# Ask the Israeli/American **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 19, 2010, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-israeli-american/554298 "2010-09-19T16:31:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2010, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-israeli-american/554298/21 "2010-09-19T22:09:21Z")
> [@Shayna](#): > > > [@Babale](#): > > > > I’m a guy. And to you too. (I’m guessing you’re a gal? I always assume people are guys). > > > > I’ll build one soon. I know, I was supposes to start yesterday. But I was (and still am) hungry! > > Ah, well in that case, L’shanah tovah tikatev v’taihatem. 🙂 > > And yes, I’m a girl. My screen name is my sister’s dog’s name. > > When I was there in '76, there were always at least 2 Israeli military with rifles slung over their backs on every bus we’d get on. Now I read that they might be putting [bags of pig fat on the buses](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3484277.stm) to discourage bombers who wouldn’t want their bodies covered in pig guts if they blew themselves up. Is that actually happening, and how do _you_ feel about it? we still have lots of soldiers. When I was in elementary school, we had a guard with some sort of heavy duty weapon. Probably some sort of semiautomatic highcaliber pistol. The pig fat idea is brilliant, although I have no idea if it’s true. Combat religious madness with that religion’s own weakness… Perfect. I know that the british would bury Muslim terrorists in India with pigs, and that worked. I’m all for introducing that. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2010, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-israeli-american/554298/22 "2010-09-19T22:22:46Z")
> [@kasuo](#): > > Are Israeli women as straight-forward or direct? I’ve seen pictures or shows and they just look absolutely beautiful. They are as rude, if that’s what you mean. Which is part of the reason that I could never marry an American. I mean, if she expects me to NOT be rude and direct, we’d probably get divorced over the fights with the inlaws I started at the wedding. Some Israelis are pretty, but I think a lot of Americans are, too. (The ones who are not morbidly obese). Still, personality-wise, I can’t handle the American culture. > [@Shayna](#): > > Thanks for your reply about what your favorite things about Israel are, but I was actually asking in reference to geography. I understand not liking Tel Aviv. It was a big, dirty, commercialized city with seedy parts (the “red light district”) in 1978 (I’ve been misstating the date :smack:) when I was there, and I imagine it’s still like that. But I loved, loved, loved Jerusalem and Haifa. And the Golan Heights in the North is absolutely exquisite. Do you have a favorite area? Favorite area? I love hiking in the South, around the Dead Sea. Ein Gedi, etc. There are some really nice streams that carve their way through the mountains on the way to the Dead Sea. Kayaking and swimming in the Jordan is also great fun. But I think my favorite area has got to be the… What’s the word? Hebrew speakers, help me out here… “Moshava”? Not “Moshav”, but “Moshava”. What is that in English? And as for 78 vs 76 vs 67… Still a bit early for me. ---
**Author:** ![newcomer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e5b9ba/32.png) [@newcomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcomer)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2010, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-israeli-american/554298/23 "2010-09-19T23:15:49Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > Anyways, we heard about Palestinians throwing rocks on the news, and we were all thinking that it’s just the holidays, meaning that Palestinians were out of work on that day, and therefore getting restless. Cute! Seriously, was this a general opinion; i.e. Israelis really did not see why would Palestinians protest to that extreme? ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2010, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-israeli-american/554298/24 "2010-09-19T23:17:10Z")
Do you always use the toilet flush device as intended (i.e., do you push the little handle for pee and the bigger handle for poop)? ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2010, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-israeli-american/554298/25 "2010-09-19T23:24:13Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > Favorite area? I love hiking in the South, around the Dead Sea. Ein Gedi, etc. There are some really nice streams that carve their way through the mountains on the way to the Dead Sea. > > Kayaking and swimming in the Jordan is also great fun. But I think my favorite area has got to be the… What’s the word? Hebrew speakers, help me out here… “Moshava”? Not “Moshav”, but “Moshava”. What is that in English? > > And as for 78 vs 76 vs 67… Still a bit early for me. I’d forgotten about Ein Gedi - also very beautiful. We hiked along a Wadi to get to [this waterfall](http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Middle_East/Israel/Northern/Yizreel/photo716540.htm). Fabulous. Along the way there was a much smaller fall that made a perfect water slide. We had so much fun going down that thing! It’s too bad that '78 was too early for you. At the time Israel still occupied the Sinai and I spent a week traveling along the coast of the Red Sea. Spectacular. One of the most beautiful places is at the southern tip at [Ras Muhammad](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ras_Muhammad_National_Park), where there is a cove where you can walk knee-deep for a hundred yards and find yourself standing on the edge of a very, very, very deep coral reef wall. We sat on the edge with our legs dangling over, while lionfish swam all around us. Little did we know how deadly they were! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2010, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-israeli-american/554298/26 "2010-09-20T01:44:13Z")
So, how does it feel to know that you are a member of an evil sentient race of arab-hating s… oops. Sorry. You kind of opened yourself up for that one. 😉 Seriously, you said “People have generally accepted that we’ll be dumping gaza and the west bank.” If this is true, do you see a two state solution in 5 years? 10? Your lifetime? I apologize. I know you said you don’t want this to be a political thread, but did you really believe we would let you get away with dancing around the elephant in the room? Ani khoshev she lo! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2010, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-israeli-american/554298/27 "2010-09-20T01:52:34Z")
