccer for fun at recess. Many students also play on soccer teams after school and on weekends.

Sometimes the boys at our school fight. (The boys who fight get in trouble) Is that the same at your school? 

Yes, students who fight also get into trouble at our schools. They might have to talk to the principal or the counselor, have a time-out, get a write-up which your parents see, or another consequence that the teacher or principal feels will help the student do better.

When school is closed during the summer can you still go to use the playground or is it locked? 

We can go to most playgrounds in our town.

If someone is hurt at school do you have a school hospital? 

No, we have a school clinic with a nurse who helps us when we get hurt or get sick or need to take medicine.

George wants to know:
What do you do in the summertime? 

We are all giving our ideas: go swimming, go to the park, go to day camps, go to parties, go on family trips, play baseball, stay up late, watch movies, play football, go to Water Parks, riding bikes, play with friends, travel, go to the Milwaukee Zoo, sleep late, read, play outside later, play tennis, and go to festivals and fairs.

What are your favorite sports? 

Football, tennis, fishing, baseball, soccer, golf, basketball, swimming, kid-sized motorcycles. 

We are all watching the world cup, are you? 

Some of us are watching the World Cup and some of us are not. Those watching would like Brazil or Spain or Germany to win.

Do you take your food to school with you or not? 

Yes, we do because only middle school and high school have lunch made at school.

Do the people there know about us? 

Yes somewhat because of what we read in the news and see on television.

Danny wants to know:
Do you have scouts or camping? 

Yes, people can join Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts if they like. Some people go to day camps, some go to overnight camps, and others go camping with their families.

Do you watch NBA? 

Some of us watch the NBA games. The team in our city is called the Milwaukee Bucks. A few students like them but most like the Lakers or Celtics instead.

Henriette wants to know:


At school we have sports competitions and field days where we play sports. Do you have field days? 

Fourth and fifth graders can choose to join a field day one afternoon in May after school. They do running races, relays, hurdles, and long jump.

How many minutes do you have for each class? We have 45 minutes here. Do you have the same? 

Classes are different times – they may be anything from 25 minutes to 60 minutes, depending on the subject.

How many children are in each class? 

There are usually about 20-23 students in each class.

4th of July Celebrations: This is a big deal here in Milwaukee and Whitefish Bay! There are fireworks, Summerfest, lots of eating, parades, games, getting ready for guests, and many people have a day off of work or school. Here is a web site with news about the celebration here in Whitefish Bay!

http://www.wfbcivicfoundation.org/ 

Thanks for reminding me of the Fourth of July. It just does not seem like it is coming up. I think tomorrow a friend of mine and I are going to try to do something "American" together. I am not sure what that will be! 

More Answers to our Questions

From Wisconsin:  Here are our answers to your questions - we enjoyed thinking and talking about them. :-) We watched the bread baking video this morning and started to answer the questions below. We talked about how the bread looked like giant bagels (is it challah bread?) and the oven was similar to the pizza ovens in restaurants here.


Khader wants to know:


Do you have soccer class at the school? 

No we do not have a soccer class, but we learn to play during physical education class. Many girls and boys like to play soccer for fun at recess. Many students also play on soccer teams after school and on weekends.

Sometimes the boys at our school fight. (The boys who fight get in trouble) Is that the same at your school? 

Yes, students who fight also get into trouble at our schools. They might have to talk to the principal or the counselor, have a time-out, get a write-up which your parents see, or another consequence that the teacher or principal feels will help the student do better.

When school is closed during the summer can you still go to use the playground or is it locked? 

We can go to most playgrounds in our town.

If someone is hurt at school do you have a school hospital? 

No, we have a school clinic with a nurse who helps us when we get hurt or get sick or need to take medicine.

George wants to know:
What do you do in the summertime? 

