The Month that was June

So it’s been over a month since I properly posted, apart from the post earlier this week about the 3 Israeli Teens.  So I thought I would catch everyone up on what I have been up too.

Work has been pretty busy so that’s been keeping me busy the working week.  In just under two weeks though it will be 1 year since I started working there and that is pretty cool for me.  As most people know I've had more than a few jobs since I made aliyah, so having had this job for nearly a year feels like an achievement to me.

Socially I've been pretty busy the past month, plenty of fun with my friends.  A trip to Beersheva as well as attending a Nefesh B'Nefesh event the Negev Music Celebration in Arad which was a lot of fun, good music and good company.  I mean what more can you ask for on a weekend.  Also had the visit of friends from England which is always nice as I don't get to see many people from back home and it was great to see them and hang out and enjoy a nice weekend with good friends.  Managed to also get to Haifa to hang out with a good friend who I haven't seen in almost 9 months so that was good to have a nice catch up, hoping it’s not another 9 months before that happens.

Also spent more time exercising, mostly a lot of walking, but also started to do push-ups, squats as well as bits and pieces.  Back doing Yoga after a nearly a month off, though found it very hard both times I've been since I went back, but I'm determined to keep doing it as I enjoy it a lot.  Finally also attended the wedding of my friends Laura and Jeiro and it was a good night as I got to see good friends married and to see some friends from my Ulpan whom I've not seen for a while.

Also its the World Cup, but I not talking about England or their laughable performance... nope not doing it... okay they were horrible and I think a pub team could have played with more pride and passion than they did, but still you got to be in the tournament and it’s been a good one really, interesting to watch and I still not sure who will win, but I would love to Netherlands do it, having beaten Spain in impressive fashion in the 1st game.

Well that’s all from me, don't be strangers, let me know how things are with you, what's new?  And I will speak with you all soon.

Can there ever be peace?

Originally I was going to post about the 3 missing Israeli teens and the hope that they would be found and safely returned to their families.  Sadly tonight as we found out, they have found 3 bodies.  Three teenage boys lives cut short by terrorism, hatred or just plain evil.

I'm not even sure what I can really say, to think that the lives of teenagers were snuffed out for no reason, just because they believe differently.  It is beyond belief that we cannot get along, after all this is the 21st Century, not the Dark ages.  We make leaps and bounds in technology and yet we cannot overcome hatred of other because they are different, because their religious beliefs do not match their own.

I don't want to hate the people who did this, I don't want to hate anyone, it is all so senseless to hate.  But in some ways there is no end to this, after all how can you reason with people who do not seem to value life.  I want to believe that peaceful co-existence will happen one day, I have to believe, but every day I fear it grows more distant.

Can Peace in the Middle-East ever be achieved?  It will take someone far smarter than me to answer that question, if there is.

A week on from the important game

Well it’s been a week and it seems to have flown by, but Hull City played in the FA Cup Final and despite a valiant effort and 9 minutes of domination which saw City take a 2 goal lead, Arsenal came back won.  But we weren't expected to win and though I am disappointed, I am very proud of a team that most people had written off as Relegation Candidates at the beginning of the season.  For me Hull City’s future is bright and I can only hope it’s onto bigger and better things.  Next stop Europe.

Okay enough about Hull City.  For me this week has been pretty ordinary, though the coming week will be a challenging week as after Sunday my colleague will be away for the rest of the week and I will be essentially responsible for looking after everything in the office, from dealing with people calling to all the requests.  It’s actually quite scary, but I am trying to focus on it and not let myself get overwhelmed by it all.  Hopefully the week will be quiet and everything will go to plan.

Apart from the work stuff, it’s been a quiet week, mostly chilled out though went to a party Thursday night and yesterday a barbecue and then cinema, so gotten myself out and met new people.  Its definitely an ongoing process this building a life for myself here in Israel, but I think I am getting there, slowly but surely, step by step.  For now this is me saying Shalom and I'm out of here.

Hull City and the FA Cup Final

Well I didn't think I would ever title a blog status about Hull City, but with tomorrow being Hull City's first ever FA Cup final and possibly biggest match ever to date I felt compelled to post something.

My love and following of Hull City began back as a Twelve Year Old with my Father taking me to my first match.  Where we went to Boothferry Park to see Hull take on Plymouth Argyle in a Tuesday night match in April 1990 which ended with City coming back from 3-1 down to finish the match 3-3.  Since then I've been a regular to see City, from memorable matches such as seeing City beat Darlington 5-2 after being 2-1 down at half-time.  That one now reminds of me our Semi-Final against Sheffield United, 2-1 down and not playing well and we came back into the match in the 2nd half.

I've seen City at their worst and at their best, from the bottom of the Football League to the Premier League, I've seen it all.  From virtually going out of business in 2001 and I and others went every week to cheer on the team, which did not know if this was the last match of Hull City AFC we would ever see.  To a new dawn with a new owner and a new ground and up the Football League.  It’s been a bumpy ride that I've had sat back and enjoyed and felt every kind of emotion possible.  I honestly believe Football is the one sport that every fan feels more emotions than they felt possible, that every kick, every tackle they live.

