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Page 2: Essential Ra'anana Issue 1

Make events every day of the week - Private Home Catering,Events, Conferences, Bar/Bat Mitzvah - up to 250 people

“Mul HaPark” is a spacious, luxurious hall for events up to 250 people.A newborn son? Bar/Bat Mitzvah, company team-building evenings

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AAnndd iiff yyoouu aarree aallrreeaaddyy cceelleebbrraattiinngg,, ssoo ““MMuull HHaaPPaarrkk””

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Ahuza Street 267 (corner of Yerushali’im) above Park Cinema, Ra’anana

For more details and orders: 09- 7712111

OfferBrit Mila in the

afternoon. Sun – Thurs

Page 3: Essential Ra'anana Issue 1

For those of us who have lived in Israel for anumber of years, our Hebrew may be deemedgood, fluent, or even “polished”. At the end ofthe day, our eyes still drift to the English side ofthe cereal box or the English on the road signs!It’s what we are most comfor table with. Forthose who are new Olim, or who haven’tmastered the complex language called Hebrew,picking up a local or national newspaper ormagazine is off limits.

EssentialRa’anana offers us the chance toread both topical ar ticles and ar ticles about theRa’anana area, and the lives of its residents in ourown language with an “Anglo” twist. Our aims aretwo-fold: to produce a high quality magazine witha high standard of journalistic content.

Your views are impor tant to us, so let usknow by email what you do and do not like—this is your magazine! We welcome your ideasand comments, however small they are.

The success of EssentialRa’anana dependson the adver tisers, so please try and suppor tthem, and mention you saw their adver ts here.

We would like to thank our “team” for theirhard work in bringing together our firstmagazine. The final product has really exceededour expectations in every way.

Lastly, but definitely not least, we would liketo thank our adver tisers. We look forward tohaving long-lasting business relationship togetherand thank you all for your suppor t. Enjoy!

Daniel Engelsman & Doron SeitzPublishers

Welcome to the first issue of EssentialRa’anana! We are very excited to finally see thefruits of our labor in print!

We would like to thank all of the Ra’ananaresidents who have helped us get this magazineup and running.

Since the English-speaking community inRa’anana is so diverse, we attempted to includecontent that would appeal to a variety of agesand interests.

As you can imagine, launching a newproject can be filled with many emotions. Ofcourse we are thrilled to see the creative ideasthat we’ve been discussing for so long finallycome to print, but we also wonder how themagazine will be accepted into the community.

Therefore, after flipping through andreading the ar ticles, we request that you sendus your feedback. In order to make thismagazine a success, it’s very impor tant to usthat we know what kind of content you areinterested in reading.

In the meantime, enjoy the first issue ofEssentialRa’anana!

We look forward to hearing from you!Bivrachot,

Yehudit Singer & Morey AltmanEditors

EssentialRa’anana � 3

EssentialContents

22 � EssentialRa’anana

Write down the answers next to the terms provided and thenlook for your answers in the word roundup.You can also workbackwards by looking for words in the roundup and see if theyprovide the answers to the list of questions.

O F B Q D O U G H N U T S

M O N N E H T M A F I E L

E S N O A A G U L E E E I

N S O T D R H I K B D T A

G I L G S O O A A A U A T

N L Y N E N A C N G R N G

I S B I A E A X G E B A A

D E A H O M F U A L A R W

N F B S H I Y O R N N G B

I K H A R R Y P O T T E R

F I D W O T C N O R E M W

L U M U S H R O O M S O E

J C R A N B E R R Y U P B

Feathered visitor in the fall (autumn)Lowest seaGrows under pine treesHarbour city in South AfricaRound breadCity in ancient IraqSimba is oneA berryYoung wizardPreserved animalsStory of a fishSymbol of IsraelHero of HanukkaCapital of USAFood of HanukkaMountain in IsraelIn AustraliaWith many seeds

EssentialPuzzles

1 3 8 73 4 2

9 7 4 56 2 4 8

8 5 1 77 4 6 8 3

2 7 8 14 8 2

9 7 6

6 58 9 4

2 7 63 7 4 6

9 7 1 86 9 5 2

2 6 57 4 25 6

82 7 3

2 7 97 3 5 2 9

5 73 2 9 8 1

9 4 54 3 1

6

Answers will be in the next edition

Roundup

SudokuEnter digits from 1 to 9 into the blank spaces. Every row must contain one of each digit.

So must every column, as must every 3x3 square.

Sudoku

EASY MEDIUM DIFFICULT

by Marina Shemesh

Marina Shemeshis a freelance writer andtranslator. She can bereached [email protected]

8146

CelebratingTu’Bishvat

Talking withPeter Ostrin

Picky Eaters

ISSUE 01, JANUARY 2010

EssentialRa’anana, Issue 01PUBLISHERS: Doron Seitz, Daniel Engelsman; EDITORS: Yehudit Singer, Morey Altman; DESIGN: Claire Perets; SALES: Michael RubinoffOn the cover: Photograph by Morey Altman. To contact us, please call: 052 7458883, or email: [email protected]. To advertise, please call: 054 5400931All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the written permission of the publishers. Stock photography: istockphoto.com/bigstockphotos.com. Other photography: Morey Altman & Better Place. Essential Ra'anana is not responsible for advert contents. The opinions or views expressed in Essential Ra'anana are those of the articles’ authors and not necessarily of Essential Ra'anana.

4 Urban Tu B’shvatWill the congestion of GushDan hinder the Growth ofGreen?

6 Picky EatersPractical steps to help yourchild co-operate duringmealtime

8 Talking With...Peter Ostrin, Amateur Luthier

10 Ra’anana:Beyond the “Lost Decade”

14 Celebrating Tu B’shvatIn the Outdoors

16 Who are you really cheering on this summer?Finance and the World Cup

18 Israeli TechnologyFuels Electric Cars

20 Top 5 Reasons to Use TwitterSocial Media made simple forbusiness and personal use

22 Roundup, SudokuEssential HebrewSlang, Idioms & Common Expressions: This month’s topic - FOOD

Page 4: Essential Ra'anana Issue 1

climbing at an alarming rate,multiple studies show that havingtrees and nature nearby isimpor tant to a person’s choiceto go outdoors and be active.Trees directly help our economy,with a scientific study showingthat shoppers respond positivelyto trees in downtown businessdistricts, with mature, well-managed “urban forests” withoverarching tree canopies helpingto create a “sense of place.” Treesfilter water, stabilize erosion, andclean our air, every minute ofevery day.

We have JNF forests, but wecan cer tainly use more parks.Wehave abundant agriculture, yetchildren in our cities haveprobably never climbed a tree.There is a choice to be made.Cities around the world havetaken up the mantle of urbangreening – rescuing theirenvironments, improving theirenergy sources, and enriching thelives of their citizens. Will we inIsrael eventually be taking daytrips to the country to see whatnature really is? Are we therealready?

This Tu B’Shvat, I will bethinking of my poor abused figtree. I love living in the city. Theshops, museums, concer ts,restaurants, and especially themelting pot of people make itsuch a rich cultural place whereI’m delighted to hang my hat. ButI do not think I can continue livingin a place where my futurechildren will not be able to climbtrees, not only because there areso few, but because surroundedby metal walls, wires, andconcrete, the trees themselvescannot possibly be climbed. �

4 � EssentialRa’anana

need to tell you about myfavorite tree in Israel.

Getting lost in the urbanjungle one day, I suddenly

encountered an overwhelminglysweet fragrance. A grand fig treewas hidden nearby. Granted, Ihave a nose for fig trees, but thistree took me ages to find. Andwhat a tree! So large that itsbranches form a canopy thatwithstands rain. So fruitful that itlooks as if it’s always adorned injewels that rain down upon thoselucky enough to pass under it.

I’m not a tree-huggingfanatical activist, but with TuB’Shvat around the corner, I needto tell you about this tree becausethe sight of it broke my hear t.With thousands of people passingit daily in one of the busiest urbancenters, a majestic fragrant fruit-bearing tree is choked up to thebranches by corrugated metalwalls, its trunk entirely hidden andsmothered, a vast multi-levelconcrete car park to one side, askyscraper to the other.

