Lessons I Have Learned From Harry Potter

14 of the Eleventh Month 5772

In honor of my finally seeing the last Harry Potter flick, I have decided to list all those important things I have learned from the series:

10. Snakes are bad.

9. Giant spiders are not to be trusted.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

8. Rock cakes really are hard as a rock.

7. It's not a good idea to get your wand tied up in a knot.

6. Keep your friends close.

Sirius Black, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

5. Blowing up your aunt like a balloon may not get you in trouble with the government, but defending your own life, along with the life your cousin, will. (Hmm... Sounds like the Israeli Government)

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

4. Progress for the sake of progress must be discouraged.

Delores Umbridge, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

3. A loyal friend can be more valuable than courage.

Cedric Diggory, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Luna Lovegood, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

2. It may take courage to stand up to your enemies, but takes even more courage to stand up to your friends.

Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

1. Help will always be given [at Hogwart's] to those who ask.

Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Pottermore

10 of the Fifth Month 5771

Well, the last of the Harry Potter films came out. So, now, I guess all we have to look forward to are memes. Here's one I just found.

From Immantania Armansyah...

(Click To Enlarge)

Pottermore Name:

Jack Trapp

What Hogwarts House do you think it SOUNDS like:

Hufflepuff

What Hogwarts House do you WANT to be in:

Hufflepuff. They are the most loyal friends, and highly underestimated.

Does the username relate to you at all (why/why not):

Yes. Not telling.

What kind of wand would you wish to get:

Already have one: 12 1/2 inches, fig, talking donkey hair (See Numbers 22:28-33)

It's all in the wand, baby!

Pure Blood/Half Blood/Muggle Born:

Half Blood. Pure bloods are snooty and boring.

Which day 1-7 did you get into Pottermore:

Day 7

Cat, Rat, Owl, or Toad?:

Cat

Expecto Patronum! What is your patronus shape and why?:

A Badger.

Oh no! You’ve found a boggart! What does it look like?:

A snake.

Riddikulus! Now what does it look like?:

A Slinky.

Would you rather be an Animagus or a Metamorphmagus and why?:

Animagus, because they are more dramatic.

If you taught yourself to be an Animagus, what animal would best suit you and why?:

You can't teach yourself to be an Animagus. You're just born that way. But, I would probably be a badger, as I am a descendant of Helga Hufflepuff.

The Harry Potter 7 Trailer Is Here!

26 of the Fourth Month 5770

Well, the official trailer is out for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. It presents the two part presentation idea pretty well. It includes scenes which have to be from the second part, as well.

Part one is expected out this November, and part two in July, 2011.

It will be interesting to see where they ended up splitting up the two parts. There has been some discussion about this. Imdb.com has a break posted. Who knows what will be in the end.

Personally, I think the best place to break it up is after "Ron's return." That's all I'm going to say, so as not to ruin it for those of you who have not read the book.

The trailer looks good, but then so did the trailer for Harry Potter 6, and that film did not live up to its expectiations. Neither did the Harry Potter 5 film. OF course, that book was over 900 pages. it was crazy to try to jam it all into one film. It looks like they learned from this mistake by splitting up Harry Potter 7.

Some say that this is a ploy by author JK Rowling to drag out the franchise. So, what? It's still a good idea.

In the meantime, enjoy the trailer!

Loyalty To The State?

25 of the Fourth Month 5770

MK Rotem: Citizenship Requires Loyalty To State
Israel National News Flash, 16 Tammuz 5770/28 June 2010

Knesset Constitution Commettee Chairman, MK David Rotem (Israel Our Home), said in response to the revelation of as Israeli Arab terror cell that murdered a Jewish taxi driver, “Again we see that there are citiens who adopt radical Muslim ideology in order to carry out terror attacks within Israel. The group that murered taxi driver Yafim Weinstein, carried out a number of assaults on Jews, Christians and een Muslims who they did not consider extreme enough.”

“Let us not forget, these are Israel citizens, that have Israel identity cards in their pockets and enjoy allowances and benefits of the Israel taxpayer. This is a cynical exploitation of the rights of an Israeli citizen. This illustrates and emphasizes the need for adopting the bill that I submitted that will tighten the connection between loyalty to the country and citizenship.” Rotem added.

Loyalty to the State? Hold on a minute. What happens when the next, major conflict between Torah and State rears its head?

On which side will your loyalties lie?

