yonikirby

Wed, 25 Jul 2007 14:11:00 GMT

So it was an interesting day at the office today.

This guy named Marty Davis comes in. He is telling some interesting stories. Apparently, he also has some contacts. He says he has thirty years of records from all over the world, from different places in America and Russia and so on, all stored in his "6 bedroom villa" in Ashkelon. This piques my intrerest- contacts, they say, are always good to have. He tells us he does philanthropy. Then, about half an hour in, I, in my ignorance, find out that he's the "director general" of the World Zionist Congress! I mean, the World Zionist Congress! He talks a little about how he met this guy, this possible donor, who tells him his life story in three hours. The next time Marty meets him, he starts telling his life story again, but Marty tells him to stop- he's already heard it before. Marty repeats the man's life story back to him in about 40 minutes. Then the man gives him a million dollars. It's all about making connections, Marty says. There was this other time when Marty told a guy who had pledged to give 5 million dollars that he would save on his tax returns if he gave it that day- December 31. So Marty finds a check for 5 million dollars under his hotel door. 5 million dollars. That's just the kind of world we live in, Marty says.

So enough with my text-driven impression of a New-Yorker...

Today I talked to my friend from Tiveria, and we're going to get together sometime soon. It's really interesting how we originally met- I was doing my volunteering program, and we needed another guy one day for mincha or arvit, and we dragged him in. He was running at the time. We arranged to go running the next day with his friends, and then so we became really good friends. It's amazing how these things happen sometimes. He's a ba'al tshevua, has got a really good sense of humor, and is a really good person. It was nice speaking with him.

Tootle-oo! (with an Israeli accent!)

getting to Israel

Sun, 01 Jul 2007 16:51:23 GMT

Hey, everyone. I hope you're doing well. Please drop me one and tell me how you are doing.

In the line to security in Logan Airport, a woman, who was carrying several pieces of luggage, asked me to hold her baby. She was soo cute! That was really out of the blue. Then, on the plane, I sat next to this nice Indian couple, and bonded with THEIR baby. Very cute. He was also very strong. The woman also likes art, so I gave her my mom's info- my mom wants to get into art this summer.

I arrived in Israel. What a good feeling. It's just so refreshing- people are so warm here. You can walk up to some random guy weeding his lawn and you act like you have known them for all your life. You meet people, on the bus or in synagogue, and after 5 minutes of talking they invite you to their house. It's a very nice culture, and it's totally unexplainable to people who haven't been there. So if you haven't been there,..... go.

I started my internship. It's at this place called "The Institute for creative Zionism" Basically it's this web company whose details I am not allowed to divulge. But it's a really high-energy company- it's really cool. I like it.

And we went on this nice hike. And we stayed in Tiberias, which is on the sea of galilee, for the sabbath. But if you want to know more, ask me; I'm tired!

Bye!

Wed, 07 Mar 2007 21:19:32 GMT

Arg, I have the most homework I could ever have had.

You know, I'm considering starting to swear again. Yet not in the normal sense; rather, in the mathematical sense. Instead of using bad words, I'd spout out "Secant!" or "Sin!" or perhaps the worst word of all, "Integration!"

You know what you guys can do to help me? You might have guessed it: you should email me! It would be a great destresser to read some nice emails from some trusted friends. And in case some trusted friends haven't done so already, they should read their respective g-mail accounts!

Wish me luck with my swearing,

Yoni

now i've got you hooked on my.... livejournal!

Sun, 21 Jan 2007 07:00:20 GMT

Hello, everybody out there. Helooooo---- I can hear the echos from here

I know that I can expect to write to a wide audience of all shapes, sizes, colors and economic backrounds, because i have sooo many different kinds of readers out there. They come from countries varying from Peru to China to Norway to South Carolina. And besides, the great ol' United State of Israel. No one can beat that.

To get down to business,

I am feeling the excitement as I take on my new role as Educational Coordinator at my college's Hillel. Not two years ago I was still learning in High-School, now I'm EDUCATIONAL COORDINATOR. Wowee. But I feel like I'm prepared for the job. I'm more grown up and mature than I used to be (at least I hope I am) and am into helping people realize the truth about themselves and the world and religion, much like my good friend :) Daniella, who is immensely devoted to her work with conversos. (applause to Daniella) I've got minyan set up and people are responding to it, and I'm discussing a lot of learning programs with the Rabbi. Things are exciting, things are going on, and that's all very exciting. But I think I repeated myself there.

Wow, sooo many people are reading this. I have a lot to be thankful for, and this is one of them :)

Shavua tov (that means have a nice week), my vast fanbase!!!

p.s. to everyone- emails are appreciated (as opposed to comments, but those are nice too) :)