Dateline Jerusalem – My 15½-hour non-stop flight from Tel Aviv to Los Angeles was uneventful, actually pleasant. But when I arrived, I did not have Wifi access at first and things went downhill from there when trying to figure out what I was doing.
Arriving days before Chanukah, I found most people celebrate by lighting colorful Chanukah candles and eating lots of latkes (potato pancakes).
In Israel, most people light wicks that sit in olive oil and consume sufganiyot (deep fried jelly doughnuts).
Sufganiyot in the States, found only in kosher bakeries and markets, cannot compare to the wonderful ones in Israel. Yet the best I tasted were homemade. I cannot wait to make my own when I return to Israel.
However, when it comes to glatt kosher food, believe it or not, it is better in the States than Israel. And there is more variety.
Often on my trips I tend to bring back items I cannot get in Israel. On my way from the airport I stopped at a glatt kosher market that had a grill and deli besides a butcher and several American and Israeli products. I ordered a grilled double hamburger on a real bun — as opposed to a hamburger in a pita that is often offered in Israel.
Best of all were the corned beef and beef pastrami sandwiches on real rye bread, often unavailable in Israel. I do not know why Israeli bakeries cannot seem to make good rye bread.
I was also able to get ready-made glatt kosher Mexican, Chinese, Italian and Israeli dishes in the take-out section.
Nothing in Israel compares with the glatt kosher restaurants I have been to in Southern California and New York.
How Unusual?
What I find unusual in Southern California is that many glatt kosher Persian restaurants serve both Persian and Chinese food on their menus. A weird combination.
Also, in the States most of the kosher food is glatt kosher. Yet in Israel most kosher food is regular kosher, not strictly kosher, like glatt. Even on my El Al flight, the kosher food is regular kosher.
Other than glatt kosher food and the cost of paperback books, half the cost of those in Israeli bookstores, Israel offers better public transportation throughout the country than what is available in most cities in California. Where I am visiting, for example, buses run once an hour. Taxis cost a fortune, plus the additional cost of a tip. In my city in Israel, taxis are $6 for any destination in town. No tips are necessary.
Yet the similarities between Southern California and Israel are numerous. Although Israel can fit into California 19 times, being in California is like being in Israel.
I understand why so many Israelis live there. More Israelis live in Los Angeles and San Fernando Valley than anywhere outside of Israel.
The Aroma Cafe and SuperSal market are familiar Israeli sights in the Valley. There is also a shawarma restaurant that claims it has the best shawarma in the world outside of Israel.
Southern California weather is almost identical to Israel.
Whatever the weather is in Southern California this week, it will be the same in Israel next week.
Mountains, rock formations, trees, and flowers are similar. Palm trees seem to grow throughout Israel. They remind me of the palm-lined streets of Beverly Hills. The Joshua tree is native to only Israel and the Mojave Desert of Southern California. Israel’s Yam HaMelach, literally Salt Sea, and also known as the Dead Sea, is the lowest body of water on earth. Southern California’s Salton Sea is the lowest body of water in California. Similar names and the similarity of both being the lowest below sea level.
No matter the similarities, I must say that I really miss Israel and cannot wait to be home.
L’hitraot. Shachar