I certainly have gratitude to the State,...for providing various services. But, hey, I pay taxes for those services, just as I would pay a fee to any private company.

I have gratitude to the IDF soldiers who keep Jews safe,...most of the time, and when the “powers that be” allow it. I do NOT have any loyalty whatsoever to the State's lacky generals and officers who execute orders to throw Jews out of their homes, and turn over parts our Homeland to goyim. And I most certainly do NOT have any loyalty to the puppet “rabbis” who condone, if not order such actions! Rabbis, indeed!

How could one even consider being 100 percent “loyal” to such an entity? -- an entity which orders unnecessary autopsies, sends out social workers to encourage secular indoctrination, and through its courts, rules that the Rabbanuth must certify treif meat as kosher.

But, MK Rotem is targeting Arabs,...as far as we know. So, how could I have a problem with that?

My problem is with who could be next on the list to be targeted.

Haredim? Hey, NO ONE likes riots in Jerusalem, anyway, right? They disrupt traffic and waste a great deal of money cleaning up after them! It may be OK, for a spoiled, secular, rich kid to use daddy's connections to get an exemption from army service. But when a Haredi kid does it, that's just hutzpah!

Who's next after them?

Settlers? Not the “loyal” settlers, like from Ofra and Alon Sh'vuth, of course. Just those trouble-making “fanatics” and “extremists” from places like Yitzhar, K'far Tapu'ah, and the Hevron Hills.

Then who's next?

What about Jews who legally purchased land from Arabs, like in Havath Gil'ad? Yep. They will also be targets, having the hutzpah to refuse to do what Big Brother tells them to do.

And what about you? --future immigrants to Israel? Will you have to sign your “Declaration of Loyalty to the State” at JFK or LAX before you are even allowed on the plane?

Let us be wary of such laws. The second that such a law is passed, alledgedly with Arabs in mind, the far-left will jump at the chance to test it in court against Jews. After all, Israel is a democracy, in which all citizens are treated equally. Yeah, right!

And think about it. When the far-left first noticed MK Rotem's proposal, or perhaps even orchestrated it, maybe using it against Jews was what they had in mind in the first place.

To show just how absurd this law is, here is a video clip from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix." In this clip, a "loyalist" teacher begins to question the loyalty of other teachers toward the Ministry of Magic. Many believe that JK Rowling was making a satirical reference to the British government. I do not recall if she actually said so herself.

Fast foward to time marker 6:55. Enjoy!

The Future Of The Esser Agaroth Blog

22 of the Eighth Month 5770

Last Monday, I completed my move into a new apartment, where, as it turns out, I do not have any Internet access.

I was informed that installing a connection via ground line is not an option, since I do not have any access to a ground line (long story). The routers which occasionally pop up, when I scan for available networks taunt and tease me with password protection or by being just out of range.

I am not thrilled about signing an 18-month contract with one of the local cellphone companies to receive service through a portable modem. What if I move the week after I get such a modem, and then no longer need the service?

That should also answer the next burning question on your minds: No, I do not own a laptop, and thus cannot pick it up and go to one of the free “hot spots” available in Jerusalem, nor can I sneak around my neighborhood, scanning for available networks.

So, what to do?

Unlike those bloggers toying with the idea of taking a break, it seems like a blogging break may have been plopped into my lap.

My only solution seems to be to write at home (where everytime my refrigerator clicks on, I have to unplug and re-plug in my keyboard), carry it to work via disk-on-key, and then upload it to my blog during the one hour of access to a computer I have per week. The same goes for e-mail. Downloading background material and interesting podcasts will have to be done during this hour as well.

I can also go to Internet Cafes, like I am doing now, and hope for a fast enough service so that I do not end up spending two hours on something which should only take me 20 minutes.

My other option is to spend money, I really should be saving for a rainy day, on a laptop, as if I really want to spend a lot of time outside in the cold, or in a jam-packed Jerusalem Central Bus Station, where it is impossible to concentrate.

Now that the withdrawal symptoms are beginning to subside, I think for the time being, I will see how it goes with the “upload at work” option.

Maybe I'll learn more. Maybe I'll read more. Maybe I'll finally write that book(s) I have always wanted to write. Or maybe I'll end up watching all six Harry Potter films so many times, that I'll have them memorized in time for Purim.

Only time will tell.

In the meantime, I will miss tweeting and twoozing with you, as much as I would like.

