Ani Tivoni

That's how you say "I'm a vegan" in Hebrew. Similarly to in the states, they understand that it's more than just being a vegetarian, but still aren't sure if I eat fish, dairy, etc., so it still usually requires explaining.

Needless to say, I'm back from Israel. It was a terrific trip. And, from a vegan perspective, I ate very well, so well that I'm afraid to hop on the scale. Traditional Jewish cuisine is either milchik (milk and dairy) or fleishig (meat), and the two are not mixed. So, if I go to a milchik restaurant, I'll know the soup isn't made with beef broth, and if I go to a fleishig restaurant, I'll know that the ice cream is dairy free. And, hummus, falafel, and pita are abundant, which I could absolutely live on.

Also, I did some awesome running -- along the Mediterranean Sea in Tel Aviv, by the Dead Sea, and through the hilly streets of Jerusalem while strange men yelled stuff in Hebrew to me that I didn't understand and I somehow avoided being hit by cars, car doors, or angry rushed Israelis.

Huge thanks to Mary Ruth for keeping the blog running in my absence! Mary Ruth, I hope you'll continue to post occasionally when you have a chance.