Hi PrPro,
Thanks for responding so quickly.
Going on the assumption they are Kosher, you can't go wrong.
First, yes, wine would be great. But, don't get anything
bottled in Israel. They've already tasted it, and can find
that themselves. They'll love something American.
Look for a wine they haven't seen before. There are some
really good Kosher vineyards in California and New York.
To see some examples of Kosher wines, go to MyKosherMarket.com
and do a search for wines - you'll see the variety.
http://www.mykoshermarket.com/cat_search.asp
You'll find Kosher wines and food in the supermarkets.
If you go into a local liquor store or market, and you
pick up a bottle of wine, look for one of the symbols from
the different oversight agencies. The most common is the
letter U inside a circle. But, often, on wines, you'll see
some Hebrew lettering.
To get familiar with the different symbols on wines and foods,
here's a page with the most common certification agencies.
You don't need to click on any of the choices.
Just scroll down and you'll see them all.
http://www.kosherquest.org/html/Reliable_Kosher_Symbols.htm
Incidentally, if you ask the folks at the liquor stores,
they'll be able to show you their Kosher wine section.
(Don't pick up Kedem or Manischewitz - those tend to be
really sweet wines. And if they want them for the kiddish,
the blessing, they'll buy that themselves.)
One vintner my husband likes is Baron Herzog. You can find
Baron Herzog wines anywhere. They have a whole variety of wines -
zinfandel, merlot, chenin blanc, syrah, Bordeaux...
http://baronherzog.com/
Incidentally, if you happen to know of a place to get good, dates,
fresh figs and olives, a basket with those goodies would undoubtedly
be
welcome. And you don't have to worry about Kosher.
If they are religious, you may want to wear a scarf as part of your
outfit. When they say the blessing over the food, or the wine (Friday
night) you can easily slip it up over your hair. If you don't, it's
OK.
They'll give you something if it's important in their household.
One thing you'll find about Israeli's and the evening meal - lots of
salads and vegetables and/or dairy products, like yogurts. (Unless
it's Friday
night. In that case, prepare for soup and more traditional fare.)
In Israel, dinner is usually a light meal. The heavier meal is at
noon.
Many Sabras (native Israelis) bring that habit over here.
One thing you'll discover about Sabras - they mean it.
If they extend an invitation to come over anytime, you are expected to
take them up on it.
Naturally, it doesn't hurt to call first, but know that they love
company and welcome
people wholeheartedly. I found this trait everywhere I went in Israel.
Israelis who
come here are so hurt and bewildered when people say, ‘Sure" and then
don't come
to visit or call.
And do invite them to your place, or out with you, in return.
Opinions. If there are 5 people in the room, there will be at least 10
opinions -
on everything. Be prepared to back up your own views and opinions.
You'll find that they are going to be very up-to-date on news events
around
the world. There will be lively discussions, with great passion. And
they love
to debate, to take the wrong side of a discussion - just to have a
discussion.
Don't take any of it to heart. It's just a love of talk. And it's
totally stimulating
and often forces you to re-think things you've taken for granted.
One last thing. Relax.
They won't be judging you. But they are most interested in life here
in
the US. They may have lots of questions for you about your lifestyle.
Oh, a great gift would be a plant. Something that will continue to
live with them and grow. It will beautify their home and remind them
of you every time they see it. Find something native to your area that
they might not have seen before.
Oh, and believe it or not, Israelis are hard to offend.
They may be prickly on the outside. But, like the fruit of the cactus,
they are sweet on the inside. (That's where the word 'Sabra' comes
from. It means cactus pear.)
Have a wonderful evening.
Your TaxMama-ga |
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