**SIGH**

Any suggestions will be welcomed.

The Super Power Meme

6 of the Seventh Month 5770

Jacob Da Jew tagged me with the "Super Power Meme." He says he tagged me "'cause the West Bank is the new Wild Wild West and a Superpower sure would come in handy."

Here are the rules of this meme,...which I, in typical Esser Agaroth fashion, will bend, break, and destroy, one by one.

1: Write one superpower you would like to have and what you would do with it.

2: Write why you chose that super power over everything else.

3: Tag and link lots of people, and write why you think they will have an interesting meme.

4: Fix your broken links.

5: Don't forget to leave a comment below with a link to your post on this meme.

So, which super power would I like to have? Well, that all depends. I'll break it down into themes.

If I were a member of the Justice League of America, I'd want to have the power of the Green Lantern's power ring.

The power ring's most distinctive effect is the generation of green, solid-light constructs, the precise physical nature of which has never been specified. The size, complexity, and strength of these constructs is limited only by the ring-bearer's willpower; whatever the wearer imagines, the ring will create. No hard upper limit to the power ring's capabilities has yet been demonstrated and it is often referred to as "the most powerful weapon in the universe."

Do I really need to provide an explanation as to why I would want the powers of a ring which is limited only by whatever the wearer imagines (...and the color yellow)?

Now, if I were to choose from the super powers of the X-Men, one of my favorite series, I choose either the telekinetic abilities of the Phoenix or the shape-shifting abilities of Mystique. It would be way cool to be able to move anything around, including myself or to shape-shift into any appearance.

But, the truth is that the one super power I would really like to possess is magic, like in the wizarding world of Harry Potter. Or, as Jacob Da Jew might phrase it...



It's all in the wand, baby!

I don't know if Jacob, or the originators of this meme would count this as a super power, but so what.... I'll do what I want. And, if I had Harry Potter's magic, I really could do what I want.

As most of you, know, I do not like to hassle people with tags. I'll just make a few suggestions, going back to the Justice League/Super Friends theme.

Rafi is more of a long-distance runner than a sprinter, but perhaps could be seen as The Flash anyway.

I could see Batya or Lisa as Wonder Woman. (Rumor has it that Lisa is an avid comic book reader, too.)

I have it on good authority that Ron (AKA: The Hashmonean) likes powerful vehicles. I could see him feeling quite comfortable behind the wheel of the Batmobile, souped up with loads of gadgets, mowing down a terrorist or two. I actually see him more as Robin that as Batman. The honor of being Batman gets bestowed on Nathan of Lines Writing Lines. You're both in Tel-Aviv, so that'll be convenient for you to work together. Have you even met, yet? I think you might get along. I'm pretty sure, anyway.

Jack's leadership skills make him suited for the role of Superman, the proverbial head of the Justice League/Super Friends (AKA Super Bloggers). Plus, as an abba (dad) , I'm sure a super power or two would come in handy (eg. x-ray vision, superhuman strength, superhuman speed, flying, etc).

I could see Bar-Kokhba as Aquaman. Don't ask me how I came to this conclusion. It's a secret.

Eric at The Israel Situation would make a good Hawkman. "Why?" you ask. Why not? He's in Colorado,...lots of peaks and mountains. Being able to fly would certainly come in handy.

I wonder if Material Maidel would make a good Bat Girl. Let's ask her.... She already chose "time travel" as super power. But, since she might be a closet nerd, Bat Girl would be perfect for her, as her alter ego is a librarian.

Omri at Mere Rhetoric could be Atom, getting into places he shouldn't. And Daniel of The Jewish Fist could be Green Arrow. That should help him deal with the local "nuisances"
in his area.

What about Occidental Israeli? Could he be a Human Torch?

Now, how could I possible forget Micha'el at My Random Diatribes? He's one of the few bloggers I know "in real life." He has just the personality to be a super hero. But which one? Which super power would he choose.

Stay tuned....

Attention All Wizards And Witches!

2 of the Fifth Month 5769

With opening of the latest Harry Potter film, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," reports have been rushing in regarding unusual incidents, which the muggle media has not been able to explain.

Of course, we know what's really been going on, both here in Israel and abroad. Sabotage.

(click to enlarge)

Anyone who is "carrying" is asked to be vigilant, and to be on guard at all times. Keep "it" easily accessible.

