Back during the days of nearly weekly suicide bombings (for example in 2002), Americans would make mass calls to Israelis with 'are you OK?' phone calls after each bombing.
This would annoy Israelis, especially those who lived pretty far from the bombings and who resent the implication that Israel is dangerous.
This week, there was a major Metro train wreck in DC with nine people killed and many injured. A lot of us residents of greater Washington D.C. have received phone calls or emails from friends and relatives in Israel asking us, "are you OK?".
A very high percentage of Israelis go into the army or otherwise do some national service. The Israeli army service produces lifetime friendships to an extent greater than that of other countries. This is possibly because of the intensity of the operations (you tend to remember someone who saved you life or got you out of a life threatening situation).
Army friends then do stuff together after the army. One thing they do together is start businesses or business lines within an existing business and then recruit their friends.
Israeli men in the army like younger women (age 18-24) so slightly older women don't generally go in the army. However the women that do go into the army become 'buddies' also. How much intimacy is involved is anyone's guess.
Israelis live in a cafe society and they seem to like it. What does this mean?
Well, what happens is that Israelis see each other on the street and decide to talk and they go to a nearby cafe (and the key here is that there is frequently a nearby cafe) and sit and order stuff and talk. Or they call each other up and decide to meet at a cafe which suits the type of conversation they expect to have. There up upscale cafes. There are downhome cafes. There are cafes in the middle of retail areas. There are cafes in the middle of commercial areas. There are cafes and cafes and cafes. The one in the image is Cafe B'Gini on Bethlehem street in Jerusalem.
I was employed by the Federal Highway Administration from the mid 70s to 2008. I did work in many subject areas over this time but am probably known most for managing one of the big discretionary programs, for creating Interstate designation content and for research and management in the area of highway economic development.
I did other things over the years: e.g., taught people in the FHWA how to play the card game called "schafskoft", raised a family, served in the US Navy reserves, served on the board of various civic and religious organizations.
My daughter lives in Israel and the rest of the family have visited there many times.