On Tu B’Shvat we celebratetrees, plant trees, and rejoice inthe eating of their varied fruit. Theholiday has come a long way –from a minor administrativemarker – to a national springtimefestivity. But this year, I will bethinking beyond – to a possiblefuture Tu B’Shvat tradition – thecultivation of urban forests.

Past to Present: a minorholiday becomes a nationalistmovement.

In Mishnaic times, Tu B’Shvatwas a minor holiday, one of thefour new years, a date forcalculating when the agriculturalcycle began and ended for thepurpose of biblical tithes involving

Irène Sharon Hodesis an American writer,blogger, cook, and wineconsultant living in TelAviv; her eccentric food &wine blog can be foundat irenesharonhodes.wordpress.com

Will the congestion of Gush Dan hinder the growth of green? by Irène Sharon Hodes

trees and fruit. Later, the holidaybecame more about people’srelationship to trees, theirproduce, and provided a momentto pray for an ample harvest in thecoming year.

With the creation of theState of Israel, Tu B’Shvat took onan entirely new culturalsignificance, with organizations likethe JNF using the holiday as abanner for forestation. With thenew “Arbor Day,” planting treesbecame an act of nationalism, ofclaiming the land, making it fer tile,and taming the vast dusty deser ts.

For the most par t, we didsomething right. The JNF hasplanted more than 240 milliontrees. Forests exist in Israel wherenone ever existed before. Israelwas one of only two countries inthe world who entered the 21stcentury with a net gain in thenumber of trees, and each yearover one million Israelis par ticipatein tree-planting activities.

Future: urban forests orsegregated nature reserves?

Trees are the oldest andlargest living things on the ear th,and they are a good measure ofthe health and quality of ourenvironment.With Gush Dan socongested these days, it’s not eastto find a small corner of green forsome respite from it all. Theluckier among us cherish ourbalcony and rooftop garden space,and sure, there are rows ofbeautiful trees planted on themore popular boulevards.Ultimately, I could still walk formiles on concrete, choke onfumes, and never see a public park.

Global ecological issues aside,trees have an enormous impact onour daily lives.With obesity rates

IUrbanTu B’ShvatEssentialJudaism

With the creationof the State ofIsrael, Tu B’Shvattook on anentirely newculturalsignificance. ”

Page 5: Essential Ra'anana Issue 1

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personal well-being are your priorities:

Beth Protea is your answer.Set in the heart of suburban Herzlia, Beth Protea offers senior citizens unbeatable living standards with quality facilities, quality care and a quality environment.

A constantly changing program of activities to nourish mind, body and soul will keep you busy day and night...

And with our shuttle bus service, you’re within easy reach of Herzlia’s vibrant city center.

With personalized support services, uniquely designed for the individual, our superb facilities – covering independent living, nursing care and assisted living – are considered as amongst the best available in Israel.

Beth Protea is more than a residence – it is a family of people who speak your language, with services from people who understand your needs and make those needs their daily priorities.

Come to your NEW Home in IsraelCome to your NEW Home at Beth Protea

Please call Lynn or Ziona to arrange a visit: 09 959 5222Visit our web site for an online tour: www.bethprotea.org.il

The Pride of Israel’s Southern African Community5 Asher Barash Street, 46365. HerzliaTel: 09 959 5222 Fax: 09 959 5300

E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.bethprotea.org.il

Page 6: Essential Ra'anana Issue 1

Some children fill up on liquidsand then are not hungry when itis time to eat a meal. Drinks maybe offered after a meal and notwith it if eating is problematic.

Don’t threaten or bribe yourchild with food. Be matter of fact.When he or she is done eating,take away the plate.Twentyminutes is usually enough for mostchildren to finish a meal.When achild is ready to leave the table,let him or her know that the mealis over and the kitchen is closed.Snacks should be small andhealthy.

Make mealtimes pleasantand praise your child for desirablebehavior such as sitting nicely,trying something new orusing a spoon.

Set a good example.Sit down to eat, makehealthy food choices andrelax. After all youdeserve it!�

6 � EssentialRa’anana EssentialRa’anana � 7

o you ever find yourselftotally frustrated bythe end of a meal anddread the next as you

attempt once again to get yourtemperamental toddler to eat?

If mealtimes are a hassle andyou are fed up with your pickyeater, then read on and see ifsome of these pointers can workfor you.

Mealtimes should be fun andrelaxed, but that is easier said thandone if you have a child who is apicky eater. Here are a fewsuggestions for taking the stressout of mealtime.

� Young children like toexperiment.This means they mayplay with their food as they checkout the touch and feel of whateventually may make it into theirmouth.While it may feel as if theyare trying your patience, takehear t in knowing their goal is tolearn and explore.

Some children accept newfoods more easily than others. It isjust who they are. Foods lovedone day may be detested thenext.Their likes and dislikeschange often so keep offeringyour child a variety and let himhave fun choosing.

Most growth takes place inthe first few years of life. In thesecond year of life, your child mayeat less because he or she actuallyneeds less. He or she is probablygetting enough to eat even thoughit seems that she onlyphotosynthesizes.You know yourchild best so if you are concerned,check out your child’s growth withhis or her pediatrician.

Dr. Batya L. Ludmanis a licensed clinicalpsychologist in privatepractice in Ra’anana.View her website at:www.drbatyaludman.com

Practical steps to help your child cooperate during mealtime

� Children who are tired, excitedor are not feeling well may eatless. Set meals up for success bymaintaining a consistent mealtimeroutine with regular hours.Whena family eats together in a relaxedatmosphere, children learn toshare stories and talk about theirday. Children should have theirspecial seat at the table and knowthat that is where they will be fed.Television and other distractionsdon’t belong at the dinner table.

Offer small por tion sizes anduse child-size plates as they aremore user friendly and makejoining the clean plate club easier.Your child can always ask for morefood, but should never be coaxedto eat all the food on his plate.You want him or her to learn tostop eating when he or she is full.

It’s especially impor tant todrink water here in Israel, but it’simpor tant that your child notdrink to the exclusion of food.

D

PickyEatersEssentialParenting

Mealtimes should be funand relaxed, but that iseasier said than done ifyou have a child who isa picky eater.

by Dr. Batya L. Ludman

Page 7: Essential Ra'anana Issue 1

Some children fill up on liquidsand then are not hungry when itis time to eat a meal. Drinks maybe offered after a meal and notwith it if eating is problematic.

Don’t threaten or bribe yourchild with food. Be matter of fact.When he or she is done eating,take away the plate.Twentyminutes is usually enough for mostchildren to finish a meal.When achild is ready to leave the table,let him or her know that the mealis over and the kitchen is closed.Snacks should be small andhealthy.

Make mealtimes pleasantand praise your child for desirablebehavior such as sitting nicely,trying something new orusing a spoon.

Set a good example.Sit down to eat, makehealthy food choices andrelax. After all youdeserve it!�

6 � EssentialRa’anana EssentialRa’anana � 7

o you ever find yourselftotally frustrated bythe end of a meal anddread the next as you

attempt once again to get yourtemperamental toddler to eat?

If mealtimes are a hassle andyou are fed up with your pickyeater, then read on and see ifsome of these pointers can workfor you.

Mealtimes should be fun andrelaxed, but that is easier said thandone if you have a child who is apicky eater. Here are a fewsuggestions for taking the stressout of mealtime.

� Young children like toexperiment.This means they mayplay with their food as they checkout the touch and feel of whateventually may make it into theirmouth.While it may feel as if theyare trying your patience, takehear t in knowing their goal is tolearn and explore.

Some children accept newfoods more easily than others. It isjust who they are. Foods lovedone day may be detested thenext.Their likes and dislikeschange often so keep offeringyour child a variety and let himhave fun choosing.

Most growth takes place inthe first few years of life. In thesecond year of life, your child mayeat less because he or she actuallyneeds less. He or she is probablygetting enough to eat even thoughit seems that she onlyphotosynthesizes.You know yourchild best so if you are concerned,check out your child’s growth withhis or her pediatrician.

