Israeli concerns about the U.S. debt crisis

I follow a discussion board here in Israel called Digital Eve, which exists to support professional women.  It's a networking resource.  The U.S. economy made the list of topics this week.  I found this post and reply particularly interesting, as it is a discussion on what Israeli's should do with their retirement savings. 

INITIAL POST:  "A question for the independents on the list: Have you or are you going to move your money to a safer fund(s) in the next couple of days? A fund or funds not linked to the US economy
For the people who are employees: I'm 90% certain that according to the law, you're allowed to request that your individual money be moved wherever you wish.
I was listening to the CNN financial commentators and of course, they couldn't determine which way the stock market will go when the debt crisis is finally voted on."

RESPONSE POST:  "I follow the global economy and stock markets very closely. Even though the US will probably pass the debt ceiling, it won't help with the economy, just avoid a big crash in the markets and be followed by a temporary spike. Its difficult to know what will happen in the markets because the US and other governments are directly intervening in order to keep the markets up. And subsequently its difficult to know where to invest your money.   After the stock markets (and my funds) had recovered,  I moved my Kranot Hishtalmut [retirement funds] to very stable funds.  Again, they haven't performed nearly as well as stock market based funds in the past year. But that's because the American government has been pumping hundreds of billions of dollars through Quantitative Easing to keep the stock market up. If they can keep it up is anybody's guess."

Why we need A/C here...

Because when it is off, it's hot enough to melt candles in our apartment.

Fruits of my labor

Peak flowering season has come and gone - months ago.  My nasturtiums and sweet peas were already going to seed by the first of May.  (Back in Michigan I couldn't even plant them outside until then, as there was still a risk of frost).
Our fruit trees are showing mixed success.  The lime doesn't seem to be developing any limes.  I think that is because it flowered back in winter while the storms were still ripping through town.  Interestingly, the large citrus trees downstairs at the front of our building don't appear to be producing much this year either.  My pomellos finally made a comeback, so I guess they needed the hotter weather to finally revive.  I tossed the dy chezic, a casualty of the winter storms, and replaced it with a plum.  The jury is out on whether that was a good idea or not.  There is new growth, but also brown leaves.  Of the trees, the olive tree is the most impressive, now doubled in size, but with only 5 olives on it this year.  Pictured here is my fig tree which has produced over a dozen figs this summer.  The taste is almost as sweet as dried figs.  What a treat! 

I have so many cherry tomatoes that I have been slicing them open and drying them on the patio table.  It's working!  I cooked my first batch up in a white wine, sun-dried tomato, mushroom, artichoke, chicken pasta last week. 

Now I need to start using my lemongrass, which has tripled in size in 2 months - want to join us for dinner?

Tent City, Tel Aviv

This month the college students of Tel Aviv decided to stage a sit-in on the ritziest street in the city - Rothchild.  They have taken over the boulevard median (some of the larger streets here have a tree-lined median with walking/biking paths, benches and sometimes small playgrounds.)  They pitched rows of tents, labeled them with symbolic addresses, and claim to be protesting the high rent prices here.  The idea is generating plenty of media and awareness, and even comment from the Knesset about legislation, but only time will tell exactly what might result, if anything.  The students have not made any demands that would lead to their dispersal, but rather seem to be enjoying their summer break via this camp-out.

I made this

A couple days ago I went to my first jewelry making class.  But it's not like the beading we used to do in school.  This is metal work.  I started with a square flat sheet of brass.  Using a tiny saw, fine sandpaper, and a hammer, I turned it into this, in two hours.  In future classes I'll learn to sauder and include stones.  It is better than yoga.  I had no idea what I would make when I went in.  This is just what came out.

First world, third world, and toilet paper

I used to think I lived in a first world country, in the U.S.  I was told I was moving to a first world country, surrounded by third world countries, when I moved to Israel.

I'm not sure either is accurate.  The third world is certainly more obvious in Israel, when things like this occur - a donkey drawn cart heading north, a block up from our street.

But a lot of what goes on in the U.S. doesn't seem very first world to me either (like millions of Americans without access to proper healthcare).  The terms are really just a differentiator for GDP, not quality of life.  As Einstein said, "Not everything that can be counted counts and not everything that counts can be counted."

On a slightly lighter note, I miss U.S. toilet paper.  For a first world country (and Israel is in the same category as most of Europe in this case), they suck at producing decent toilet paper.  The stuff here reminds me of visiting my dad in Bolivia.  As I begin to run out of the little things that remind me of home, I realize I am not yet adjusted to this new place.  My apartment feels like home, but the country does not.

Community giving in Israel

Just before Passover, I was walking past Rabin Square, where all major Tel Aviv city events have their epicenter.  This was the display - hundreds of empty shopping carts lined up on the square, under a billboard which encouraged Israeli's to donate food so that no family would go without meals during the eight day holiday. 

I have learned a little about local attitudes toward giving and fundraising engagement.  It exists.  But it doesn't sound like the runs/walks/drives are common here.  I'm not certain, but it doesn't sound like corporate fundraising teams exist here.  While a little can be fun and build a sense of community and shared purpose, it can also become so pervasive that people get sick of the "cause of the week" in the U.S. 

The non-profits I've met here struggle to find funding like everywhere else though, and the trend toward unchecked capitalism is invading non-profits just as it is in the U.S., so it will be interesting to see how the culture of giving progresses - will non-profits copy the U.S. model, or find their own path?