We know all too many people who were affected by the recent Arab uprisings and wars. In many cases, our own lives are put on hold by these crises.

These are not distant issues that we read about in the newspapers. I run a local e-mail neighborhood forum. Many postings have been sent out about funerals, shiva calls, and issues with people whose lives have been utterly changed as a result of the hostilities.

Yes, Israel is a bittersweet place - both sad and happy at the same time. It's often difficult to accept the major choices and decisions that people make in order to live here.

This section will tell about some of the things that we faced in Israel. It's a personal view. A more comprehensive and thorough treatment is in a separate website, devoted in its entirety to life in Israel.