Dr. Batya L. Ludmanis a licensed clinicalpsychologist in privatepractice in Ra’anana.View her website at:www.drbatyaludman.com

Practical steps to help your child cooperate during mealtime

� Children who are tired, excitedor are not feeling well may eatless. Set meals up for success bymaintaining a consistent mealtimeroutine with regular hours.Whena family eats together in a relaxedatmosphere, children learn toshare stories and talk about theirday. Children should have theirspecial seat at the table and knowthat that is where they will be fed.Television and other distractionsdon’t belong at the dinner table.

Offer small por tion sizes anduse child-size plates as they aremore user friendly and makejoining the clean plate club easier.Your child can always ask for morefood, but should never be coaxedto eat all the food on his plate.You want him or her to learn tostop eating when he or she is full.

It’s especially impor tant todrink water here in Israel, but it’simpor tant that your child notdrink to the exclusion of food.

D

PickyEatersEssentialParenting

Mealtimes should be funand relaxed, but that iseasier said than done ifyou have a child who isa picky eater.

by Dr. Batya L. Ludman

Dr. Carole Goldsmith"the gentle dentist"Graduate of University of Pennsylvania Dental School, 1981Clinical instructor, Tel Aviv University Dental School

Family dentistry, including:� Preventive dental care for adults and children� Cosmetic (white) fillings� Crowns, including crowns on implants� Special emphasis on facial and jaw pain, including:

� Tooth grinding (bruxism) and clenching� Headaches and pain in the jaw muscles� Difficulty chewing

Eliav Center, Rehov Ahuza 68, Ra'anana

09-7408733 � 054-4603099www.thegentle-dentist.com

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054 5400931for more

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Member of the Israeli OsteopathicAssociation

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For info www.stephen.co.ilor call 054 442 3709

For appointmentsRaanana Clinic 09 771 2480

Page 8: Essential Ra'anana Issue 1

8 � EssentialRa’anana EssentialRa’anana � 9

EssentialPeople

building process with the livelypassion of a master ar tisan.“Musical instruments have a soul.They have a life that goes beyondthe par ts that make it,” hesuggests, smiling broadly. “I lovethat there’s this whole history, atradition that goes backcenturies.”

But, he acknowledges hecould never build guitars for aliving. “The thing is, the machine-built guitars are pretty good,” heconcedes. “People who makethem for a living really struggle.I’ve been very lucky that I coulddo this as a hobby.”

Despite his busy schedule,he’s also been pursuing a Mastersin archaeology, another recentpassion kindled by his return tohistory-laden Israel, and he’sdetermined to try boat-building inthe future. He admits he’s drivenand obsessive about things thatattract his interest.

“I’m an engineer. I believe ina process.We accept suchsecond-rate work these days.Everything is designed around thisidea that it’s going to change, butit doesn’t have to be that way.Wecan build thingsso they’ll lastforever.”�

Peter Ostrin wouldprobably concede thathe’s a bit of arenaissance man. Born

in South Africa, he made aliyahwith his family when he was 17,but ended up studying electricalengineering and working in theUS for a number of years. Hereturned to Israel in 2000, for“matrimonial reasons,” he jokes.“My wife missed her family inRa’anana, and the truth is wemissed the Israeli way of life.”

As a boy, he had an interestin woodworking, somewhat out ofcharacter for a nice, Jewish boy inHebrew school. “I was actually amediocre student until I found mypassions.”Woodworking wasobviously one of them.Theinterest continued into adulthood,and he began collecting oldwoodworking tools at fleamarkets and doing carpentry as ahobby. In Ra’anana, he built aworkshop in the basement, filledwith tools and wood he was ableto bring from America.

It was in Ireland that hediscovered another passion. “I sawsomeone playing a homemadeguitar and thought I could dothat.” Peter had played guitar inhis youth, never professionally, andwas immediately attracted to themechanics of them. “I likedwooden instruments,” he admits,“especially the engineering ofthem, and of course, I had mostof the tools one would need tomake one.”

After reviewing books andmagazines, in his spare time hebegan building a Mar tin OM(“orchestral model”), a classicacoustic guitar designed in

A passionate artisan discusses his hobby creating guitars in his Ra’anana basement.

the 1930’s. It wasn’t as complex asone might expect. “Friends askhow I was able to learn to do this,but the information is readilyavailable.We’re so lucky to live inthis age with such easy access toinformation.”

Indeed, Peter was able tofind plans and building instructionsonline to supplement his booksand magazines.The internet alsoput him in touch with otherluthiers (stringed instrumentmakers), including Jacky(pronounced Yacki) Algranati, anelectric guitar maker and teacherhere in Israel. Peter signed up forhis guitar building course, and bythe end had a Les Paulreproduction. “Jacky is a wonderfulmusician and a real master. Ilearned a huge amount aboutconstruction from him, and aboutspraying and finishing.”

Unfor tunately, he’s too busythese days working in Israel’s high-tech industry to spend more thana few hours a week working onthe guitars. Never theless, he’smanaged to complete threeguitars over the past four years:the Mar tin OM, a classical builtwith guitar wood his wife broughthim from Spain, and the Les Paulcopy; and he has two more on thego, acoustic guitars for hisnephews. “Friends always ask,‘how do you find the time’ butthere’s always time. I don’twatch TV, and besides, it’s mytherapy.”

Peter describes the

Talking With...Peter Ostrin, Amateur LuthierBy Morey Altman

D

“Friends always ask, ‘how do you find the time’but there’s always time. I don’t watch TV,

and besides, it’s my therapy.” ”8 � EssentialRa’anana EssentialRa’anana � 9

EssentialPeople

building process with the livelypassion of a master ar tisan.“Musical instruments have a soul.They have a life that goes beyondthe par ts that make it,” hesuggests, smiling broadly. “I lovethat there’s this whole history, atradition that goes backcenturies.”

But, he acknowledges hecould never build guitars for aliving. “The thing is, the machine-built guitars are pretty good,” heconcedes. “People who makethem for a living really struggle.I’ve been very lucky that I coulddo this as a hobby.”

Despite his busy schedule,he’s also been pursuing a Mastersin archaeology, another recentpassion kindled by his return tohistory-laden Israel, and he’sdetermined to try boat-building inthe future. He admits he’s drivenand obsessive about things thatattract his interest.

“I’m an engineer. I believe ina process.We accept suchsecond-rate work these days.Everything is designed around thisidea that it’s going to change, butit doesn’t have to be that way.Wecan build thingsso they’ll lastforever.”�

Peter Ostrin wouldprobably concede thathe’s a bit of arenaissance man. Born

in South Africa, he made aliyahwith his family when he was 17,but ended up studying electricalengineering and working in theUS for a number of years. Hereturned to Israel in 2000, for“matrimonial reasons,” he jokes.“My wife missed her family inRa’anana, and the truth is wemissed the Israeli way of life.”

As a boy, he had an interestin woodworking, somewhat out ofcharacter for a nice, Jewish boy inHebrew school. “I was actually amediocre student until I found mypassions.”Woodworking wasobviously one of them.Theinterest continued into adulthood,and he began collecting oldwoodworking tools at fleamarkets and doing carpentry as ahobby. In Ra’anana, he built aworkshop in the basement, filledwith tools and wood he was ableto bring from America.

It was in Ireland that hediscovered another passion. “I sawsomeone playing a homemadeguitar and thought I could dothat.” Peter had played guitar inhis youth, never professionally, andwas immediately attracted to themechanics of them. “I likedwooden instruments,” he admits,“especially the engineering ofthem, and of course, I had mostof the tools one would need tomake one.”

After reviewing books andmagazines, in his spare time hebegan building a Mar tin OM(“orchestral model”), a classicacoustic guitar designed in

A passionate artisan discusses his hobby creating guitars in his Ra’anana basement.

the 1930’s. It wasn’t as complex asone might expect. “Friends askhow I was able to learn to do this,but the information is readilyavailable.We’re so lucky to live inthis age with such easy access toinformation.”

