"Theatrical magic."_
he New York Times
Winner!
Tony
5 2011
Awards
Israel is Amazing
In Many Ways
S
eated on the couch, I was
watching the X Factor a
popular search show for
tomorrow's stars. While I don't often
watch such shows, I found the tal-
ent was remarkable as well as the
intensity witnessed on the faces of
the family members, the contestants
and the judges who are all focused on
whether the contestant will advance.
This was a different viewing experi-
ence. I was watching the show spoken
in Hebrew with the benefit of Hebrew
subtitles (not English!) from my
daughter Amy's home in Giv'atayim,
which borders Tel Aviv to the east.
Bonnie and Ken Gross with grandson
As fate has it, Amy, with the benefit
Ori in Israel
of Birthright and working for Young
Judaea, made aliyah, married Avishay
and last month gave birth to our first
after the financial crisis, in the U.S.
grandchild, Ori Jacob.
you can still obtain a FHA mortgage
Visits to Israel are now a regular
with 5 percent down. Does this tell you
part of our lives, and with each visit
anything?
I learn more of the culture and find
Israelis love the U.S. and Americans.
that Israel amazes me beyond the
You will not know it when you walk
monumental and historical
down the streets of Tel Aviv
significance the land holds
because their custom is
for the Jewish faith.
New York-ish and does not
Watching the Israeli X
include Midwestern head
Factor, I learned that music
nods, smiles or shaloms
and talent transcend lan-
from passersby or "excuse
guage. My Hebrew is beyond
me's" from those who bump
limited, but I was absorbed
into you. But if you ask
watching the show without
Israelis for help, they go out
the benefit of understand-
of their way to assist.
ing any of the dialogue. On
Most Israelis speak
the business side, I marvel
English, and if they don't,
at how Israel has created
there is an apology in their
a thriving entertainment
eye. When I talk with a
industry that can profitably produce a
cab driver or meet a store owner, they
ask, "So how are things in the U.S.?
show of this caliber amidst a country
of only 8 million, when the U.S market Is everything going to be OK?" The
is 300 million plus.
questions come with sincerity and an
underlying acknowledgment that the
Israelis focus on what is important.
U.S. economy is the world economy.
Suits and ties don't exist. Meetings
are held on the phone or in one of the
In the cafes, the servers are happy
thousands of coffee shops. All you
to grab the English menu, and if they
need to do is sit in a coffee shop in Tel
don't have one, they make it an enjoy-
Aviv for an hour and witness the vitali- able experience as we try and discuss
ty of the people. Israel's "Silicon-Wadi"
the food options and ordering issues.
is considered second in importance to
There is no underlying annoyance
with America or Americans — and on
Silicon Valley. On a comparative scale,
this is amazing.
foreign soil in this era that is amazing.
Everywhere you turn in Tel Aviv,
Nothing compares, however, to the
there are major construction cranes.
amazing feeling of pride to be a Jew
There is talk of a real estate bubble. In
that overwhelms me when I walk the
Israel, unlike the U.S., you must put
streets of this nation and witness what
35-40 percent cash down to buy real
our people have accomplished.
estate. This conservative approach
Ken Gross is an attorney with Thav Gross
creates an equity cushion to absorb a
downturn. In the U.S, when the bubble and host of The Financial Crisis Talk
Center show that airs weekly at 8:30 a.m.
burst in 2009, the entire global econ-
Saturdays on WDFN 1130 AM "The Fan"
omy was jeopardized, and we are still
grappling with lingering effects. Even
and 11 a.m. Sundays on MyTV20.
—
❑
National Theatre
WarHorse
of Great Britain and Bob Boyett present
Fisher Theatre • Dec. 17-Jan. 5
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• Open Caption performance Jan. 3.
IMPORTED FROM DETROIT -
• Groups (10+): 313-871-1132 ore-mail Groups@BroadwaylnDetroit.com .
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November 21 • 2013
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