Folks, just a reminder, that [our rules state:](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=7697021#post7697021) > [@](#): > > The Straight Dope Message Board is owned by a publication based in the USA. The common language of all the moderators of this message board is English. For that reason we ask that all posts on this message board be made in English. The staff members need to be able to read and understand posts made at the message board. > > Exceptions include requests for help with translation, explanation of foreign language words or expressions, foreign words or phrases that have come into English, etc. Please don’t post in Hebrew without providing a translation. Thanks, **twickster** , MPSIMS moderator ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2010, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-israeli-american/554298/28 "2010-09-20T02:39:21Z")
> [@newcomer](#): > > Cute! > > Seriously, was this a general opinion; i.e. Israelis really did not see why would Palestinians protest to that extreme? Yes. Whatever you might think the cause was, Israelis in general (or at least, Israelis I talked too) had no idea what all the fuss was about. Hell, a year in, some of us were still expecting the Arabs to run out of steam any day now. > [@Ponch8](#): > > Do you always use the toilet flush device as intended (i.e., do you push the little handle for pee and the bigger handle for poop)? Dude, knowing Israel, we probably had those before you did. Our entire water supply is about the size of a SoCal swimming pool. > [@Shayna](#): > > I’d forgotten about Ein Gedi - also very beautiful. We hiked along a Wadi to get to [this waterfall](http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Middle_East/Israel/Northern/Yizreel/photo716540.htm). Fabulous. Along the way there was a much smaller fall that made a perfect water slide. We had so much fun going down that thing! I was there! Exactly the same place. Did you see the big rock on the way to the David Waterfall with the pool behind it? That pool looked like a picture out of some tropical beach resort. Of course, when I was there the water level was lower. I was there in the late summer after a drought year. > [@](#): > > It’s too bad that '78 was too early for you. At the time Israel still occupied the Sinai and I spent a week traveling along the coast of the Red Sea. Spectacular. One of the most beautiful places is at the southern tip at [Ras Muhammad](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ras_Muhammad_National_Park), where there is a cove where you can walk knee-deep for a hundred yards and find yourself standing on the edge of a very, very, very deep coral reef wall. We sat on the edge with our legs dangling over, while lionfish swam all around us. Little did we know how deadly they were! :eek: Yep, the Red Sea is an amazing place. I want to go SCUBA diving there someday. My cousin SCUBA dives, if I actually get around to getting my diving license by next year (I’ve been at it for three years now… No time for the needed dives) we’ll go diving together. Ceasaria is another place I want to dive, what with all the ancient Roman ruins that are underwater. > [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > I apologize. I know you said you don’t want this to be a political thread, but did you really believe we would let you get away with dancing around the elephant in the room? Ani khoshev she lo! 🙂 Alright, I’ll answer political questions. But let’s just take my answer and not start a debate over it, OK? If we want a debate, just post a thread in GD with a link. > [@](#): > > Seriously, you said “People have generally accepted that we’ll be dumping gaza and the west bank.” If this is true, do you see a two state solution in 5 years? 10? Your lifetime? 5 or 10 years? Maybe. Depends on who is in office, who his coalition is, etc… Israeli politics are less predictable than American politics, in my experience, since it’s not just “Republicans” and “Democrats”. Look at the Conversion issue… Most Israelis want the Right of Return to apply to people who convert through Orthodox, Conservative, or Reform Judaism. But since the main political parties need the Orthodox parties in their coalition, the main parties can’t make this change. Still, I think both conversion reform and a two state solution will be reached in the next… 15 years? Max. But it all depends. > [@twickster](#): > > Folks, just a reminder, that [URL=“[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=7697021#post7697021](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=7697021#post7697021)”] > > Please don’t post in Hebrew without providing a translation. > > Thanks, > > **twickster** , MPSIMS moderator He said, “I think NOT!” ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2010, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-israeli-american/554298/29 "2010-09-20T02:52:30Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > > [@twickster](#): > > > > Folks, just a reminder, that [URL=“[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=7697021#post7697021](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=7697021#post7697021)”] > > > > Please don’t post in Hebrew without providing a translation. > > > > Thanks, > > > > **twickster** , MPSIMS moderator > > He said, “I think NOT!” Rule No. 1 on the SDMB: Do NOT annoy the Twicks. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2010, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-israeli-american/554298/30 "2010-09-20T03:04:33Z")
Originally Posted by Ponch8 View Post Do you always use the toilet flush device as intended (i.e., do you push the little handle for pee and the bigger handle for poop)? > [@Babale](#): > > Dude, knowing Israel, we probably had those before you did. Our entire water supply is about the size of a SoCal swimming pool. That’s what I meant…I’ve never seen those devices in the US, so I was fascinated by them when I visited Israel. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2010, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-israeli-american/554298/31 "2010-09-20T03:08:10Z")