We are all giving our ideas: go swimming, go to the park, go to day camps, go to parties, go on family trips, play baseball, stay up late, watch movies, play football, go to Water Parks, riding bikes, play with friends, travel, go to the Milwaukee Zoo, sleep late, read, play outside later, play tennis, and go to festivals and fairs.

What are your favorite sports? 

Football, tennis, fishing, baseball, soccer, golf, basketball, swimming, kid-sized motorcycles. 

We are all watching the world cup, are you? 

Some of us are watching the World Cup and some of us are not. Those watching would like Brazil or Spain or Germany to win.

Do you take your food to school with you or not? 

Yes, we do because only middle school and high school have lunch made at school.

Do the people there know about us? 

Yes somewhat because of what we read in the news and see on television.

Danny wants to know:
Do you have scouts or camping? 

Yes, people can join Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts if they like. Some people go to day camps, some go to overnight camps, and others go camping with their families.

Do you watch NBA? 

Some of us watch the NBA games. The team in our city is called the Milwaukee Bucks. A few students like them but most like the Lakers or Celtics instead.

Henriette wants to know:


At school we have sports competitions and field days where we play sports. Do you have field days? 

Fourth and fifth graders can choose to join a field day one afternoon in May after school. They do running races, relays, hurdles, and long jump.

How many minutes do you have for each class? We have 45 minutes here. Do you have the same? 

Classes are different times – they may be anything from 25 minutes to 60 minutes, depending on the subject.

How many children are in each class? 

There are usually about 20-23 students in each class.

4th of July Celebrations: This is a big deal here in Milwaukee and Whitefish Bay! There are fireworks, Summerfest, lots of eating, parades, games, getting ready for guests, and many people have a day off of work or school. Here is a web site with news about the celebration here in Whitefish Bay!

http://www.wfbcivicfoundation.org/ 

Thanks for reminding me of the Fourth of July. It just does not seem like it is coming up. I think tomorrow a friend of mine and I are going to try to do something "American" together. I am not sure what that will be! 

More Questions from Bethlehem

We have a few more questions for our friends in Bethlehem. I hope that when they answer they also tell us a little bit about themselves and also send us a picture. You can email a picture to janicef@jfriesen.net and I will put it up on the blog.

More Questions

Khader wants to know:

• Do you have soccer class at the school?
• Sometimes the boys at our school fight. (The boys who fight get in trouble) Is that the same at your school?
• When school is closed during the summer can you still go to use the playground or is it locked?
• If someone is hurt at school do you have a school hospital?

George wants to know:

• What do you do in the summertime?
• What are your favorite sports? We are all watching the world cup, are you?
• Do you take your food to school with you or not?
• Do the people there know about us?

Danny wants to know:

• Do you have scouts or camping?
• Do you watch NBA?

Henriette wants to know:

• At school we have sports competitions and field days where we play sports. Do you have field days?
• How many minutes do you have for each class? We have 45 minutes here. Do you have the same?
• How many children are in each class?

Michelin did not have any more questions. I am wondering which teams you are hoping will win the World Cup if you are following it.

Thanks for answering our questions!

More Questions from Bethlehem

We have a few more questions for our friends in Bethlehem. I hope that when they answer they also tell us a little bit about themselves and also send us a picture. You can email a picture to janicef@jfriesen.net and I will put it up on the blog.

More Questions

Khader wants to know:

• Do you have soccer class at the school?
• Sometimes the boys at our school fight. (The boys who fight get in trouble) Is that the same at your school?
• When school is closed during the summer can you still go to use the playground or is it locked?
• If someone is hurt at school do you have a school hospital?

George wants to know:

• What do you do in the summertime?
• What are your favorite sports? We are all watching the world cup, are you?
• Do you take your food to school with you or not?
• Do the people there know about us?

Danny wants to know:

• Do you have scouts or camping?
• Do you watch NBA?

Henriette wants to know:

• At school we have sports competitions and field days where we play sports. Do you have field days?
• How many minutes do you have for each class? We have 45 minutes here. Do you have the same?
• How many children are in each class?

