Offbeat Israel: Japan's Falafel Connoisseurs
By Nathan Jeffay
They say that all Israelis reckon they are experts on falafel – where the country’s finest can be found, in what order the pita should be stuffed, which salads deserve to be included. Well that was before sushi arrived. Now that virtually every shopping street in the country has a bar serving up the Japanese delicacy, Israelis have lost interest in the falafel and turned their critical attention to sushi.
So who will take up the mantle as connoisseurs of falafel?
The answer, believe it or not, is the Japanese.
Israel is becoming a hugely popular destination for Japanese tourists. Japan’s most popular travel guide series, Globetrotter, has just revealed that its guides to only one country — Mexico — sell better than guides to Israel. And yes, there is a detailed section on falafel, which Japanese tourists can be seen enjoying and reviewing across Israel.
In fact, the popularity of this guide points to a wider phenomenon that travel to Israel from across East Asia is on the rise. Some 135,000 visitors from East Asia arrived in Israel during 2008, an increase of 20% on 2007 when 112,000 tourists from the region visited.
Israel is keen to encourage the trend. The Tourism Ministry recently opened an office in Beijing.
Back on the subject of eateries, can McDonald’s manage what Starbucks could not — namely to convince Israelis that they want neither Arabic-style “mud” coffee nor European-style espresso-based coffees, but rather American-style drip coffee? Starbucks tried the Israeli market but left. McDonald’s has just announced that it will open its McCafé chain — currently only at Ben Gurion airport — at several locations in Israel.
A Mrs Robinsonesqe trial ended in Israel yesterday. An English teacher from Rehovot was convicted of having a three-month affair with her 17-year-old student.
The teacher in question was found by the court to have regularly driven the student home at the end of the school day and had sex with him in her car, a rented room, or the home of a female friend of the student’s.
The friend took pictures of the two kissing, and rumors spread of the affair. The teacher and her husband were accused of making threats against the friend.
The case was not heard in full as the teacher agreed to a plea bargain, according to which she will plead guilty to having an illicit affair with a minor over 14 and abusing her position as an educator, pay financial compensation to her former lover and his friend, and undertake six months of community service.
October 6, 2008, 11:16pm
Lebanon to Israel: Hands Off Our Falafel Balls
By Daniel Treiman
From DPA via Ha’aretz’s Web site:
The president of the Lebanese Industrialists Association Fadi Abboud, said he is preparing to file an international lawsuit against Israel for allegedly “taking the identity of some Lebanese foods” and thus violating a food copyright.
“In a way the Jewish state is trying to claim ownership of traditional Lebanese delicacies like falafel, tabouleh and hummus” Abboud said.
According to Abboud, the Lebanese are losing “tens of millions of dollars annually” because Israel is selling and marketing traditional Lebanese dishes.
“The Israelis are marketing our main food dishes as if they were Israeli dishes,” he charged.
Though it might be tempting, one should not dismiss Abboud’s threats as mere bluster. He’s serious, and he’s citing legal precedent — the “feta cheese precedent.” (I kid you not.)
And while we’re on the topic of lawsuits, I wonder what ever happened with that Egyptian fellow who was threatening to sue the Jewish people for making off with Egypt’s gold during the Exodus. I, for one, have yet to be served with papers.
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