Indeed, Peter was able tofind plans and building instructionsonline to supplement his booksand magazines.The internet alsoput him in touch with otherluthiers (stringed instrumentmakers), including Jacky(pronounced Yacki) Algranati, anelectric guitar maker and teacherhere in Israel. Peter signed up forhis guitar building course, and bythe end had a Les Paulreproduction. “Jacky is a wonderfulmusician and a real master. Ilearned a huge amount aboutconstruction from him, and aboutspraying and finishing.”

Unfor tunately, he’s too busythese days working in Israel’s high-tech industry to spend more thana few hours a week working onthe guitars. Never theless, he’smanaged to complete threeguitars over the past four years:the Mar tin OM, a classical builtwith guitar wood his wife broughthim from Spain, and the Les Paulcopy; and he has two more on thego, acoustic guitars for hisnephews. “Friends always ask,‘how do you find the time’ butthere’s always time. I don’twatch TV, and besides, it’s mytherapy.”

Peter describes the

Talking With...Peter Ostrin, Amateur LuthierBy Morey Altman

D

“Friends always ask, ‘how do you find the time’but there’s always time. I don’t watch TV,

and besides, it’s my therapy.” ”

Page 9: Essential Ra'anana Issue 1

8 � EssentialRa’anana EssentialRa’anana � 9

EssentialPeople

building process with the livelypassion of a master ar tisan.“Musical instruments have a soul.They have a life that goes beyondthe par ts that make it,” hesuggests, smiling broadly. “I lovethat there’s this whole history, atradition that goes backcenturies.”

But, he acknowledges hecould never build guitars for aliving. “The thing is, the machine-built guitars are pretty good,” heconcedes. “People who makethem for a living really struggle.I’ve been very lucky that I coulddo this as a hobby.”

Despite his busy schedule,he’s also been pursuing a Mastersin archaeology, another recentpassion kindled by his return tohistory-laden Israel, and he’sdetermined to try boat-building inthe future. He admits he’s drivenand obsessive about things thatattract his interest.

“I’m an engineer. I believe ina process.We accept suchsecond-rate work these days.Everything is designed around thisidea that it’s going to change, butit doesn’t have to be that way.Wecan build thingsso they’ll lastforever.”�

Peter Ostrin wouldprobably concede thathe’s a bit of arenaissance man. Born

in South Africa, he made aliyahwith his family when he was 17,but ended up studying electricalengineering and working in theUS for a number of years. Hereturned to Israel in 2000, for“matrimonial reasons,” he jokes.“My wife missed her family inRa’anana, and the truth is wemissed the Israeli way of life.”

As a boy, he had an interestin woodworking, somewhat out ofcharacter for a nice, Jewish boy inHebrew school. “I was actually amediocre student until I found mypassions.”Woodworking wasobviously one of them.Theinterest continued into adulthood,and he began collecting oldwoodworking tools at fleamarkets and doing carpentry as ahobby. In Ra’anana, he built aworkshop in the basement, filledwith tools and wood he was ableto bring from America.

It was in Ireland that hediscovered another passion. “I sawsomeone playing a homemadeguitar and thought I could dothat.” Peter had played guitar inhis youth, never professionally, andwas immediately attracted to themechanics of them. “I likedwooden instruments,” he admits,“especially the engineering ofthem, and of course, I had mostof the tools one would need tomake one.”

After reviewing books andmagazines, in his spare time hebegan building a Mar tin OM(“orchestral model”), a classicacoustic guitar designed in

A passionate artisan discusses his hobby creating guitars in his Ra’anana basement.

the 1930’s. It wasn’t as complex asone might expect. “Friends askhow I was able to learn to do this,but the information is readilyavailable.We’re so lucky to live inthis age with such easy access toinformation.”

Indeed, Peter was able tofind plans and building instructionsonline to supplement his booksand magazines.The internet alsoput him in touch with otherluthiers (stringed instrumentmakers), including Jacky(pronounced Yacki) Algranati, anelectric guitar maker and teacherhere in Israel. Peter signed up forhis guitar building course, and bythe end had a Les Paulreproduction. “Jacky is a wonderfulmusician and a real master. Ilearned a huge amount aboutconstruction from him, and aboutspraying and finishing.”

Unfor tunately, he’s too busythese days working in Israel’s high-tech industry to spend more thana few hours a week working onthe guitars. Never theless, he’smanaged to complete threeguitars over the past four years:the Mar tin OM, a classical builtwith guitar wood his wife broughthim from Spain, and the Les Paulcopy; and he has two more on thego, acoustic guitars for hisnephews. “Friends always ask,‘how do you find the time’ butthere’s always time. I don’twatch TV, and besides, it’s mytherapy.”

Peter describes the

Talking With...Peter Ostrin, Amateur LuthierBy Morey Altman

D

“Friends always ask, ‘how do you find the time’but there’s always time. I don’t watch TV,

and besides, it’s my therapy.” ”

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B A C KI N T OS H A P E Simeon Asher BPhil BSc(Ost)

Osteopath

Osteopathy, Physiotherapy, Rehabilitation,Massage, Personal Training

Ra’anana Clinic London Clinic

Tel: 077 702 0202 Tel: +44 208 347 6160

8 � EssentialRa’anana EssentialRa’anana � 9

EssentialPeople

building process with the livelypassion of a master ar tisan.“Musical instruments have a soul.They have a life that goes beyondthe par ts that make it,” hesuggests, smiling broadly. “I lovethat there’s this whole history, atradition that goes backcenturies.”

But, he acknowledges hecould never build guitars for aliving. “The thing is, the machine-built guitars are pretty good,” heconcedes. “People who makethem for a living really struggle.I’ve been very lucky that I coulddo this as a hobby.”

Despite his busy schedule,he’s also been pursuing a Mastersin archaeology, another recentpassion kindled by his return tohistory-laden Israel, and he’sdetermined to try boat-building inthe future. He admits he’s drivenand obsessive about things thatattract his interest.

“I’m an engineer. I believe ina process.We accept suchsecond-rate work these days.Everything is designed around thisidea that it’s going to change, butit doesn’t have to be that way.Wecan build thingsso they’ll lastforever.”�

Peter Ostrin wouldprobably concede thathe’s a bit of arenaissance man. Born

in South Africa, he made aliyahwith his family when he was 17,but ended up studying electricalengineering and working in theUS for a number of years. Hereturned to Israel in 2000, for“matrimonial reasons,” he jokes.“My wife missed her family inRa’anana, and the truth is wemissed the Israeli way of life.”

As a boy, he had an interestin woodworking, somewhat out ofcharacter for a nice, Jewish boy inHebrew school. “I was actually amediocre student until I found mypassions.”Woodworking wasobviously one of them.Theinterest continued into adulthood,and he began collecting oldwoodworking tools at fleamarkets and doing carpentry as ahobby. In Ra’anana, he built aworkshop in the basement, filledwith tools and wood he was ableto bring from America.

It was in Ireland that hediscovered another passion. “I sawsomeone playing a homemadeguitar and thought I could dothat.” Peter had played guitar inhis youth, never professionally, andwas immediately attracted to themechanics of them. “I likedwooden instruments,” he admits,“especially the engineering ofthem, and of course, I had mostof the tools one would need tomake one.”

After reviewing books andmagazines, in his spare time hebegan building a Mar tin OM(“orchestral model”), a classicacoustic guitar designed in

A passionate artisan discusses his hobby creating guitars in his Ra’anana basement.

the 1930’s. It wasn’t as complex asone might expect. “Friends askhow I was able to learn to do this,but the information is readilyavailable.We’re so lucky to live inthis age with such easy access toinformation.”

Indeed, Peter was able tofind plans and building instructionsonline to supplement his booksand magazines.The internet alsoput him in touch with otherluthiers (stringed instrumentmakers), including Jacky(pronounced Yacki) Algranati, anelectric guitar maker and teacherhere in Israel. Peter signed up forhis guitar building course, and bythe end had a Les Paulreproduction. “Jacky is a wonderfulmusician and a real master. Ilearned a huge amount aboutconstruction from him, and aboutspraying and finishing.”

