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There are hundreds of music traditions among Israelis. The ones with the highest number of devotees are probably the western classical tradition and the arabic tradition. But in recent years many streams of western music have made it into the culture (rock, R&B, C&W, Bluegrass, folk-rock, Rap) and of course immigrants from dozens of countries have their own traditions.
This is in a country of only 7 million people.
As a result, when Israelis get together to form a band, it is inevitable that some of the members will have different musical traditions than others. Thus, almost every musical performance you might see in Israel (except for purely Western classical), is a type of fusion.
A few days after this post (May 22), the local Jewish weekly had a story about local fusion music. The implication of the story is that fusion is becoming the latest thing. A particular group ( the Andy Statman Trio) which fuses klezmer and bluegrass was featured. Perhaps the Israelis were the 'early adapters' in this case.
Gaming the system is not just an Israeli passion, not just an Israeli activity but more like an Israeli necessity. This is because prices are out of alignment with salaries.
Of course, the people realize this and, of necessity they relish each triumph over "the system".
For example, teachers get a deep, deep discount in purchasing software as part of their 'benefits'. This 'benefit' justifies rather low salaries. The teachers thus have an incentive to find people other than themselves who need software, then buy the software at the discount price and resell it to other people at about the average of the discount and retail (plus tax) price.
How many people do this? Well, its best to take a 'don't ask, don't tell' take on this.
During the end of the week there is a scramble nationwide as people invite each other to Sabbath meals - generally you don't have to go to synagogue to get invited and you don't have to be observant or even be a believer. If you were single in Israel and were reasonably sociable, you could count on being invited out to two meals every single week (of course you would be expected to occasionally bring dessert or wine). This makes Israel similar to a Baptist's idea of Heaven (a Baptist told me once that to get into Baptist heaven you don't have to believe in anything but you can't get in without bringing a covered dish).
The last supper (note the Leonardo da Vinci painting by that name) may have been a Sabbath dinner (or may have been a Passover dinner).
Israelis may not say they like living on overdraft but many of them do. So many in fact that I'm going to assume they actually like it. My daughter had to go to the bank one day for something and noticed that some people in the bank that day seemed to be doing something related to overdrafting or at least talking about it (if they were doing something it would be either modifying an overdraft agreement or making payment under overdraft terms, etc.)
Obviously people in other countries live on overdraft also. There are things that make Israelis a bit more prone to this.
1. Disincentives to save. There are a few of these, for example the very high down payment needed to buy a house discourages young people from aspiring to this and thus discourages savings.
2. Loss leader overdraft protection fees. Most countries have high penalties for use of overdraft. I think that in Israel, some banks may have low introductory rates for overdraft protection and this keeps the initial rates low (this is a confusing issue because there are many steps in the overdraft system and I don't understand very much of it - and I don't intend to make a study of it either).
3. Easy access to moderate loans. Although it is very hard to get a loan big enough to buy a house, it is easy to get a loan large enough to go on a shopping spree.
4. Fun Stuff to Do. Israel has a lot of fun stuff to do that costs a lot relative to incomes
Israelis celebrate their Independence day in the Hebrew month of Iyar. This is usually in late April or early May.
They have sung the national anthem for about 60 years as part of this celebration. However, for the past 10 years or so a new tradition has arose. That new tradition is firing silly string at people to celebrate during the fireworks part of the event.
A 2009 post remembering a 1998 celebration documents this event that year. A 2009 webpost anticipates it this year.
Incidentally, Israeli Synagogues have a variety of different liturgical customs for independence day. Some recite the Hallel (Psalms 113-118). Of the ones that do this, some precede the Hallel with the blessing (Blessed is...who commanded us to say the Hallel) and some don't. Most congregations do not say Tachanan (the self-admonition and confessional). One Rabbi of a synagogue which says neither the Hallel nor the tachanan was asked why that congregation had that custom. The Rabbi responded that they adopt the practice of one of the founders of Israel, David Ben Gurion who said neither Hallel nor Tachanan (D B-Gurion was secular).