Michelin did not have any more questions. I am wondering which teams you are hoping will win the World Cup if you are following it.

Thanks for answering our questions!

Questions from Kids

After reading the questions from the kids in Wisconsin we have some questions here that we hope they can answer. Each person had more than one question, so we are going to send them a few at a time. They are very curious about how your lives are the same and different.

Their questions are in the same order of their pictures from left to right.

Michlin wants to know:

• Which day is the best day of the week for you and why? 
• Sometimes classes are boring here. Do you enjoy all of your classes?

George wants to know:

• What time do you eat meals?
• We can't travel freely. We cannot go to Jerusalem, which is only 1/2 hour away. Do you have freedom to travel where you want?

Henriette wants to know:

• How many classes do you have each day?
• Do you have a kitchen at your school?

Khader wants to know:

• What time do you go to school and what time do you come home?
• Do you have the right to choose what classes you want to take (freedom to learn what you are  or do you have to study specific things?

Danny wants to know:

• What rights do children have if something bad happens at home? 
• What do you do for fun outside of school?

The children here would love to have you come to visit and see the sights here.  They all have email accounts and some of them have Facebook accounts in case you want to be a friend.

Questions from Kids

After reading the questions from the kids in Wisconsin we have some questions here that we hope they can answer. Each person had more than one question, so we are going to send them a few at a time. They are very curious about how your lives are the same and different.

Their questions are in the same order of their pictures from left to right.

Michlin wants to know:

• Which day is the best day of the week for you and why? 
• Sometimes classes are boring here. Do you enjoy all of your classes?

George wants to know:

• What time do you eat meals?
• We can't travel freely. We cannot go to Jerusalem, which is only 1/2 hour away. Do you have freedom to travel where you want?

Henriette wants to know:

• How many classes do you have each day?
• Do you have a kitchen at your school?

Khader wants to know:

• What time do you go to school and what time do you come home?
• Do you have the right to choose what classes you want to take (freedom to learn what you are  or do you have to study specific things?

Danny wants to know:

• What rights do children have if something bad happens at home? 
• What do you do for fun outside of school?

The children here would love to have you come to visit and see the sights here.  They all have email accounts and some of them have Facebook accounts in case you want to be a friend.

Hospitality, A Recipe and Flip Video Cameras

It is hard to find time to write because everyone is so friendly. I am sitting at the Wi'am Center table and people keep stopping by and talking. I have so much to write about!! First of all I was so excited to hear from my friends in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin. There is a summer school class there that sent me some interesting questions about school here.

How many hours do students go to school?

7 hours

 

When does school start?

at 7:30

What do they eat for lunch?

They do not have a cafeteria with tables. They just have a place where they can buy food. They have a recess of 30 minutes where they can buy food, play, or eat a sandwich they brought from home.

How many students are in a class?

 between 25 -30 students

What do children play at recess?

They only have 30 minutes which is enough time to eat. Sometimes they play chasing each other, basketball or soccer. Sometimes they eat really quickly or they don't eat and just play.  At 2:30-3:00 pm they go home from school and there is hot food prepared for them. They call this lunch, but it is more like our dinner. They eat again sometime in the evening. The evening meal is simpler.

Do they go on field trips?

They take one or two trips each year. When there is a field trip the whole school goes together (1st-6th grades together and then 7-12th grades together). They have gone to a park in Bethlehem, the zoo in Jerusalem, Jerico and Jeneen (there is a theme park there with roller coasters). Their field trips are just for playing.

What are the biggest differences between the schools and US schools?

the food

they have less recess time

they have 45 minutes for each lesson

starting in first grade they have different teachers for each subject

The kids wanted to talk more and had more questions for the kids in Wisconsin. We will be putting their questions in here tomorrow.

We started learning about using the Flip Video cameras yesterday. They all made small movies just to learn how to use them. I am putting some pictures in here of them using the cameras!