Unfor tunately, he’s too busythese days working in Israel’s high-tech industry to spend more thana few hours a week working onthe guitars. Never theless, he’smanaged to complete threeguitars over the past four years:the Mar tin OM, a classical builtwith guitar wood his wife broughthim from Spain, and the Les Paulcopy; and he has two more on thego, acoustic guitars for hisnephews. “Friends always ask,‘how do you find the time’ butthere’s always time. I don’twatch TV, and besides, it’s mytherapy.”

Peter describes the

Talking With...Peter Ostrin, Amateur LuthierBy Morey Altman

D

“Friends always ask, ‘how do you find the time’but there’s always time. I don’t watch TV,

and besides, it’s my therapy.” ”

Page 10: Essential Ra'anana Issue 1

homes. Situated between Herziliya(to the south) and Kfar Saba (tothe east), Ra’anana sits in the hi-tech industrial triangle hub ofIsrael. These three cities have thehighest concentration of hi-techcompanies in the country. Inaddition, being only twentykilometers from Tel Aviv (whichadmittedly can turn into an hour-long journey in traffic), meansRa’anana residents also have theflexibility to work in Israel’s largestcity.

The Central Bureau ofStatistics repor ts that as ofDecember 2007, theaverage salary of thecity’s 73,200residents was 9,859NIS as compared tothe nationalaverage of 7,466NIS. Thereforeproper ty pricesmay be steep foraverage Israelis, butcompared toRa’anana’s neighbors suchas Herziliya and cosmopolitanTel Aviv, proper ty prices arerelatively affordable. However,Gluch explains that manyyoung couples—par ticularlythose who grew up in thearea and wish to stay—getpriced out and choose tomove out to the surrounding

10 � EssentialRa’anana

here is good news forthose who liveanywhere close toAhuza Street in

Ra’anana: you are living on oneof the most valuable pieces ofreal estate in the world.

That’s correct. Residents inRa’anana, along with many otherresidents in metropolitan areas inIsrael, live on proper ty that isactually gaining value at a timewhen the global market is in aslump.

According to the GlobalPrice Index by Knight Frank, aleading independent globalresidential and commercialproper ty consultancy group basedin London, Israel is leading thetrend of rising housing prices.Theindex repor ts that Israel is theonly country to have recorded adouble-digit growth during thepast 12 months, with proper tyvalues growing over 13.7% in thepast year.

As we move out of 2009,dubbed “a year wor th forgetting”,and the decade coined a “decadeof naught,” in an economic andfinancial sense, exper ts predictthat Ra’anana will see profits andgrowth in 2010.

Eric Gluch, a former lawyerfrom South Africa, confirms thisprediction. “After the economicmeltdown, there was some

By Yehudit Singer

hesitancy from buyers, so themarket plateaued,” says Gluch,now a real estate agent for RemaxRa’anana. “The market is notexactly at its peak, but based onthe strong demand, especiallyfrom foreign residents, 2010 willbe a strong year with continueddemand and rising prices,” he said.

Let’s look at the “2004”neighborhood, the new section ineast Ra’anana.This area hasbecome par ticularly popularamongst religious Anglos in their30’s and 40’s.With excellentschools like Ariel (mamlachti-dati)and Noam, the 2004 area hasbecome a highly attractive areafor middle-aged Anglos. “I find thatwhen clients are exploring whichneighborhoods to move into, theymake their decisions based onsynagogues and school options”,says Sonia Graham of ExclusiveProper ty Ra’anana. In thisneighborhood, four and five-roomflats range between 1.8 millionNIS and 2.5 million NIS. Otherareas, like Lev HaPark are moreaffordable, but still boastapar tments for no less than1.2million NIS.

Based on the proper typrices, one must wonder aboutjob oppor tunities in the area.After all, only a small number ofRa’anana’s homeowners areforeign residents with vacation

T

Ra’ananaEssentialFeatures

The city hasreceivednumerousawards and titlesincluding beingdubbed a “safecommunity” inSeptember 2005by the WorldHealthOrganization.

Beyond the“Lost Decade”

Page 11: Essential Ra'anana Issue 1

EssentialRa’anana � 11

areas like Talmon and Kadima.Despite the climbing prices, the fact is that Ra’anana

continues to gain wide popularity. The city has received numerousawards and titles including being dubbed a “safe community” inSeptember 2005 by the World Health Organization. It also has thetitle of the “Greenest City in Israel”.With 88 nursery schools (45of which offer extended days for working parents), 13 elementaryschools, 5 junior high and 5 high schools, there are enougheducational options to accommodate families of most needs,making Ra’anana one of the most attractive real estate markets inall of Israel.

Even with these accolades for the city, the precariouseconomic situation has still affected the city’s real estate market.

Sonia Graham, an energetic real estate agent with ExclusiveProper ty Ra’anana is a fifteen-year Ra’anana resident and knowsthe city like the back of her hand. Most recently she has chosen tofocus her energies on the rental market. “To a cer tain extent, therecession has affected the market here. It’s been harder to sell. Inaddition, newcomers are not sure what area they like best, so Iencourage them to rent before making the commitment to buy,”she says. Rental prices in the eastern par t of Ra’anana rangebetween 6500-7000 NIS for a five-room apar tment, and costapproximately 5500 NIS for a four-room apar tment.Those whoare considering renting a house are looking at a cost ofapproximately 10,000 NIS per month.

For the adventurous buyer with significantly more capital, analternative now gaining popularity is to purchase land and build abrand new home. Such an option provides the flexibility to buildand design your dream home according to your own taste.

Daniel and Elaine Knobil, natives of London, chose this optionwhen their family began to take steps towards making aliyah.Theyhired an architect and a project manager who carefully guidedthem throughout the building process and secured the municipalauthorizations for “leasing” the land from the State (on a long-term lease).They first decided to take on this project because, asDaniel says, “We were star ting a new life; a new beginning.Wewanted to create the house of our dreams.We did go around andlook at a few homes, but we would have had to makecompromises because they weren’t built to our specific needs.”However, “it was a financially-draining process,” Daniel admits. “If Iwould’ve known then what I know now, I would have bought analready-built house because building new became a bottom-lesspit financially.”

Despite the high costs involved, the Knobils feel that theywent from living in a self-described “plain-Jane” house in Londonto a “boutique hotel” dream of a home complete with a pool andcinema. Indeed, the options are endless.

With fantastic resources such as a country club, a largeselection of synagogues (including Reform, Orthodox, Sefardi andAshkenazi), excellent schools, spor ts and health facilities, a pool,

Eric made aliyah in 2001. Before he became involved in real estate Eric worked as a lawyer in a Tel Aviv

Israel - the best performing real estate market in 2009

Are you a part of this success?

contact ERIC GLUCH of RE/MAX RA’ANANA

Page 12: Essential Ra'anana Issue 1

12 � EssentialRa’anana

Exclusive Properties RaananaAnglo Division,

172 Ahuza Street

We have a large selection of propertiesavailable for purchase/rent

We can assist you by:

� Finding the right property in the right location� Negotiating the best possible deal and terms

� Explaining the process of purchasingand/or renting a property in Raanana

Introducing mortgage banks, lawyers, builders etc

If interested, please contact:Sonia Graham: 054-4729191

Mark Nussbaum: 052-3315370

[email protected]

בס“ד

cultural events and resources to accommodate a diverse rangeof religious and cultural tastes, it is no wonder that Ra’anana isone of the most successful municipalities in Israel.

The pioneering community had its genesis in 1921, whenthe Ahuza Alef Society of New York decided to purchase land inthen British-mandated Palestine to establish a new agriculturalarea.The group had already decided on the name “Ra’anana”before they arrived, but the Arab neighbors called it ‘Amerkiya”since most of the residents in the area spoke English and camefrom New York.With 3,000 residents at the time that Israeldeclared its independence, Ra’anana has blossomed to housingover 70,000 people.

Sonia Graham advises that potential buyers should have areliable agent and lawyer to guide them through the renting orpurchasing process. Daniel Knobil suggests that those who wishto purchase land and build anew should be cer tain to hire aproper ty manager and architect to “hold your hand” from star tto finish.