> [@Ponch8](#): > > Originally Posted by Ponch8 View Post > Do you always use the toilet flush device as intended (i.e., do you push the little handle for pee and the bigger handle for poop)? > > > [@Babale](#): > > > > Dude, knowing Israel, we probably had those before you did. Our entire water supply is about the size of a SoCal swimming pool. > > That’s what I meant…I’ve never seen those devices in the US, so I was fascinated by them when I visited Israel. Oh. Well they’re common in the US now, at least in SoCal. No I don’t always use the right one, but I’d rather not go into detail. If you know what I mean. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2010, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-israeli-american/554298/32 "2010-09-20T03:10:14Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Rule No. 1 on the SDMB: > > Do NOT annoy the Twicks. > > 🙂 I’m not annoyed, just reminding folks that we are an American board and thus monolingual. What, like I need the _tsouris_ of keeping track of everyone posting in whatever languages they want? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2010, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-israeli-american/554298/33 "2010-09-20T03:17:09Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > > [@carnivorousplant](#): > > > > Rule No. 1 on the SDMB: > > > > Do NOT annoy the Twicks. > > > > 🙂 > > I’m not annoyed, just reminding folks that we are an American board and thus monolingual. > > What, like I need the _tsouris_ of keeping track of everyone posting in whatever languages they want? > > 😛 I admonish thee! ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2010, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-israeli-american/554298/34 "2010-09-20T03:32:44Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > > [@Babale](#): > > > > He said, “I think NOT!” > > Rule No. 1 on the SDMB: > > Do NOT annoy the Twicks. > > 🙂 Yeah, I really should know by now not to get on Twicksie’s bad side. She’s nailed me for the same infraction before, so other than not paying attention, I have no excuse. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2010, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-israeli-american/554298/35 "2010-09-20T04:03:39Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Folks, just a reminder, that [our rules state:](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=7697021#post7697021) > > > [@](#): > > > > The Straight Dope Message Board is owned by a publication based in the USA. The common language of all the moderators of this message board is English. For that reason we ask that all posts on this message board be made in English. The staff members need to be able to read and understand posts made at the message board. > > > > Exceptions include requests for help with translation, explanation of foreign language words or expressions, foreign words or phrases that have come into English, etc. > > Please don’t post in Hebrew without providing a translation. > > Thanks, > > **twickster** , MPSIMS moderator Yeah, now I remember why I quit coming here. For fuck’s sake, I wished the guy a happy new year, which has been said on these boards _in Hebrew_ about a zillion times. And given that we just closed the 10 days of Awe following the Jewish New Year, which I’m _sure_ you were aware of, it shouldn’t have been that hard to figure out. Not to mention that it was a one-liner and not an entire post. Yeah, yeah, take it to the Pit. I think not. Goodbye again. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2010, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-israeli-american/554298/36 "2010-09-20T04:08:05Z")
> [@Shayna](#): > > Yeah, now I remember why I quit coming here. For fuck’s sake, I wished the guy a happy new year, which has been said on these boards _in Hebrew_ about a zillion times. And given that we just closed the 10 days of Awe following the Jewish New Year, which I’m _sure_ you were aware of, it shouldn’t have been that hard to figure out. Not to mention that it was a one-liner and not an entire post. > > Yeah, yeah, take it to the Pit. I think not. Goodbye again. I think he was talking about Onomanopia, not you. Since Ono said something in hebrew in the context of an argument, it could be seen as some sort of heinous insult towards me. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2010, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-israeli-american/554298/37 "2010-09-20T06:41:47Z")
> [@Shayna](#): > > > [@twickster](#): > > > > Folks, just a reminder, that [our rules state:](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=7697021#post7697021) > > Please don’t post in Hebrew without providing a translation. > > > > Thanks, > > > > **twickster** , MPSIMS moderator > > Yeah, now I remember why I quit coming here. For fuck’s sake, I wished the guy a happy new year, which has been said on these boards _in Hebrew_ about a zillion times. And given that we just closed the 10 days of Awe following the Jewish New Year, which I’m _sure_ you were aware of, it shouldn’t have been that hard to figure out. Not to mention that it was a one-liner and not an entire post. > > Yeah, yeah, take it to the Pit. I think not. Goodbye again. Crud. Now I do feel bad. ☹ Shayna, please don’t leave. It was my post **twickster** was calling out, not yours. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2010, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-israeli-american/554298/38 "2010-09-20T11:45:12Z")
I very deliberately _wasn_’t calling out anyone in particular. After the third or fourth post with Hebrew in it, I put in a mild reminder that we prefer that people post in English. There are many people on these boards who are not familiar with New Year’s greetings in languages that they do not speak, and several of them may be reading this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2010, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-israeli-american/554298/39 "2010-09-20T13:50:03Z")
**Babele** , do you ever have to interact with someone who believed in stuff like Jews using gentile children’s blood for Passover, or suchlike? Are there equivalent conspiracy theories on the Jewish side? Also, do you get Mel Gibson movies in Israel? Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2010, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-israeli-american/554298/40 "2010-09-20T13:55:15Z")
What are the cool places in Israel to see that are off the usual religious tourist beaten path? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-israeli-american/554298.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-israeli-american/554298.md?page=3)