Adapting from sensitive culture to tough

etky

Fri, Feb 01 2013, 1:55 am

There definitely is an 'edge' to Israeli society and to life here in Israel that you don't have in the US. It's a cultural thing, but maybe also something that derives from living in a crowded, hot Mediterranean country - things that make people (me at least) irritable and short tempered. Also, the constant contention with existential, crisis situations, which is the way its been here since even before the establishment of the state, takes a toll in all kinds of ways and makes formalities and niceties seem superfluous.
However - I agree that things are changing. There is so much more of a service ethos than there used to be. I credit the rise of public expectations due to travel abroad and exposure to foreign media, the proliferation of smaller, more competitive businesses when formerly all we had were huge monopolies (a process still very much in progress) and the emulation of western business norms as well as the more multicultural composition of Israeli society that creates distance between people and makes this place seem less like the small village then it once was (for good and for bad).
I for one have had a difficult time over the years with all this but have adjusted and to a (very) certain extent grown those metaphoric 'elbows' that you need to function. You certainly don't have to be rude but you do have to be a bit more pushy than your natural inclination tells you. It's something you do acquire (took me about 30 years of so LOL

) but in the meantime cultural/social norms are changing too.

In the kitchen

Fri, Feb 01 2013, 2:06 am

OP if you are coming with not much money try to make an Israeli friend asap and have them accompany you when you go shopping. My experience was that we were taken advantage of over and over again by many shopkeepers because we were Americans and most people here assume that Americans have a lot of money.

Also, my first birth was in Montreal and my second one here in Jerusalem. I can tell you my experience here in Jerusalem was 10 times better than in Montreal. NY hospitals I have no idea, but I was pleasantly surprised at my birth experience here in Jerusalem baruch Hashem. Also most of the staff in the Jerusalem hospitals speak English so I didn't have as much trouble communicating as I had anticipated. There are for sure differences here but the whole experience was that I received much better care here than in Montreal.

One difference you may not expect is that here you have to get your food on your own, you need to shlep to the dining area and serve yourself. In Montreal they brought the trays to our rooms, but then that way I also couldn't choose what I was eating. Other differences I am not sure what to say because each hospital here and there has their own policies. Oh and the doctor you see here throughout your pregnancy won't be at your birth, the midwives in the hospital and whichever doctor is supervising at the time will be there, but it is standard. In high risk cases (we should never know from them) you can pay your doctor privately to be at your birth if you need.

luvinlife

Fri, Feb 01 2013, 7:47 am

I gave birth in the states for my first and my others here and I would never want to do it in the states again. here you have amazing midwifes frum and all doing the birth and the atmosphere is great. also after birth your baby can stay in the nursery all day besides for feedings so you leave three days later feeling soooo much better. of course you can keep the baby next to you during the day for as long as you want but I prefer to rest up.