With both rentals and sales in high demand, Ra’ananaresidents can be proud that they are sitting on top of theworld. �

With both rentals and sales in high demand,Ra’anana residents can be proud that they aresitting on top of the world.

Page 13: Essential Ra'anana Issue 1
Page 14: Essential Ra'anana Issue 1

The traditional thing to do on theday is to plant trees forreforestation and as an affirmationof Jewish presence in the land.Over a million Israeli children andadults turn out into the muddyfields on Tu B’Shvat to plant trees.

Here is a list of somewebsites from organizations thatsponsor Tu B’Shvat activities (as ofpress time, the activities have notyet been publicized):� Ra’anana municipality website:

www.raanana.muni.il� Society of Protection of Nature

in Israel:www.teva.org.il

� Lotem: Organizes nature studiesin every par t of the country forphysically challenged adults andchildren. Field trips, workshops,and courses are available inEnglish by request.Call Irit at 04-959-18-08. See:http://lotem.cet.ac.il

� For field trips around thecountry, go to the website ofthe Keren Kayemet L’Israel:www.kkl.org.il �

14 � EssentialRa’anana

hen I was a childgrowing up in theU.S., Tu B’Shvatmeant bringing a

donation to Hebrew school tobuy a tree in Israel. Mrs. Levinwould collect the money, anddistribute certificates with theJNF-KKL logo at the top.There,we’d done our mitzvah.We’dread about the blossoming ofalmond trees – we had neverseen almond trees.

To celebrate the day, myfather would bring home sweet,chewy carob pods— “Bukser“ inYiddish.That was a great treat,and the only meaningful way we

It’s never too soon to plan a family day under blooming almond tress.

experienced the New Year of theTrees. Spring in Israel was as faraway a concept as walking on themoon.

When I made aliyah andbegan to experience the cycle ofthe seasons here, Tu B’Shvat tookon life. Drive in the hilly regionsand see the blossoming almondtrees that decorate highways andwild areas on that day.You have toplan your walk under the almondsas soon as you see them bloom,for the white or pink flowers lastonly a week or two.

Luckily we have a choice oforganized trips and activities toobserve this agricultural festival.

W

Celebrating Tu B’ShvatIn the Outdoors

EssentialTravel

You have to planyour walk underthe almonds assoon as you seethem bloom, forthe white or pinkflowers last onlya week or two.

By Miriam Kresh

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Miriam Kreshwrites about food andtravel in Israel. She livesin Petach Tikvah withher husband anddaughter.

Page 15: Essential Ra'anana Issue 1

The traditional thing to do on theday is to plant trees forreforestation and as an affirmationof Jewish presence in the land.Over a million Israeli children andadults turn out into the muddyfields on Tu B’Shvat to plant trees.

Here is a list of somewebsites from organizations thatsponsor Tu B’Shvat activities (as ofpress time, the activities have notyet been publicized):� Ra’anana municipality website:

www.raanana.muni.il� Society of Protection of Nature

in Israel:www.teva.org.il

� Lotem: Organizes nature studiesin every par t of the country forphysically challenged adults andchildren. Field trips, workshops,and courses are available inEnglish by request.Call Irit at 04-959-18-08. See:http://lotem.cet.ac.il

� For field trips around thecountry, go to the website ofthe Keren Kayemet L’Israel:www.kkl.org.il �

14 � EssentialRa’anana

hen I was a childgrowing up in theU.S., Tu B’Shvatmeant bringing a

donation to Hebrew school tobuy a tree in Israel. Mrs. Levinwould collect the money, anddistribute certificates with theJNF-KKL logo at the top.There,we’d done our mitzvah.We’dread about the blossoming ofalmond trees – we had neverseen almond trees.

To celebrate the day, myfather would bring home sweet,chewy carob pods— “Bukser“ inYiddish.That was a great treat,and the only meaningful way we

It’s never too soon to plan a family day under blooming almond tress.

experienced the New Year of theTrees. Spring in Israel was as faraway a concept as walking on themoon.

When I made aliyah andbegan to experience the cycle ofthe seasons here, Tu B’Shvat tookon life. Drive in the hilly regionsand see the blossoming almondtrees that decorate highways andwild areas on that day.You have toplan your walk under the almondsas soon as you see them bloom,for the white or pink flowers lastonly a week or two.

Luckily we have a choice oforganized trips and activities toobserve this agricultural festival.

W

Celebrating Tu B’ShvatIn the Outdoors

EssentialTravel

You have to planyour walk underthe almonds assoon as you seethem bloom, forthe white or pinkflowers last onlya week or two.

By Miriam Kresh

Miriam Kreshwrites about food andtravel in Israel. She livesin Petach Tikvah withher husband anddaughter.

Page 16: Essential Ra'anana Issue 1

16 � EssentialRa’anana

What are you really cheering onEssentialFinance

The better a countrydoes in the competition,the stronger thatparticular currency gets.

How the World Cup and your currency are intertwined.

By David Levy this summer?his upcoming summer,work rates in officesaround the globe aregoing to plummet

because football’s (and I mean theproper form of the game!)WorldCup is slated to take place inJune, and millions of people aregoing to tune in to watch.

You may not think that theWorld Cup is relevant to theworld of finance, but read on todiscover the connection.

Much research has beenconducted on the subject of howthe World Cup and other majorspor ting events impact currencyexchange rates. Logic wouldprobably lead one to believe thatwhichever country that hosts theevent will see a huge amount ofincome from tourism.Whilst this

is cer tainly the case, the researchfindings go deeper.

Studies have found that thebetter a country does in thecompetition, the stronger thatpar ticular currency gets. One ofthe clearest examples of this isfound from the 2003 Rugby WorldCup. The event was hosted inAustralia, and during the threeweek event, the Australian Dollardropped 5% against Sterling. Aweek before the event star ted,the rate stood at 2.3328, while onthe day the tournament began, itfell to 2.2775.The day Englandbeat Australia in the final, the ratefell fur ther to 2.2361.

Another good example isthe European championships heldin Por tugal in 2004.The daybefore the event star ted, the

Sterling vs. Euro exchange ratewas at 1.477, the highest it hadbeen in a month.The day thatEngland lost 2-1 to France, therate dropped to 1.458.WhenEngland went on to beatSwitzerland 3-0, the rate jumpedback up to 1.475.

Why does this happen?Research shows the power of the‘feel good’ factor.When there is anoverall good feeling and optimismin a country, the currency shouldget stronger in theory.This isexactly what happens at majorspor ting events. If a countryperforms well, its patriots getbehind them. Personally, I have toomany memories of England gettingto the quar ter/semi final of amajor competition and then losing.

The build-up in the days before agame is amazing. Every car has aflag flying, and the atmosphere inthe country feels good.

Therefore, when yousuppor t your country this summer(unfor tunately Israel didn’t qualifythis time), remember you are notonly suppor ting a football team,but you’re also cheering on yourcurrency, hoping your dollars,pounds, euros or rand will getstronger. �

David Levyis a currency consultant atIsraTransfer Ltd

T

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����"�! ��������������)))��!����& !)�!$�

�!����&�!)My name is Dr. Laurence Been, aprofessional chiropractor inpractice in the Sharon area forover 20 years, specializing in thespine. The treatment that I provideis “hands on”.The spine, with its 24 vertebrae,has an extremely importantfunction in the body. There is avery close relationship betweenthe spine and the nervous system,so that any problem in the spine islikely to impact upon the manyregions of the body.

Recognized by Israelʼs Ministry of HealthAddress: 95 Akiva Street, Raʼanana Tel: 09-745-5485

Special opportunity!!!Chiropractic treatment may not be suitable for everyone,

but for those who are, it is extremely beneficial.

To see if you are suitable, my clinic is offering a free, no-obligation exam, for one week beginning January 15th, 2010. Grab this opportunity

- it could change your life.Call 09-745-5485

Page 17: Essential Ra'anana Issue 1

16 � EssentialRa’anana

What are you really cheering onEssentialFinance

The better a countrydoes in the competition,the stronger thatparticular currency gets.