The evidence is incontrovertible. Now that Voldemort has been put out of commission, a group of evil hags has stepped in to take his place in the evil, control and manipulation department.

I personally encountered one of these hags in K'far Tapu'ah, if you can believe it. She caused me quite a bit of trouble over the past three years.

She was one of the reasons I had to leave. She herself was no match for me, of course. But with most all of the muggle residents under her control, constantly causing me problems, it just took much out of me to be on guard 24/7. She would not even give me a break on Shabbath, periodically sending over her young minyons to torment me.

Please be on the look out. Who knows what they are up to, and what damage they can do.

Specifications: Fig, 12" with talking donkey tail hair core*

(click to enlarge)

Here I am, casting a Confundus Charm on the Arab workers, in the building across from me. Of course, I must admit that didn't take much of an effort. (OMG! That's racist! I'm offended! *eyes rolling*)

"Don't put your wand away, Harry. They might come back."
-Mrs. Figg, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix"

*********

*Israeli wands are typically made from olive, fig, grape, pomegranate, almond, walnut, hazelnut, acacia, oak, cedar, cypress, and willow.

In addition to donkey tail hair, cores are comprised of dove tail feather and leviathan heart string.

Happy Purim, Harry Potter!

Jerusalem Purim 5769

Wednesday I was accosted in Jerusalem by a crazy man, dressed in funny-looking clothes, and waving a stick in my face. He made a few deliberate motions with his stick, appeared to chant some lines of some sort in a language I did not understand, and then explained to me that if I did not deliver this package for him to Harry and Ginny Potter by sunset, I would receive such a curse that I would live to regret it.

(Click on the image to enlarge)

Affixed to the package was the following note:

Dear Harry & Ginny,

Please find enclosed the following items to remind you of your adventures:

* Canned Mushrooms
* Salmon (Spread)
* Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans
* Licorice Wands
* A Chocolate Frog
* Bread
* Necklace (De-cursed)

Happy Purim

from your friend

Jack Trapp
(The Trouble-making Wizard)

"Trouble-making" was an understatement, I'd say. Fortunately, I did make it to the distant location by sunset. So, I did not have to risk experiencing whether this nut job actually had the power to curse me.

Whew! What a Purim!

*********

After searching the Net, I have found that Britta Peterson has the best Harry Potter ideas and recipes, perfect for a gift basket. She includes all of your favorites, and more:

* Treacle Tarts * Pumpkin Pasties * Chocolate Frogs * Licorice Wands * Peppermint Toads * Cockroach Clusters * Cauldron Cakes * Acid Pops * Pumpkin Juice

* Butterbeer * Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans * "Official Hogwarts Brie in Puff Pastry" * Fortress du Fromage with Magic Wands * Parchment Scrolls * Herbology Fruit * Herbology Crudites

That post was made before the final installment Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Jack's mishlo'ah manoth () above reflects the content of the full series. But, here are some additional ideas for next year:

Fried Egg Sandwich or Spaghetti Bollanaise (in a jar) - recalling one of Hermione's most successful meal preparations.

Something similar to Kreacher's Steak and Kidney Pie could be included, as could Harry's 17th "Snitch" Birthday cake. I'll bet doughnut holes with gold icing and plastic wings would do the trick there.

If you have any guesses or questions about where Jack's food items came from, please leave them in the comments section below.

*********

Photo credits: "Sophomore 74 Studios"

All Need To Know, I Learned From Harry Potter

3 of the Second Month 5768

An egg sandwich is better than nothing; boiled mushrooms apparently aren't. Even salmon might be obtainable, but you have to think to look for it first.

You can't always judge someone by first impressions, and definitely not by rumors. (Neville, Sirius Black, Luna, thestrals,...)

Even some nasty kreachers can change, if you're nice to them.

Help is available,...to those who ask for it.

Help can come from the most surprising places. But, keep your friends close nonetheless.

Governments don't always tell the truth.

To curse someone effectively, you really have to mean it. It isn't necessary to curse anyone except your enemies.

Killing someone can damage your soul,...so don't kill anyone.

Tears can be healing.

Combining courage, intellect, and loyalty can create something great. Ambition must be moderated.

Harry Potter 7 Released In Hebrew

24 of the Ninth Month 5768

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Hebrew Edition will be released at 6:00 pm, tomorrow, the first night of Hanukkah.

At least they got the timing right on this one, no Shabbath-violation partied and no release date on the "Holiday-That-Must-Not-Be-Named."



