Why I Love Living in Israel By Bernie Wolff
Israel is like no other country on earth when it comes to its people and doing business. How do I know? Well, for a start I have lived in 6 different countries, and visited more than 35 countries during my working life. So, I have some knowledge of how people think and do business. So, what’s different about Israel and Israelis? 1. Israel is not a country but a large village: About fifteen years ago we traveled north to Haifa to visit a friend whom we hadn’t seen in more than 30 years. Although we had the address in Kiryat Ata, these were the days long before WAZE and GOOGLE. Consequently, we drove with our trusty printed map. As we approached the outskirts of Haifa, we stopped alongside a pedestrian in the street, and asked if he could point the way to the suburb of Kiryat Ata. “What address are you looking for?” he asked. “Oh it’s in this neighborhood”, said Susan, pointing it out on the map. “I know the area well”, he responded. “Great”, we replied, “just tell us the direction we need to go in“. “Who are you visiting?” he again asked. “Oh, you wouldn’t know them, they haven’t lived there long”. “What’s 12 |Pesach 2020
the family name?” he continued. “Well, you couldn’t possibly know them, but here it is”. Whereupon, he opened the rear door, jumped in the back of the car, and said “No problem, I know them and I’ll take you right there”. “By the way thanks for the ride”. 2. Israelis know best what’s good for you: Just after we purchased our apartment, we decided to buy garden furniture for our balcony. We shopped around and finally decided to choose a table and four chairs from a garden furniture store in the old industrial area. They had quite a large selection, and we were served by a very attentive young salesman who could sense that we were new to the country, with money to spend, and who would be less likely to haggle over price. “We have a fairly large balcony with a corner area where a nice large oval table with five chairs would fit nicely”, we explained. “No problem at all, we have several models and colors for you to choose”, he replied. “Follow me to the back of the store, and I will show you exactly what you are looking for”. “We have a very stylish set, and it’s very new to Israel”, he announced with much enthusiasm. “You won’t find