How the World Cup and your currency are intertwined.

By David Levy this summer?his upcoming summer,work rates in officesaround the globe aregoing to plummet

because football’s (and I mean theproper form of the game!)WorldCup is slated to take place inJune, and millions of people aregoing to tune in to watch.

You may not think that theWorld Cup is relevant to theworld of finance, but read on todiscover the connection.

Much research has beenconducted on the subject of howthe World Cup and other majorspor ting events impact currencyexchange rates. Logic wouldprobably lead one to believe thatwhichever country that hosts theevent will see a huge amount ofincome from tourism.Whilst this

is cer tainly the case, the researchfindings go deeper.

Studies have found that thebetter a country does in thecompetition, the stronger thatpar ticular currency gets. One ofthe clearest examples of this isfound from the 2003 Rugby WorldCup. The event was hosted inAustralia, and during the threeweek event, the Australian Dollardropped 5% against Sterling. Aweek before the event star ted,the rate stood at 2.3328, while onthe day the tournament began, itfell to 2.2775.The day Englandbeat Australia in the final, the ratefell fur ther to 2.2361.

Another good example isthe European championships heldin Por tugal in 2004.The daybefore the event star ted, the

Sterling vs. Euro exchange ratewas at 1.477, the highest it hadbeen in a month.The day thatEngland lost 2-1 to France, therate dropped to 1.458.WhenEngland went on to beatSwitzerland 3-0, the rate jumpedback up to 1.475.

Why does this happen?Research shows the power of the‘feel good’ factor.When there is anoverall good feeling and optimismin a country, the currency shouldget stronger in theory.This isexactly what happens at majorspor ting events. If a countryperforms well, its patriots getbehind them. Personally, I have toomany memories of England gettingto the quar ter/semi final of amajor competition and then losing.

The build-up in the days before agame is amazing. Every car has aflag flying, and the atmosphere inthe country feels good.

Therefore, when yousuppor t your country this summer(unfor tunately Israel didn’t qualifythis time), remember you are notonly suppor ting a football team,but you’re also cheering on yourcurrency, hoping your dollars,pounds, euros or rand will getstronger. �

David Levyis a currency consultant atIsraTransfer Ltd

T

Page 18: Essential Ra'anana Issue 1

have the batter y replaced fasterthan it would take to refill agasoline tank. The idea has alreadysparked international interest.Cities in Israel and Denmark hopeto have the first robotic changestations running in 2011 and thetechnology will be implemented inAustralia, Canada, Hawaii andCalifornia in 2012. Last September,Better Place signed a deal withFrench auto maker, Renault-Nissanto put 100,000 electric vehicleson the road in Israel andDenmark by 2016.

Once again, Israel is at theforefront of the technologicalinnovation, this time in theautomotive industr y. Stay tuned forfur ther developments emergingfrom our small but always ground-breaking countr y. �

Cina Coren lives in Neve Daniel.

18 � EssentialRa’anana EssentialRa’anana � 19

et’s face it. We are nevergoing to stop driving ourcars. So with gas pricesat a premium, major car

manufacturers are focusing theirefforts on the production ofvehicles using alternate methodsof locomotion.

Over the last few years,hybrid cars such as the HondaInsight and the Toyota Prism havebegun appearing on our highways.If you have ever found yourselfdriving behind a car which iscruising along at a frustratinglyslow pace, you are probablyfollowing a hybrid. Althoughhybrid cars can be a combinationof several different elements, themost popular hybrid today is thegasoline-electric hybrid car, a crossbetween a gasoline-powered carwhich has a gasoline fuel tank andan electric car which has a set of

Better Place, theworld’s mostambitious electriccar company andlocated in Israel,has already madea name in globalcircles

Innovative developments in Israel's automotive industry

batteries that provides electricityto an electric motor. The endresult of this combination is avehicle which uses far less fuel,provides greater mileage, and isecologically beneficial.

Israel does not produce itsown car at the moment. (It didonce many years ago, but it wasnot ver y successful.) However, weare on the map of late with atechnology system that will fuelthe electric car of the future.Better Place, the world’s mostambitious electric car companyand located in Israel, has alreadymade a name in global circles. Thecompany, founded by Israeli ShaiAgassi, relies on robotic quick-change stations to swap depletedbatteries for fresh ones in theelectric cars he is ser vicing.Drivers will enter a station whentheir batter y pack gets low and

L

Israeli Technologyfuels electric cars

EssentialFeatures

by Cina Coren

Page 19: Essential Ra'anana Issue 1

have the batter y replaced fasterthan it would take to refill agasoline tank. The idea has alreadysparked international interest.Cities in Israel and Denmark hopeto have the first robotic changestations running in 2011 and thetechnology will be implemented inAustralia, Canada, Hawaii andCalifornia in 2012. Last September,Better Place signed a deal withFrench auto maker, Renault-Nissanto put 100,000 electric vehicleson the road in Israel andDenmark by 2016.

Once again, Israel is at theforefront of the technologicalinnovation, this time in theautomotive industr y. Stay tuned forfur ther developments emergingfrom our small but always ground-breaking countr y. �

Cina Coren lives in Neve Daniel.

18 � EssentialRa’anana EssentialRa’anana � 19

et’s face it. We are nevergoing to stop driving ourcars. So with gas pricesat a premium, major car

manufacturers are focusing theirefforts on the production ofvehicles using alternate methodsof locomotion.

Over the last few years,hybrid cars such as the HondaInsight and the Toyota Prism havebegun appearing on our highways.If you have ever found yourselfdriving behind a car which iscruising along at a frustratinglyslow pace, you are probablyfollowing a hybrid. Althoughhybrid cars can be a combinationof several different elements, themost popular hybrid today is thegasoline-electric hybrid car, a crossbetween a gasoline-powered carwhich has a gasoline fuel tank andan electric car which has a set of

Better Place, theworld’s mostambitious electriccar company andlocated in Israel,has already madea name in globalcircles

Innovative developments in Israel's automotive industry

batteries that provides electricityto an electric motor. The endresult of this combination is avehicle which uses far less fuel,provides greater mileage, and isecologically beneficial.

Israel does not produce itsown car at the moment. (It didonce many years ago, but it wasnot ver y successful.) However, weare on the map of late with atechnology system that will fuelthe electric car of the future.Better Place, the world’s mostambitious electric car companyand located in Israel, has alreadymade a name in global circles. Thecompany, founded by Israeli ShaiAgassi, relies on robotic quick-change stations to swap depletedbatteries for fresh ones in theelectric cars he is ser vicing.Drivers will enter a station whentheir batter y pack gets low and

L

Israeli Technologyfuels electric cars

EssentialFeatures

by Cina Coren

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Page 20: Essential Ra'anana Issue 1

Top 5 Reasons

20 � EssentialRaanana EssentialRaanana � 21

Orna Alexanderis an Olah from Canadaand a professional who ismarried with twowonderful children. Shehas completed degreesin Economics andFashion and enjoyswriting and using socialmedia.

Social media made simple for business andpersonal use

� Twitter in Plain English

Recently, the Twitter question has changed from‘what are you doing?’ to ‘what’s happening?’ Toreflect the fact that Twitter users actually have beenusing the forum for spreading all sor ts ofinformation, not just what they’re up to.

Twitter allows you to share shor t bite-sizeupdates about your life and current events whilefollowing the updates of people and sources whomatter to you via the web. This has become a valuedsource of world and local news. During thedemonstrations after the Iran elections, for example,CNN was taking its news coverage from Twitter.Iran’s traditional media outlets were censored bythe government, so the Iranian people used Twitterto repor t uncensored events that was happening inreal time. The White House even asked Twitter todelay their downtime so that it would beinconvenient for US users but would keep allowingIranians to tweet to deliver regularly updatedcurrent events to the public. In addition to newscoverage, local businesses also target Twitter as aneasy way of getting to people in their specific areas.

Twitter works because it’s simple. Messages areshor t, under 140 characters, and allows for newsforums as well as social ones, while not beingmutually exclusive.