The main topic today is hospitality. People here are so generous and hospitable. Every time you stop into someone's home they bring you tea or coffee. They make you feel so welcome. Last night I went with two other women to a house of someone they had met. While we were sitting and visiting with the family, Giselle kept going into the kitchen and coming out with one or another thing for us to eat or drink. First it was lemonade, then salted peanuts, then a plate of fruit for each person, then little hot meat pies, then tea, then cookies. The little meat pies are hard to explain because I do not have a word for them. One kind looks like a tiny pizza (about two inches in diameter) topped with some mix of meat and spices, one was a triangle of dough made with herbs in the dough and the triangles were filled with cheese, the last one was another triangle of dough which had a different filling. I am not sure how to describe it. It is not only food though. You feel like you are very welcome and they laugh and talk and everyone enjoys one another. No one is in a big hurry, so they sit and talk.

It is a contrast to our American way where we are all so busy all of the time. 

Ruty in Hertzeliya was also very hospitable. She made cake and the halva candy and took us so many places. Here is the recipe for the Halva Candy:

Crackling candy 

Material size 20X27 cm format:
1 cup sesame seeds 

100g butter 

Half cup honey 

Half cup sugar
1 tablespoon instant coffee powder 

Cup raw tahini 

5 cups Rice Krispies

100g of halva cut into chunks

Preparation: Roast the sesame seeds in a dry frying pan while stirring, until golden. Remove bowl and set aside. Bring to a boil in a large pot of butter, honey, sugar, coffee grinding. Remove from the heat, add Rice Krispies, toasted sesame, halva and mix well. Pour into pan lined with greased baking paper, flatten with a spoon or with the bottom of a glass (this is important to the cookies will not fall apart during cutting). Cool to room temperature. Keep in a sealed refrigerator and serve cold. When it is done it looks like marshmallow treats. Cut into 1 inch squares.

Hospitality, A Recipe and Flip Video Cameras

It is hard to find time to write because everyone is so friendly. I am sitting at the Wi'am Center table and people keep stopping by and talking. I have so much to write about!! First of all I was so excited to hear from my friends in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin. There is a summer school class there that sent me some interesting questions about school here.

How many hours do students go to school?

7 hours

 

When does school start?

at 7:30

What do they eat for lunch?

They do not have a cafeteria with tables. They just have a place where they can buy food. They have a recess of 30 minutes where they can buy food, play, or eat a sandwich they brought from home.

How many students are in a class?

 between 25 -30 students

What do children play at recess?

They only have 30 minutes which is enough time to eat. Sometimes they play chasing each other, basketball or soccer. Sometimes they eat really quickly or they don't eat and just play.  At 2:30-3:00 pm they go home from school and there is hot food prepared for them. They call this lunch, but it is more like our dinner. They eat again sometime in the evening. The evening meal is simpler.

Do they go on field trips?

They take one or two trips each year. When there is a field trip the whole school goes together (1st-6th grades together and then 7-12th grades together). They have gone to a park in Bethlehem, the zoo in Jerusalem, Jerico and Jeneen (there is a theme park there with roller coasters). Their field trips are just for playing.

What are the biggest differences between the schools and US schools?

the food

they have less recess time

they have 45 minutes for each lesson

starting in first grade they have different teachers for each subject

The kids wanted to talk more and had more questions for the kids in Wisconsin. We will be putting their questions in here tomorrow.

We started learning about using the Flip Video cameras yesterday. They all made small movies just to learn how to use them. I am putting some pictures in here of them using the cameras!