There's just one thing that irks me. I paid NIS 137 for my copy in English. Tomorrow people wil have to pay only NIS 89!

For those of you outside of Israel, that's 12 bucks, or 6 pounds!

I guess it's one of those supply and demand, import costs things....

Still, I am not sure how Hebrew speakers were able to avoid all of the spoilers on the Web for the last five months.

They weren't.

Maybe that's the real reason the price so low.

Top Ten Words and Phrases of 5767/תשס"ז

Erev Shabbath Qodesh Parshath Wayelekh-Nissanim 5767

The following is the list of Top Ten Words and Phrases of תשס"ז/5767. The presentation of this list is an annual tradition. Do not expect to understand all of these words, unless of course, you currently live with me in the same domicile (a word which did not quite make the list,...maybe next year).

Enjoy.

Shannah Tovah.


10. Tedious This year's [hopefully] self-explanatory word

9. Poser Pseudo intellectuals to simple fakers and liars, posers are annoying.

8. Vermin Let's put it this way. I had to use some mouse traps smuggled in from the US, as the Israeli [legal] ones aren't so effective.

7. Uncouth A nice way of saying "Am Ha'Aretz."

6. Ill-Bred Provincial Another nice way of saying "Am Ha'Aretz." Unfortunately, one phrase just isn't enough for me.

5. Hiatus That annoying thing that TV series do, instead of perpetually pumping out new episodes. No, I don't have a working television.

4. Vulgar It's not what you think. If it was used in the book Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thacheray, then it's OK to use in a blog post.

3. Insolence A favorite word of Dr. Evil, and quite a useful one at that.

2. Sparking Olives What would it sound like if the "Sparkling Wiggles" girl said "Sparkling Olives" instead? Think about it.

And the top word or phrase of תשס"ז/5767 is...

1. Harry Potter Really now, do you have to ask?

Harry Potter Sikkum we'Siyyum

Erev Shabbos Koidesh Nahamu 5767

There was a shailah as to whether I could pick up the newly released Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows for my friend on Sunday, as I hadn't gone to the mikveh that day. I did carry it in plastic which some say it acceptable bidi'eved, and was careful about kedushah and taharah.

I have already addressed the issue of the buying the book during the "Nine Days." My friend for whom I was shaliah mitzvah, had pre-ordered the book, thus avoiding this issue all together.

We were so anxious to read the book, that we didn't mehazer in hevrusa after every perek, let alone after every daf. I must admit, I did have to call him with a shailah about Godric Gryffindor's sword.

I'm sorry to add this spoiler, but we still don't know if Anthony Goldstein is halachicly Jewish, and thus whether we need to send a shaliah to address his Shabbos and kashrus needs, among others such as seeing if he needs a mezuzah for the Ravensclaw Common Room or getting him some tefillin.

At least one siyum took place in the Me'ah Sha'arim neighborhood of Jerusalem. I intend to make my siyyum on Shabbos.

The author J. K. Rowling really outdid herself!

And so to this tzadekes I say hazak, hazak, venihazek!



Haveirim in our Shannah Zayin Mahzor:
A review by Doodle Head
More evidence as to the Muslims' blasphemy can be found at Elder of Zion.
The archive of our Rosh Yeshiva's shi'urim may be found at the Harry Potter and Torah Blog.
Do a search for "Harry Potter" at Hirhumim to find posts regrading halocheh and midrashim from our Masgia'ah.

Harry Potter and the Nine Days

Rosh Hodesh of the Fifth Month 5767

Most of you are aware of the great excitement and anticipation being caused by the impending release of the final installment of the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling:

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

How could you not be aware of the hype?

J. K. Rowling, who said she cried at the completion of the book, purports to answer all of our questions in this final gaze into the life of one of the most famous protagonists ever, a teen-age wizard. However, for those of us who are Torah-observant Jews, the answers to those questions will have to be delayed for several days after the release of the book. Not only does the book go on sale on Shabbath, but also during the "Nine Days," from the first through the ninth day of the "Fifth Month" (Menahem Av). Leading up to the ninth of the month (Tisha b'Av), various aveluth (mourning) practices are observed, culminating in the full night and day Fast of Tisha b'Av, the anniversary of the destruction of both the First and Second Holy Temples, as well as other calamities which have befallen the Jewish People.

