To Dizengoff - לדזנגף or To Facebook - לפסבק ?...That is the question!

I just watched the first episodes of סרוגים 'knitted' the new Israeli sitcom literally about living on my street. I am scared now to go outside just in case I get caught on film. Check it out at http://yes.walla.co.il/?w=1/7531
With all the cliche's about what it's like to live in this area, people tend to put you in a box. A friend wanted to set me up with a guy who lives in Tel-Aviv. Israeli. He calls me today to break up with me before we even started going out. It's quite impressive really.
He starts with:
"Look I live in Tel-Aviv..." and ends with "Oh I just started going out with someone but I'll call you if it doesn't work out..."
I recently bought a fun coffee table book on Israeli idioms and what they really mean.
I think what he means to say is:
"You are from Jerusalem. I'm pretty sure that you cover your elbows and that you don't have a tan line because I live in Tel Aviv on the beach and anyone who doesn't live where I live can't possibly go to the beach. It is impossible for me to open up my little head to entertain the possibility that anything could ever happen between us, so let me just give you an excuse so I can tell my friend that I called you but it didn't work out."

It's all about how you conjugate verbs. I'm still in Ulpan, it still takes up copious amounts of my time. It's so wonderful though that I have a way to express myself and tell this following story in more than one language, for now though I will suffice with English.

A few weeks ago a guy who I know from Sydney, who I originally met because I used to go out with a friend of his 10 years ago added me as a friend on facebook. I can't remember the last time I had a conversation with him but I thought, whatever it's not going to kill me to be his friend on facebook, so I accepted him.

The next week I get a message from him:
"Hi Gila, are you still in Israel? I Am coming there for a holiday and it would be great to catch up!"
The friendly person that I am, I wrote back and said "Sure, why not!". Ok so I really don't have much to say to this guy, but if he's here all the way from Australia and wants to hang out then why not?
The next week a phonecall from London:
" Hi Gila, I'm coming to Israel tomorrow and I don't have anywhere to stay and all the hotels in tel aviv are booked"
Do I really believe this bullshit?
The next day he is my house and the first thing he said to me was:
"Can I use your washing machine?"
He took me out for dinner to say thanks and he wanted to talk about my ex from 10 years ago...because that is the only thing we have in common...the ex who is now married...who I am friendly with...but not much in contact...because in the past 10 years...I guess stuff happened like I moved countries...

So how long is he staying? Who knows? Is he around for Shabbat? I can't get a straight answer, so instead I ask my friends is he can join for meals and they very kindly agree. I let him know and he is thankful. 4pm Friday fternoon, he let's me know that actually he is going to be in Tel-Aviv for Shabbat...so now I have to embarrassingly call my friends to cancel.

Then he doesn't come back.
2 days go by and I don't hear anything.
He has my key.
I wonder when he will return.

Until today I get this message:
"I'm so dumb - I had to come back to London for a medical appointment which is tomorrow. And I forgot I had your key. I'm coming back to Israel later this week. But I don't know if you need the key before then? I am so sorry it was retarded of me to forget. Let me know what I should do, I could look at getting it couriered to you express or something?"

Is this normal behaviour? I don't think so. I am sick of being a nice person and getting used. I de-friended him. It's the first person on facebook that I have done that too but I think he deserved it.

So as for the question I choose neither.
Where did all the normal people go?

Strength - כח

The Hebrew letter value of 28 is represented as כח which means strength. Today as I turn 28, I can reflect upon past experiences and appreciate the strength which has carried me through up until now and the power that it has provided me with. I don't think that at any other age I would have been able to understand the full meaning of the word and I think it is really appropriate at this time.
I am so grateful for all the opportunities that I have been able to grab at and all the amazing experiences that have been provided for me.
I am so excited for the next year to see what comes along, and I know that I have the strength to handle whatever comes my way and also the strength to achieve whatever my heart desires...
Happy Birthday to me!

History and Halacha

I just had a really nice Shavout, where everyone brought something to eat and something to learn. I think there is something special about who you learn with because essentially you are sharing G-d with them and this also to a lesser degree is also present when you share a meal with someone, because you are sharing an experience with them and that is how you build a relationship.

A lot of the discussion centred around G-d's role in Halacha vs History.
While Halachah is no longer in Heaven, G-d still controls history at the end of the day...but is the ultimate goal for us to become independant with that as well...?
When we read different versions of the same event in Tanach what actually happened? Where is the truth in history...or is history, just events that we need to take on face value...it occurred?
When was it that we actually reveived the Torah?...The date is not actually recorded in the Torah...in fact the whole concept of Shavout being Zman Matan Torateinu only came about after the Temple was destroyed and Rabbi's re-conceptualised the Chag from being a harvest festival directly dependant on the Temple and the bringing of first fruits to placing the emphasis on Torah study in order that it could still be relevant to us today despite the fact that since primary school it has been ingrained into us that on Shavout we received the Torah...you'd think that the Torah would record such an occasion...

Food for thought...