The main topic today is hospitality. People here are so generous and hospitable. Every time you stop into someone's home they bring you tea or coffee. They make you feel so welcome. Last night I went with two other women to a house of someone they had met. While we were sitting and visiting with the family, Giselle kept going into the kitchen and coming out with one or another thing for us to eat or drink. First it was lemonade, then salted peanuts, then a plate of fruit for each person, then little hot meat pies, then tea, then cookies. The little meat pies are hard to explain because I do not have a word for them. One kind looks like a tiny pizza (about two inches in diameter) topped with some mix of meat and spices, one was a triangle of dough made with herbs in the dough and the triangles were filled with cheese, the last one was another triangle of dough which had a different filling. I am not sure how to describe it. It is not only food though. You feel like you are very welcome and they laugh and talk and everyone enjoys one another. No one is in a big hurry, so they sit and talk.

It is a contrast to our American way where we are all so busy all of the time. 

Ruty in Hertzeliya was also very hospitable. She made cake and the halva candy and took us so many places. Here is the recipe for the Halva Candy:

Crackling candy 

Material size 20X27 cm format:
1 cup sesame seeds 

100g butter 

Half cup honey 

Half cup sugar
1 tablespoon instant coffee powder 

Cup raw tahini 

5 cups Rice Krispies

100g of halva cut into chunks

Preparation: Roast the sesame seeds in a dry frying pan while stirring, until golden. Remove bowl and set aside. Bring to a boil in a large pot of butter, honey, sugar, coffee grinding. Remove from the heat, add Rice Krispies, toasted sesame, halva and mix well. Pour into pan lined with greased baking paper, flatten with a spoon or with the bottom of a glass (this is important to the cookies will not fall apart during cutting). Cool to room temperature. Keep in a sealed refrigerator and serve cold. When it is done it looks like marshmallow treats. Cut into 1 inch squares.

Countdown 4 more days!

At church this morning the kids at Sunday School asked me lots of questions. I could answer some of them, but there were others that I could not answer. Here are the questions.

1. Do you have a passport? YES

2. How big is Israel? It is pretty small. Here is a picture of the size of Israel compared to the USA.
3. What language do they speak? In Israel they speak Hebrew. One Hebrew word is Shalom. That is what people say when they see each other. In Bethlehem they speak Arabic. Merhaba is a word that they use to say "hello".

4. What food do they eat?
One thing they eat is falafel. Falafel are fried balls of ground chickpeas and they are really yummy! They put them in Pita bread and eat them like a sandwich.

5. How do they dress? If you look at the videos on the Wi'am YouTube channel http://www.youtube.com/user/wiamcentre#p/a/u/1/SVkXi-KOlXI you can see that most people dress like we do. Some of the women wear head coverings.

6. What kind of birds do they have? I will have to find out!

7. What do the children play? I will ask them and put a game up here for you to learn about!

8. When are you coming back? On July 18th

9. Are you going in a boat or a plane? On an airplane. See tomorrow's post for something showing where the plane will go.

Thanks for the great questions. I look forward to getting more of them in the comment section!

Countdown 4 more days!

At church this morning the kids at Sunday School asked me lots of questions. I could answer some of them, but there were others that I could not answer. Here are the questions.

1. Do you have a passport? YES

2. How big is Israel? It is pretty small. Here is a picture of the size of Israel compared to the USA.
3. What language do they speak? In Israel they speak Hebrew. One Hebrew word is Shalom. That is what people say when they see each other. In Bethlehem they speak Arabic. Merhaba is a word that they use to say "hello".

4. What food do they eat?
One thing they eat is falafel. Falafel are fried balls of ground chickpeas and they are really yummy! They put them in Pita bread and eat them like a sandwich.

5. How do they dress? If you look at the videos on the Wi'am YouTube channel http://www.youtube.com/user/wiamcentre#p/a/u/1/SVkXi-KOlXI you can see that most people dress like we do. Some of the women wear head coverings.

6. What kind of birds do they have? I will have to find out!

7. What do the children play? I will ask them and put a game up here for you to learn about!

8. When are you coming back? On July 18th

9. Are you going in a boat or a plane? On an airplane. See tomorrow's post for something showing where the plane will go.

Thanks for the great questions. I look forward to getting more of them in the comment section!