July, 2011:

No one got shot boycotting cottage cheese

First we boycotted cottage cheese because the producers where charging too much, then we sat in tents to demonstrate against the high cost of housing in Israel, and the complete inability of the average salaried worker to own a decent home.

Soaring food prices and outrageous housing costs are problems in many countries. It seems like Israelis are ignoring the elephant in the room to make a big deal over economic issues that are affecting consumers worldwide.

The Arab Spring showed all in our region, that when people are oppressed by a dictatorship they will risk it all to fight for change and relative freedom. Look at the Syrians, braving live fire to take to the streets, and getting killed for their desire for freedom.

It is telling that Israel translated that into consumer activism, which while noble on it’s own, seems ludicrous in a region where the daily news reports on war, missiles, armies and military preparedness. Clearly we need to learn to deal with the primary issue facing our nation, and that is the Palestinian issue. I believe that Israelis aren’t engaging in that discussion expressly because they are afraid to address the real issues. It’s much easier to demonstrate against the government than it will be for us to engage each other in the real issue of final borders, Jerusalem, and most importantly, how to deal with extremists, ours as well as theirs. Those are the real issues facing Israel. Affordable housing is important, but not existential.

First puncture in our balloon – no solar panels, wtf?

Jul 20th, 2011

by Zendette.

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Less than two weeks to go, but rather than excitement, DH is hugely pissed off. Turns out, we forgot to confirm that our new apartment has a solar water heater. They are ubiquitous in Israel. You see solar panels and water tanks on roofs across the country. With the amount of sun we receive, I haven’t had to heat water for a shower in months. The only other method regularly used to heat water for home use in Israel is an electric boiler that uses electrical power to heat the water in your tank if there wasn’t enough sun. We use it in the winter on the occasional rainy day.

So in a country where EVERYONE seems to have solar panels, we are moving into a hi rise that doesn’t. It means we have to remember to turn on the boiler at least 30 minutes before we want to shower. Plus, of course, our electric bill will balloon since all our hot water will be electrically heated.

I can’t believe in a country like this, where 90% or so of the buildings use solar panels, we’re moving into one of those that doesn’t. I really hope this is the last “surprise”. Of course, it’s our fault. We took it for granted that no reasonable builder would create a structure that isn’t intended to carry solar panels.

Follow up: we spoke to a neighbor who told us to just put a timer on the water heater and heat for 45 minutes in the morning and an hour in the evening to supply a household with a steady supply of hot water in any season. DH has moved on and is now consumed with a need to have every article in the house boxed up at least a week before the movers arrive. Good news is that we’re almost done.

Countdown begins

Jul 12th, 2011

by Zendette.

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Only 19 days to go before we move to our new apartment, and the excitement is building. We’ve packed up almost half our apartment and have boxes piled up near the entrance. Karen is really excited, but I’m worried about how to prepare Matan. True he has now been with us for more than a year, but he still seems like such a baby. Even though he does understand simple concepts and is speaking more, I still don’t think he’s capable of grasping the concept of “moving”.

Matan sees us packing up our belongings, and he sees the growing row of boxes in the foyer, but he doesn’t seem disturbed by it yet, most likely because he just doesn’t get it. I’ve tried explaining to him, but I think the best preparation is to take him to the new apartment, which he hasn’t seen yet. I’m thinking of bringing something from our home, something that he identifies with “home”, and allowing him to leave it there so he understands that he’s coming back. I’ll also reiterate my explanation that Mommy, Daddy, Karen and Matan will all live there soon.

What’s the big deal about moving, you may ask. With children adopted as toddlers, there are always attachment issues. Matan still cries when I leave him at home with a babysitter. Sometimes he even freaks if I leave for a short time and leave him with his father and sister. For him, the concept of family is something we have worked hard to define, and a big part of that definition revolves around the fact that “we” all live together. By necessity, that gives importance to the home itself.