Transcription
[Music] Hello everyone and welcome to a new episode of the Hebrew Time podcast. A few days ago, I went out for a run, and while I was running, I listened to a podcast for people learning French. In the episode I listened to, two people were talking about all sorts of special things in French culture, and one of those things was food culture. What does that mean? There are two words here: culture and food, and the intention is about what we eat, how we eat, where, and when. Usually, we talk about food culture in a specific country, and when they talked about food culture in France on the podcast, it made me think about food culture in Israel. And actually, I thought that I really love the food culture here. Then I continued running and thought about other things that I really love in Israel, and that's how this episode was born. So today, in the Hebrew Time episode, five different things that I really love in Israel. Ready? Let's start. [Music] So let's start with food culture, the topic I already mentioned. Generally, I've noticed that there are many things in life that I only learn to appreciate when I'm in a place where those things don't exist. What does it mean to appreciate? To appreciate means that you feel something is good, something is beautiful, something is right. You might want to say thank you for that thing. In English, the verb is "to appreciate," and in Russian, it's "tsenit." So I feel that I learned to appreciate Israeli food culture precisely when I wasn't in Israel. A few years ago, I was in the United States for a few months. I worked there and also traveled, and of course, I had to eat. I noticed that there were a few things that were different from Israel, and I didn't expect it. For example, in Israel, lunch is a relatively large meal. We usually eat hot food for lunch, and in the evening, we usually eat a light meal. Of course, this varies from person to person and family to family, but generally, in the evening in Israel, people eat a salad, maybe an omelet, maybe sandwiches, maybe pasta, but not a lot, usually. And in the United States, I noticed it was the opposite. Lunch was very small, usually a sandwich and maybe some fruit, and then dinner was very large with meat and dessert at the end, something really substantial. And the truth is, this was very difficult for me. Even after a few weeks, I couldn't get used to it, and I thought I preferred the way it works in Israel. I prefer to eat a lot at noon when I need energy and not to eat a lot in the evening before I go to sleep. So, something like when we eat a big meal and when a small meal, and whether we eat breakfast or not. All these things are parts of food culture. You are, of course, invited to think about how it works in your country and in your culture, and whether you like it. And actually, this is not the only thing I love about Israeli food culture. There are a few more things. One of the things is that in Israel, generally, people eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. Again, this is very individual; everyone eats what they like, but generally, Israelis almost always eat at least one salad a day, and many, many people eat fruit every day, and also different fruits. And if you go, for example, to a cafe, then almost always, along with the sandwich, there is a small salad, or there are several salads on the menu, and they are large and healthy. And besides that, even when eating meat or fish, usually, vegetables somehow still enter the picture. And I think that's very right in the end. In my opinion, it's very healthy, and it's also something that I missed in the United States. I mean, I felt that there weren't enough fruits and vegetables. I felt that I was used to eating more of these things than the people I worked with or where I lived. Don't worry, I had the option to buy and eat fruits and vegetables. No one told me not to, but generally, this is something I noticed and thought was interesting. Another small point is frozen food. The word "frozen" means that this food needs to be at a temperature of minus 18 degrees Celsius. That is, ice cream is frozen food, but there are also other things like frozen pizza or frozen broccoli or frozen meat. And of course, this is something that exists in Israel, but generally, most Israelis cook their food every day or every few days. So, for example, there isn't so much ready-made frozen food in the country. Of course, there is, but not a lot. In the United States, there were clean refrigerators with frozen food, and not just broccoli or meat, but really a box with, for example, ready-made and frozen rice and meatballs. I personally didn't know at all that you could freeze rice. I learned something new. So, I actually like that in Israel, there aren't many such things. Usually, these are not very healthy things, and therefore I am happy that most Israelis cook their food and don't need to buy something like frozen rice. And the last point is fast food. Fast food is food that you eat outside the home, and usually, it's not expensive food. It's food that you buy quickly and eat quickly. For example, pizza. So, in my opinion, generally, fast food in Israel is relatively healthy. Of course, there are pizzas here, and there is McDonald's here, and all the usual things are here. But many times, in various countries, when I ate fast food, I thought that in Israel, it's actually better, and sometimes even healthier. For example, falafel is something that is relatively healthy if you're eating out and need to eat quickly. Falafel in a pita is not a really, really