Western Wall Tunnels

What’s in a Name?

My last name isn’t very long, and it’s not super unusual. But it’s not exactly “Smith” or “Brown:” it’s an “ethnic” family name. So, when asked for my name, I always spell it with phonetic references – as in, “McAdams, that’s M like mom, C like cat, A like apple…” (Last name changed to protect the not-so-innocent.) Given the…

Tel Aviv Flowers

Surprising Things About Israel

There are bright-colored flowers all over the country, even though much of it is in the desert. Hot pink ones seem particularly common, and they often appear along the roadside. Many (non-Muslim) Israelis seem to have dogs – especially small ones. There are also many stray cats. They are neither aggressive nor timid: they mainly…