Even those who hold to observing aveluth only during the week in which Tisha b'Av falls (Mishnah Torah, Hil. Ta'aniyoth 5:6) will have to wait.

Although not explicitly stated by the Ramba"m, cited above, many halachic (Jewish legal) authorities hold that purchases which raise ones spirits (eg. new clothes) should be curtailed during this period of aveluth, when are hearts and minds should be focused on events of great tragedy.



So, since I will have to wait a little longer than most you to read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, I will take this opportunity to reiterate the author J. K. Rowling's request, that those of you who read the book not reveal its contents to those who have yet to read it, thus ruining the experience for them,...for us.

Hopefully, there will be a new character in the book which I could play on screen. The movie is already slated for production, and due out sometime in 5770-71 (2010). Of course, the producers and director (and Ms. Rowling, if you're reading) will have to accept that I won't work on Shabbath or Yom Tov (holidays)....


Post-Script:
I was just informed by a friend of mine from Me'ah Sha'arim that he has pre-ordered the new Harry Potter book from a bookstore in town. His copy, which cost him a whopping NIS 139 (about $33), will now be waiting for him to pick it up on Sunday. He has asked me to be "shaliah," in other words, to go pick it up for him, as he does not want to be seen. In exchange, I'll get to borrow it.

For what it's worth, this isn't just any resident of Me'ah Sha'arim, but a former mashgi'ah at a yeshivah in the same neighborhood.

I mentioned my opinion regarding the purchase and the "Nine Days." He just brushed it off by saying that people get killed in the book, so it's OK. He then elaborated on how it really was OK according to his understanding halachah related to the "Nine Days."


Post-Post-Script:
I just heard that an Arab-owned store on Sala-din Street in Jerusalem's Old City pre-sold 120 books, and then opened up on Shabbath at 5:30 AM in order to distribute them. A rabbi, whose identity has yet to be learned by me, said that it was [technically] mutar (permissible), as no money was exchanged, no Jews were employed, and an eruv was in force.

******************************

More news on the release of the final Harry Potter book is reported by Rafi G. at Life In Israel.

Tagged Twice

15 of the Fourth Month 5767

Well, now that I've been tagged twice, I guess I can no longer be a party-pooper. First I was tagged by Batya. I told her that I didn't have the ko'ah. Then she said I'd hit by lightening or something. Now, I've just been tagged by Doodlehead. Since he recently provided me with some secret, crucial information, I guess it's time to pay the piper.

Here are the rules. In the immortal words of Eve Arden in the movie "Grease:"

"Rules are rules."

Each player lists 8 facts/habits about themselves. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning before those facts/habits are listed. At the end of the post, the player then tags 8 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

1. My father was an art professor.

2. By the age of 14, I had visited 20 countries on two continents, besides the U. S./N. A.

3. I was a lifeguard for five years. My mother, brother z"l, and sister were as well. I'm one of the few native San Diegans who does not surf. I probably will get on a board one of these days. In the meantime, I can still do a 360 on a boogie board!

4. I am a brother in Alpha Epsilon Pi,...and am looking for others in Israel.

5. I have this annoying talent of being able to quote lines from films, like The Breakfast Club, by heart.

6. I've lived most of most of my 10 years in Israel in Yehudah and Shomron.

7. I have eclectic taste in music, including classical, New Age, and 80's. (No Country) I've been a fan of Depeche Mode almost since their beginning in 1981. Along with Beethoven, Mussorgsky, and Stravinsky, they have had a profound effect on my life.

8. I'm a Harry Potter fan. I read books 5 and 6, three times each. I don't think that R. A. B. in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will turn out to be Regulus Black,...too obvious. It'll be Neville's grandmother Augusta for sure!




OK. Well, I cheated, having crammed more than one fact/habit into each line. But at least they're related.

Now, I'll tag....

1. Irina, which I feel the most guilty about because I know she's incredibly busy. 2. HaKav HaYorim, now that he's out of the army, and must have tons of time on his hands. 3. Faith In Nathan 4. Derech HaMelech 5. Ezra HaLevi 6. Tel-Chai Nation 7. Brooklyn Habiru 8. Sultan Knish, 8 1/2. Frum Satire, because I'm intrigued as to what these guys might list.

*I will NOT tag Erica, because she's been bugged enough by bloggers' memes.

...and I don't have to noodge Kalashnikover Rebbe nor Rafi G., because Doodlehead already did.