terrible option. And besides that, as I already said, if you go to a cafe or a restaurant, I think there are many, many healthy options on almost every menu, almost everywhere, and that's something I really appreciate in Israeli food culture. [Music] We've finished with the first point, and we're moving on to the second point. The second point is nature in Israel. You know what nature is. It's an important word. Nature is actually what exists in the world that people don't make. For example, trees, the sea, the ocean, the desert. All these things are part of nature. Nature in English is "nature," and in Russian, it's "priroda." So, you probably know that Israel is a very small country geographically, but actually, in Israel, there is very, very special nature. What's special about Israeli nature is that it's diverse. The word "diverse" means that there are many different types of something. That is, not all nature in Israel looks the same, but there are many different types. For example, in the north of Israel, the nature is quite similar to that of Europe. There are many trees, meaning there are many forests. Besides that, there are mountains. Perhaps you've heard of Mount Hermon, where people ski in the winter. And Mount Hermon is not the only mountain in the north; there are several other large and beautiful mountains. And if we are in the center of Israel, meaning roughly between Haifa and Be'er Sheva, then we have the sea and beaches. The beaches are large. Everything is very flat, meaning there are no mountains, and it's also very beautiful. Many, many people really love the beaches in Israel, the fact that you can walk on these beaches and also swim in the sea. And then, if we go to the south of Israel, then there we have the desert, which is completely different nature from what's in the north. You know what a desert is. A desert is a place with a lot, a lot, a lot of sand, and usually nothing else. There are very few trees, very little vegetation, and usually almost no water. For example, the most famous desert in the world is probably the Sahara Desert. So, that's a type of desert, and in Israel too, there is a part of the country that is a desert. And don't think that there's really nothing there. People live there, and of course, there are also different plants and animals there. It's just very different from what's in the center or the north. And sometimes, when traveling in the desert in the south, it really looks like you're on another planet. It's so, so special and a bit strange. There's something very interesting about the desert. And by the way, there you can also see stars. In the desert, there is usually no light, so you see the stars really, really, really well, and it's incredibly beautiful. By the way, in Israel, there is a special trail that goes from north to south or vice versa, from south to north. And that trail is called "Shvil Israel" (Israel Trail). It's a trail where you can walk. It's not easy; you have to walk many kilometers, but it's a really, really good way to discover all the nature in Israel. I will put a link to a video about the Israel Trail made by the "Piece of Hebrew" channel on YouTube. [Music] And we are moving on to the third point. This point is that in Israel, there isn't a lot of hierarchy, and it's not a very formal country. Let me explain what I mean. For example, if there are doctors working in a hospital, then a young doctor can speak openly with an older doctor. Or, as a university student, I could go to my professor or professor who taught me and ask them questions and explain things to them very, very confidently. That is, these things don't need to be very formal, and people also don't feel that the status of a certain person has a lot of power. That is, if you are a professor, no one talks to you, and everyone is a little afraid of you. One of the things that shows this very beautifully, in my opinion, is that in Israel, we address each other by our first names. That is, we almost never say "Mr. Cohen" or "Mrs. Cohen" to someone, or we don't have a special way to address someone in a very respectful manner like, for example, in Japan or other countries. We just say, "Nadia, I can ask a question," or "Yossi, I have an idea I wanted to tell you about." We just address the person very openly. And I think that's very good for two reasons. One reason is that it helps prevent mistakes. What does that mean? It means that if people are not afraid to talk to their managers or to people they work with, then they can say, in case they think the other person is making a mistake. And sometimes, it can be something small but critical. For example, in a hospital or on an airplane, when a pilot is not afraid to tell the other pilot, who might be more experienced and older, that he thinks the older pilot is making a mistake, then of course, you need to know how to say it and when. But generally, people can always say that they think their boss is making a mistake, and that's legitimate. And in my opinion, it's very, very important because sometimes it's super significant and even life-saving in certain cases. And the second reason why I think the lack of hierarchy and informality is important is that in such a situation, it's much easier to be creative and do new things. It's often said about Israelis that they are always thinking of something new, that they are very innovative, and that they think outside the box. That is, they don't think the way they are told they should think, but in a different way, in a new way. So, I think that when there isn't a lot of hierarchy and