Last Tuesday, two sirens went off across the country as part of a test from the Home Front Command. This war drill was to test preparedness if Israel were to experience heavy rocket attack on multiple fronts. We all knew it was coming so we had the ‘luxury’ of planning our actions beforehand. A country… Continue reading Sounds of Israel
Author: Nicole Nathan Bem
I am a writer and editor. When I moved to Israel with my family in 2005, I decided to create this blog, wanting to capture the intensity of living in this land. Days are never static; they are vibrant and there is a depth of emotion here that I feel nowhere else. These pages are my honest reflection and observations of life in Israel as an Anglo immigrant.
Jewish Prague
Prague is a gorgeous city. Tourists seem to joyfully ‘float’ along the cobblestoned streets, eyeing intricately designed buildings painted in pastel hues, carefully carved and sculpted into unique jewels. Like faces, no two are alike. Prague is also a Disney World for history and culture buffs, complete with a castle that dates back 1,000 years… Continue reading Jewish Prague
A Love Letter to Israel
I received this email from a friend in Canada. I read it with curiosity, but after a few paragraphs, felt choked up. By the end, I was in tears. The next morning, cradling my steaming coffee, I read it aloud to my husband. Again, I could not finish it as I was choked by tears.… Continue reading A Love Letter to Israel
How Israel loves mankind
Newspaper headline reads: "The honor of helping." A natural disaster hit Nepal on Saturday. An earthquake that registered 7.8 crushed the country. The quake killed over 5,200 people, injured 10,000 and created a state of homelessness and hunger for tens of thousands of survivors. Countries around the world offered help and aid. The US, India… Continue reading How Israel loves mankind
23,320 flags
Selling flags in anticipation of Yom Ha'atzma'ut. Twenty three thousand three hundred and twenty flags are flying half-mast today. These blue and white flags were lovingly placed at the graveside of fallen Israeli soldiers and victims of terror. Sixty seven years of statehood: 23,320 lives lost for the sake of being Jews in a Jewish… Continue reading 23,320 flags
The power of giving
We are about to light our Yom Tov candles and enter into the eighth and final day of Pesach. We started counting the Omer on the second night of Pesach. We will count up each night until we reach 49 and arrive at Shavuot, the giving of the Torah. These seven weeks represent self growth… Continue reading The power of giving
Spiritual cleansing
I crank up our little gas oven to kasher it. I soak the knobs in soapy water, clean out the fridge and wash down the counters. Now ready for the final phase of kashering, I pour boiling water across all of the counters and tabletops. Carefully wiping up the steaming water with a clean towel,… Continue reading Spiritual cleansing
It's a roller coaster ride
It has been another challenging week here in Israel. Life in Israel is similar to being on a roller coaster. There are ups and downs, curves and moments of terror, then incredible highs before a steep plummet. The day before election, this country was perched at the top of a deep abyss. We voted and… Continue reading It's a roller coaster ride
Jews wandering the desert
"It's us or them," says Netanyahu. Election fever is at a pitch here in Israel. Enormous photos of candidates’ faces stare us down from billboards at every intersection. The highway is lined with their messages, some threatening doom and gloom, others insulting competing candidates. For me, the polls predict a grim, terrifying future. Since Israel… Continue reading Jews wandering the desert
A Purim Journey
(video promoting the parade in 2011) For such a teensy country, Israel has many faces and personalities. This week, en route to a desert hike in the Negev, we found ourselves in Sde Boker, a tiny desert community on the edge of a dramatic canyon. Turns out my daughter is in the army with a… Continue reading A Purim Journey
Life in Israel 