Now Hull City is just 24 hours away from the biggest match of the clubs history and for some of the players it’s the biggest match of their career.  I wouldn't want to be in their shoes, to feel the pressure that I know they probably feel, but if I could say one thing to them, it would be to enjoy the day and do us proud tomorrow.

Hull City you are my team and I am proud to wear your colours, through the bad times and the good times and with another season in the Premier League and Europa League beckoning, these are good times and even though I am not there at Wembley, I will be cheering you on tomorrow till my voice runs out.  Up The Tigers.

Two weeks in England, Pesach, Wembley and all that

As promised here is my post about my holiday in England and other things that have happened since then.

Well I managed to arrange at the end of December to take 2 weeks off in April to come to England, unfortunately the 2 weeks I wanted to take I had to do it slightly earlier as work was closed over the Passover and reopened the day after it finished in Israel and a such I needed to be back for that day and at work... though since it meant I was in London for the weekend of the FA Cup Semi Finals, I am not complaining.  Anyway more about that later.

So came back on the 7th and it was actually a very long day in the end as I worked before going to the airport, so I was up from 7am Israel time and eventually made it to the bed in my parents flat in Manchester around 2am UK time, so it was a very long day and I think it took my body most of the week to recover as I was pretty tired and off my food for most of the first week.

So the first week was actually spent doing things I needed/wanted to do in the UK such as do clothes shopping, somehow I think I have pretty much come back with a brand new full sock drawer!!!  Got 2 snazzy new pair of trainers and sensible smart shoes to replace the very battered ones I had before my holiday. I also as well thanks to my Dad got some polo shirts and casual trousers.  Also while there stocked up on digestives and bourbon cream biscuits :-).  Though as I'm being very careful on what I eat, they will last a long time.  I also bought a couple of things from the Hull City shop as my parents and me travelled through to Hull for the day and to go to Bob Carvers for Fish and Chips, though sadly with my stomach being upset it wasn't so much fun :-(

Anyway the trip to London was very fun and worthwhile in the end, I got to spend time with former work colleagues and see friends on the Saturday, visited M & M World in Leicester Square... and yes I was like a kid in a candy store LOL.  My 2nd day in London was a big one as well, managed to enjoy lunch with another old friend and then it was off to meet an ex-work colleague and friend and go to Wembley.

As I mentioned earlier I was in London for the Semi Final weekend, even before I knew it was that weekend I was already planning to be in London so I could visit with friends, I didn't know at that time it was the Semi Finals and that my team Hull City would be in the 2nd Semi.  When I found out it was on while I was there and I wanted to obviously get tickets.  Now pretty difficult when the last game you went too was in February of 2013 and your parents also don't live in Hull so can't just pop to the Ticket Office.   However fate, luck, good fortune was with me as I mentioned on a Forum I frequent that I was in London that weekend even before knowing City were playing and I would love to get a ticket but it was pretty impossible for me.  This simple post by me led to a message from another poster on the board, asking me how many tickets I wanted and was I definitely in London that weekend for the game.  Of course I said yes I am there and I wanted just the one ticket.

So this kind Samaritan said okay I'll get you a ticket and we can meet up on the day and you'll give me the money.   Now I have to say that things like this don't usually happen to me, so it really must have been fate that I was meant to be in London and be at this game.  Anyway he came back to me a few days later and said would I like a 2nd ticket which I offered to my friend and he even though being a Newcastle United supporter, took the opportunity to come with me and go to Wembley.  So when it came time to meet up and exchange the money for the tickets, there was always part of me that felt until the tickets where in my hand that it was a trick or a scam, but I needn't have worried and soon I was sat in Wembley.

Now I've been to Wembley before, first watching Tottenham in a Cup final and then 2 more recent trips to watch the national side, but this was the first time I had been to see Hull City play.  Needless to say I was not disappointed with the game, a very disappointing first half was followed by an amazing 2nd half of football that I have quite seen before and I along with more than a few other fans probably had no voice later on from singing and cheering.  It really made the train journey back a lot of fun as there was a fair few fans from both sides travelling back towards Manchester and like the whole day it was full of banter and laughs, no trouble at all.  Should mention that in one single game of Football I went through every kind of emotion there is possible, probably one of the most stressful and amazing 90 minutes of Football I have ever had the pleasure of watching.

After that the 2nd week itself was Pesach and as with most times I don't do a lot during that, it’s no fun going out if you can't eat at any of your favourite places LOL.  Still I had fun relaxing and reading, spending time with the family, even got back to Hull to see City play Arsenal in a dress rehearsal for the FA Cup Final that is May 17th.  Sadly the result was 3-0 to Arsenal but hopefully it will be different on the day.

Anyway after 2 weeks in England I came back to Israel, with a full suitcase of clothes, shoes, chocolate.  4 Easters Eggs, that were less egg shaped and more broken bit shaped... Thanks Dad!!!  So it’s back here and trying to establish myself firmly both in social life and work life and everything in-between, so wish me luck.

Also on a personal note, regarding my blog, I know people are reading it, but I would love for some of you to comment, just to know what you think of it in general.  Anyway that's all for now catch you on the flipside.