when things aren't very formal, it's much easier to go, for example, to your professor and say, "Yossi, I have an idea for a new project. Can I ask you something about it?" or to suggest to your manager to do something in a new way. You're not afraid to do it, so there's a greater chance that you'll share your new idea, and then there's a greater chance that something new will happen in the world. And now we are at point number four. In the previous point, I talked about how there isn't much hierarchy and that everyone is more or less equal, and I think that connects to our fourth point. And the fourth point is that in Israel, medicine and medical services are almost free for everyone. What does that mean? It means that in Israel, there are health funds, and all people pay a little each month to their health fund. When I say a little, it's really not much. I pay something like 70 shekels, which is about the cost of buying two pizzas. So I pay the health fund, and that's almost all I need to pay to receive medical services. That is, Israelis don't need to pay a lot of money to go to the doctor. And if they need some kind of surgery, for example, expensive heart surgery, then even in that case, they don't need to pay a lot of money. And if they need to be in the hospital for a few days, even then, they don't need to pay a lot of money. Those who pay are actually the fund. We pay a little each time to the fund, and the fund pays for these things. Now, of course, there are specific cases where you might need to pay a little more, but generally, what's important for me to say is that in Israel, I feel that I never have to worry that I won't receive the treatment I need just because I don't have money. I saw this many, many times with my father, who had serious health problems and needed treatments and several surgeries. Even though each such surgery, in theory, costs a lot of money, my father never had to pay for these things. He never had to worry that he wouldn't be able to pay for something he needed. And to me, this seems like something very, very important, perhaps because I grew up in a family where someone was sick, and I can only imagine what it's like to be sick and also worry that you can't pay for the things you need for your health. In my opinion, it's terrible, and therefore I truly, truly, truly appreciate the way it works in Israel. [Music] And we have reached the last point. This is a very practical point, and it concerns two things: water and restrooms. In Israel, if you come to a restaurant and ask for water, then almost always, without any problem, you get a large pitcher of water, sometimes even with ice, for free. You don't need to pay for it. This is tap water, meaning it's the same water you use when you wash your hands, for example. So the water is free, and that's a normal thing. And also, in many, many places, there are water fountains. A water fountain is something that stands, for example, in a park, and you can press a button, and then water comes out that you can drink. It's free, it's always open, and it exists in many places in Israel, and I think that's excellent. Israel is a hot country; everyone drinks a lot of water here, and that's very good. And also, if you're walking on the street and don't have water, you can always go into a cafe or an office and ask them to fill your water, and they will always say yes. It's never a problem. In Germany, for example, it doesn't work like that. In restaurants, there is usually no tap water. Water in a restaurant is mineral water, and it's usually very expensive. And that's something that's very difficult for Israelis to get used to abroad, in my opinion. So that's one thing. And the second thing is that the restrooms in cafes, malls, offices, just on the street, are always free. I know only one place where you have to pay for restrooms, and that's the central bus station in Jerusalem. Actually, maybe also the central bus station in Be'er Sheva, but generally, you don't need to pay for restrooms, especially not in a mall, for example. It's always, always free. And also in restaurants, usually, even if you're not eating there, you can ask to use the restroom, and often it's not a problem. This is something that in Europe, for example, works differently, and usually, you have to pay for restrooms. And that always surprises me a bit. I mean, I understand why it works that way, but for me, it's very inconvenient because you have to remember to take small change with you and start looking for exactly half a euro, for example. And sometimes it's a machine, and the machine doesn't work, and it's always a bit of a messy, unpleasant situation. And the truth is that even though I understand why sometimes you have to pay for restrooms, I appreciate that in Israel, you don't have to pay for restrooms, and that they are free. In my opinion, it's much easier. [Music] And that's it. We've reached the end of the episode. How wonderful! You are very welcome to write me comments on this episode, to tell me what you thought of what I said, and also what things you love in Israel. I invite you to choose five points and write me a reply by email. If you want to read the transcript, meaning the text of this episode, you are welcome to subscribe on the Kopi platform or Patreon. Preferably Kopi if you have that option. And if you have questions or requests, you can always write me an email. My email address is in the description of the episode. That's all for today. As always, thank you very, very much for listening. And we'll speak again next time. Alright, bye. See you.