Yes, it's taken way too long for this new banner thing to go up, I know. (Holy Hyrax, please keep quiet!)
Here's the explanation of the banner:
1. The Muqata's a stupid name for my blog, but its so "branded" that I can't change it. (and yes, my wife totally hates the name)
2. As part of my policy of keeping this blog an honest place, I would like to state for the record (I'm sure, to the disappointment of many), that I do not live in a trailer (called a caravan in Israel)....but in a village community in the Shomron. While our community started off as a bunch of trailers, and while we are surrounded by additional trailer communities...we don't live in one.
3. Israel's a complicated place. Lots of Jews from all over the world have moved back to Israel, truly creating a living "ingathering of the exiles." There are all sorts of Jews living here, Ashkenazim and Sephardim, those that are observant, more observant, and less observant of the mitzvot...some define themselves as secular, and some as Ultra Orthodox. We come from all corners of the globe, England, South Africa, Eastern Europe, Ethiopian, Yemen, Canada, Australia...and even...from Cleveland.
4. The Muqata banner has been graphically illustrated by Sarah, and we sincerely thank her for her help!!
5. Yes, the banner is "whimsicial" -- but with all the stuff going on in Israel, a bit of whim can't hurt.
So...enjoy the new look. Nothing's permanent in the JBlog world, so if you have comments or ideas to modify it in the future...we're open to suggestions.
Here's the explanation of the banner:
1. The Muqata's a stupid name for my blog, but its so "branded" that I can't change it. (and yes, my wife totally hates the name)
2. As part of my policy of keeping this blog an honest place, I would like to state for the record (I'm sure, to the disappointment of many), that I do not live in a trailer (called a caravan in Israel)....but in a village community in the Shomron. While our community started off as a bunch of trailers, and while we are surrounded by additional trailer communities...we don't live in one.
3. Israel's a complicated place. Lots of Jews from all over the world have moved back to Israel, truly creating a living "ingathering of the exiles." There are all sorts of Jews living here, Ashkenazim and Sephardim, those that are observant, more observant, and less observant of the mitzvot...some define themselves as secular, and some as Ultra Orthodox. We come from all corners of the globe, England, South Africa, Eastern Europe, Ethiopian, Yemen, Canada, Australia...and even...from Cleveland.
4. The Muqata banner has been graphically illustrated by Sarah, and we sincerely thank her for her help!!
5. Yes, the banner is "whimsicial" -- but with all the stuff going on in Israel, a bit of whim can't hurt.
So...enjoy the new look. Nothing's permanent in the JBlog world, so if you have comments or ideas to modify it in the future...we're open to suggestions.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael
Love it. I thought the trailer was the Bnei Akiva lishka or whatever, not your house.
ReplyDeleteOf course Israel has olim from Cleveland! Cleveland accounts for itself pretty well in the percentage of Clevelanders who move to Eretz Yisroel!
ReplyDeleteIt's great but would be better if there was a pic of you grilling up the chicken out back.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely looks like the snif. And some of my favorite people from your direction are from Cleveland!
ReplyDeleteawwww it's so cuuuuuuuuute ;-)
ReplyDeleteawwww it's so cuuuuuuuuute ;-)
ReplyDeleteim not saying anything
ReplyDeleteJameel, it's terrific- I love it!
ReplyDeleteWhat cute kids :-)
david: well, we could always add in the man with the yellow smily face and a bbq next time!!!
ReplyDeleteAwesome job Sarah! Jameel, it fits you PERFECTLY. Great job all around!
ReplyDeleteCool. I'm even in it!
ReplyDeleteJoe, which one are you?
ReplyDeleteLooks like someone didn't check their chumash first. Since when did "Kiviti" have 2 vavs?
ReplyDelete(oh, we're talking modern hebrew, not chumash.)
But how is anyone supposed to open the door when it's blocked by a pile of rocks?
(regardless, it is a cute banner even if it does comply with the va'ad l'ma'an beis yaakov tnizus fatwas - wait a second, it doesn't - are those children in the back all holding hands? That's cause for a serious cherem here.)
:-)
BTW, does the Muqata have a lake that can be set on fire? (insert snappy Cleveland joke here)
Well done, Jameel!
ReplyDeleteIt's adorable!
FAB!!!!
ReplyDeleteDont you guys notice how nice the other houses look compared to the shack Jameel lives in. The neighbors are building a wall around it to keep him out of their community. Hopefully that will help the property value of their homes.
ReplyDeleteLets just say, the higher the wall, the better we will all be.
Very cute, very Jameeley!
ReplyDeleteHonest, and not affected!
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteYes, Jameel is certainly a very cheerful fella.
ReplyDeleteWell, I like it. So there.
ReplyDeleteHey, how did I not notice the Cleveland mention?! Of course we're well represented... my family scared everyone away. Or they wanted us to have places to go in Israel. Or something. Cleveland rocks for aliyah, though, that's for sure...!
ReplyDeleteSarah,
ReplyDeleteGo for the smiley face with chicken grease on the corners of the lips.
you forgot to include the part about how in israel everyone gets along as well as the folks in your banner...!
ReplyDeletevery cute!
Donde es la muchacha? La muchacha!!
ReplyDeletepp: The rugged, good looking settler.
ReplyDeleteTitchadesh Jameel - very nice work Sarah!
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, I'd love to see that chicken-grilling smiley face in there somewhere too. Maybe somewhere behind and below the kids from the mixed BA snif. :)
David: I have a real chicken grilling picture somewhere from this summer. I'll try to find it and post it.
ReplyDeleteYSRM & Mevaseret: I didnt have the sniff in mind at all! (And our sniff isn't mixed either ;-)
Joe: Im not in the banner at all -- I'm blogging away from within the caravan.
Bec: I'll have to post about that...everyone gets along just. whatever.
trw: thanks!
Holy Hyrax: Harumph - your are certainly mister grumpy today!
DTC: Yes, modern hebrew :)
And you DID notice the kids in the back. They were going to be up front, but we moved them to the back to avoid the Beis Yakov ban on the muqata blog.
"I'm blogging away from within the caravan." ---> what? the wireless connection doesn't work on the outskirts of your yishuv? ;)
ReplyDeleteSarah: It's wireless IN the caravan as well!
ReplyDeleteLOVE IT!
ReplyDeleteHJM
dtc:
ReplyDelete"Looks like someone didn't check their chumash first. Since when did "Kiviti" have 2 vavs?"
they were not writing with nekudot, so doubling the vav compensates for the dagesh normally in the vav?
(and the extra yod after the kuf?)
The only change I would make would be to add a waffle iron.
ReplyDeleteJameel, your snif may not be mixed, but with all the shidduch making going on amongst the tzevet hadracha....
ReplyDelete