� Why Use Social Media Marketing?

1) Social media marketing gives you the oppor tunityto interact with your market place on a constantlevel. Consistent input and feedback helps youdesign a better product.

2) It is an affordable way to direct traffic and keeptraffic on your website. It is impor tant to note thatquality content, social discussions and socialbookmarking help you retain traffic on your website.

3) It helps you develop a relationship with yourcustomers. This is done by facilitating a level of trustwhere in the past it was done on a face-to-facebasis and required a long time to establish. Presently,the same level of trust can be achieved remotelyand established on a very shor t amount of time.

4) Social media marketing is about quality of trafficand not quantity of traffic. Quality leads can build arelationship with you and establish a stream ofdevoted followers.

5) Perhaps the most impor tant reason, searchengines love social marketing. Social bookmarkingsites help search engines rank websites bydetermining between good quality content and rankthem accordingly. This is impor tant because youronline presence is based on how you rank onGoogle searches and how visible you are to youraudience.

Customers areincreasingly sayingthey expectcompanies to beinteractive, ratherthan just providersof information

There are more than 3 million ‘tweets’every day. That’s a lot of information! Someof it should be about you and your company.

Recent research suggests that about 77%of social media search results for brands

come up with user-generated content.That makes it crucial for you to be in touch

with your users. Twitter is a great way for you to getto know your customers, and for them to feel aconnection with you.

Consumers are increasingly saying theyexpect companies to be interactive,rather than just providers of

information.Twitter is a platform that lends itself to this kind ofapproach, helping you project an image of beingboth up-to-date and approachable.

If you don’t, your competitors will. Twitter isan increasingly popular forum for brands,celebrities and news services of all kinds to

promote themselves and their products and interactwith their users. If you allow your rivals to get aheadin this field without building a presence yourself,you’re giving them an edge.

On Twitter, youcan only tweet in140 characters ata time.

This forces you to stayon message and makes iteasier to providememorable informationto potential customers.

EssentialHi-Tech

12

3

45

To Use Twitterby Orna Alexander

Page 21: Essential Ra'anana Issue 1

Top 5 Reasons

20 � EssentialRaanana EssentialRaanana � 21

Orna Alexanderis an Olah from Canadaand a professional who ismarried with twowonderful children. Shehas completed degreesin Economics andFashion and enjoyswriting and using socialmedia.

Social media made simple for business andpersonal use

� Twitter in Plain English

Recently, the Twitter question has changed from‘what are you doing?’ to ‘what’s happening?’ Toreflect the fact that Twitter users actually have beenusing the forum for spreading all sor ts ofinformation, not just what they’re up to.

Twitter allows you to share shor t bite-sizeupdates about your life and current events whilefollowing the updates of people and sources whomatter to you via the web. This has become a valuedsource of world and local news. During thedemonstrations after the Iran elections, for example,CNN was taking its news coverage from Twitter.Iran’s traditional media outlets were censored bythe government, so the Iranian people used Twitterto repor t uncensored events that was happening inreal time. The White House even asked Twitter todelay their downtime so that it would beinconvenient for US users but would keep allowingIranians to tweet to deliver regularly updatedcurrent events to the public. In addition to newscoverage, local businesses also target Twitter as aneasy way of getting to people in their specific areas.

Twitter works because it’s simple. Messages areshor t, under 140 characters, and allows for newsforums as well as social ones, while not beingmutually exclusive.

� Why Use Social Media Marketing?

1) Social media marketing gives you the oppor tunityto interact with your market place on a constantlevel. Consistent input and feedback helps youdesign a better product.

2) It is an affordable way to direct traffic and keeptraffic on your website. It is impor tant to note thatquality content, social discussions and socialbookmarking help you retain traffic on your website.

3) It helps you develop a relationship with yourcustomers. This is done by facilitating a level of trustwhere in the past it was done on a face-to-facebasis and required a long time to establish. Presently,the same level of trust can be achieved remotelyand established on a very shor t amount of time.

4) Social media marketing is about quality of trafficand not quantity of traffic. Quality leads can build arelationship with you and establish a stream ofdevoted followers.

5) Perhaps the most impor tant reason, searchengines love social marketing. Social bookmarkingsites help search engines rank websites bydetermining between good quality content and rankthem accordingly. This is impor tant because youronline presence is based on how you rank onGoogle searches and how visible you are to youraudience.

Customers areincreasingly sayingthey expectcompanies to beinteractive, ratherthan just providersof information

There are more than 3 million ‘tweets’every day. That’s a lot of information! Someof it should be about you and your company.

Recent research suggests that about 77%of social media search results for brands

come up with user-generated content.That makes it crucial for you to be in touch

with your users. Twitter is a great way for you to getto know your customers, and for them to feel aconnection with you.

Consumers are increasingly saying theyexpect companies to be interactive,rather than just providers of

information.Twitter is a platform that lends itself to this kind ofapproach, helping you project an image of beingboth up-to-date and approachable.

If you don’t, your competitors will. Twitter isan increasingly popular forum for brands,celebrities and news services of all kinds to

promote themselves and their products and interactwith their users. If you allow your rivals to get aheadin this field without building a presence yourself,you’re giving them an edge.

On Twitter, youcan only tweet in140 characters ata time.

This forces you to stayon message and makes iteasier to providememorable informationto potential customers.

EssentialHi-Tech

12

3

45

To Use Twitterby Orna Alexander

Page 22: Essential Ra'anana Issue 1

22 � EssentialRa’anana

Write down the answers next to the terms provided andthen look for your answers in the word roundup.You canalso work backwards by looking for words in the roundupand see if they provide the answers to the list of questions.

O F B Q D O U G H N U T S

M O N N E H T M A F I E L

E S N O A A G U L E E E I

N S O T D R H I K B D T A

G I L G S O O A A A U A T

N L Y N E N A C N G R N G

I S B I A E A X G E B A A

D E A H O M F U A L A R W

N F B S H I Y O R N N G B

I K H A R R Y P O T T E R

F I D W O T C N O R E M W

L U M U S H R O O M S O E

J C R A N B E R R Y U P B

Feathered visitor in the fall(autumn)

Lowest seaGrows under pine treesHarbour city in South AfricaRound breadCity in ancient IraqSimba is oneA berryYoung wizardPreserved animalsStory of a fishSymbol of IsraelHero of HanukkaCapital of USAFood of HanukkaMountain in IsraelIn AustraliaWith many seeds

EssentialPuzzles

1 3 8 73 4 2

9 7 4 56 2 4 8

8 5 1 77 4 6 8 3

2 7 8 14 8 2

9 7 6

6 58 9 4

2 7 63 7 4 6

9 7 1 86 9 5 2

2 6 57 4 25 6

82 7 3

2 7 97 3 5 2 9

5 73 2 9 8 1

9 4 54 3 1

6

Roundupby Marina Shemesh

Marina Shemeshis a freelance writer andtranslator. She can bereached [email protected]

SudokuAnswers will be in the next edition

Get the wrong end of the stick sometimes...?...Here are some Hebrew idioms and expressions that are NOT about food!

Yonatan Perets, JoelYaron Publishing.Join our FREE monthly newsletter for more useful andcommon terms and phrases, on: www.engheb.com

EssentialHebrew

Vocabulary is taken from the book ‘English Hebrew by Subject’, where you can find the full list of Spices & Herbs, as well as manyother clearly organized and useful topics in Food and other subjects. Now available in all bookshops, and on: www.engheb.com

“Say whatever you want in any topic!”

EASY

MED

IUM

DIF

FIC

ULT

Page 23: Essential Ra'anana Issue 1
Page 24: Essential Ra'anana Issue 1

Study with a world-renowned faculty

Interact with students from around the globe

Scholarships available based on need

Enjoy a wide array of extracurricular activities

Academic ProgramsBA in Business Administration

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YOUR HEARTIS HERE, BRING YOUR MIND OVER.

Ricky Ben-David, Canada Government Program, Class of 2006

Open HouseFriday, February 5, 20109:00 AM