From the outside looking in, Israel is all sandy beaches, sensational sunsets and floatable lakes disguised as seas. But, once you pop the birthright bubble (usually somewhere between falafel #7 and rooftop sunset #13, but not before iced coffee #26), you’ll have to face some hard truths. And so, to help guide you through the post-honeymoon adjustment period, we’ve created a list of things you’ll (have to) learn to love when living in Israel. Give them time…they grow on you (eventually).
You’ll learn to love…
Being late
While in other countries, promptness can be an important indicator of professionalism or courtesy, it is neither here. Israelis run on what we like to call ‘Israel time’. This could mean anything from arriving for a coffee date half an hour late to rescheduling dinner plans five minutes past the reservation. It’s not a sign of rudeness, it’s just a sign of living in the moment…and sometimes that moment turns into two moments then three then an hour then a day.
Balagan
Whether ordering a sandwich or trying to get through security at the airport, in Israel, the ‘first come, first serve’ rules do not apply. Israelis love ‘balagan’ (Hebrew for ‘disorder’ or ‘chaos’), so waiting in line to order while tuning out the world via smartphone is simply not an option. Expect a hostile mission to the front counter – elbows will be swung, words will be exchanged, basic training may be used, but don't think of it as aggression; we prefer the word: assertiveness.