Well, folks, we’re getting setup in our new digs in Tel Aviv. Most of the books have been unpacked and today I am going to tackle the mountain of clothes that need to be put away.
We hired movers for this move. It was a great decision. A couple of days before the move, they brought by moving boxes. That started some mad packing. Y and I were considerate in our packing. We tried to load boxes with books and things so that they wouldn’t be too heavy. Well, on the day of the move a team of guys showed up (on time!) and began loading the truck. They were amazing. They loaded up a pile three boxes of heavy books their backs and headed down the stairs! One man, just one, carried out refrigerator on his back down to the truck!
While they were loading the truck there was some chit chat. I overheard Y talking to one of the movers. The mover said, “I am number 23 in my family.” I thought that he was confused and I kept listening. “My father has three wives and I have at least 22 brothers and sisters. There are some younger ones that I don’t even know.” This guy was from a Bedouin family and has two wives himself. I was surprised to learn that while polygamy is illegal in Israel, it seems to still be a practice among the Bedouin community.
At one point when our apartment in Jerusalem was almost empty, the guys asked if we had “cafe shachor” or black coffee. This coffee is very finely ground. You put some in the bottom of a glass along with some sugar and pour hot water over it. Stir and wait for the coffee to settle in the bottom of the cup. You drink it once the grinds are all a muddy blob at the bottom of the cup. First, I don’t keep that kind of coffee at home. French press, anyone? Moreover all the glasses were already in an unmarked box on the truck. I noticed that the hot water kettle had not just been packed and was sitting at the ready on the kitchen counter. Disappointed, they took turns drinking tap water with the one glass that I had left out.
Y and I got to Tel Aviv ahead of the moving truck. I went to buy the muddy coffee and sugar. While I was in the supermarket a friend called and asked how the move was going. He said for me to take it easy and to be sure that I had some coffee for the movers! We laughed when I told him that I was out buying coffee! I asked him, “Is there some rule that movers need cafe shachor?” He said that yes, movers and construction workers in Israel expect payment and black coffee.
10 responses so far ↓
JG // Nov 20, 2006 at 10:08 am
Having moved three times in my 5 years since aliyah, I’ve learned to keep out of the boxes: (1) bottled water, (2) lots and lots of plastic cups, and (3) cafe shachor - despite the fact that I don’t drink it myself.
It keeps the sweaty, hot movers happier.
Sharon // Nov 20, 2006 at 12:12 pm
Ah, yes. The coffee. We always used to keep it at home even though no one drank it for any sort of professional. Technicians, plumbers, construction people. Now we have it, but that’s because we have some friends who drink it (god knows why).
celestial blue // Nov 20, 2006 at 1:51 pm
Hmm… it’s funny that you mention it, because the other day I decided I craved a little Turkish coffee and missed that about Israel (and I’m by no means much of a coffee drinker!)
I always found it odd that a country that is so hot will still drink coffee! Right in the middle of a hot day in the summer!
crazy kids…
Carol // Nov 20, 2006 at 5:57 pm
Also known as “Botz” (mud). (For obvious reasons.)
christy // Nov 20, 2006 at 11:58 pm
Congratulations on your new apartment! It sounds wonderful.
Mmm, that coffee–the kind with cardamom? Even though I live in the Starbucks motherland, Arabic coffee is my favorite, and I keep a little vacuum-packed bag in the cupboard at work along with a container of raw sugar (that part is kind of seattle-ian too)
May the walls of your new home hold many moments of joy and love and celebration.
single guy // Nov 21, 2006 at 8:02 am
hey buddy..cool blog. I had a great time in israel. I have lots of israeli mates here in sydney!
Liza // Nov 21, 2006 at 10:16 am
I used to drink turkish coffee, but haven’t done so in years. When I was in college, I would keep a stash in the apartment to keep me awake during exam time, or whenever I had to pull an all-nighter. You’d be amazed by the effectiveness of a beer stein full of turkish coffee…
RR // Nov 21, 2006 at 9:01 pm
I was amazed and horrified to see a man carry our refrigerator up 8 FLIGHTS OF STAIRS when we moved into our old apt. in Tel Aviv (obviously, it wouldn’t fit in the elevator).
When we moved to our current house, we found a moving company that packed most of our stuff. Nothing broke, and it saved me a huge headache- though I’m sure you guys had MUCH less stuff than we did. It’s always stressful to move, though!
Katherine // Nov 22, 2006 at 8:49 am
since I’m reading your post while sitting down with a good cup of the botz, I thought I had to comment. Turkish coffee is now the one thing we take with us when we go on holiday somewhere -without it we just cannot function. We only drink one cup a day each but without that cup we are gonners!
although that coffee with the hel (cardomon) in it, is according to my humble opinion, revolting. ighs!
by the by, did you have any issues with your movers with the tip they wanted? Our movers tried to demand an absolutely massive tip, which since they broke a thing or two we weren’t so happy to give, though of course being suckers we did end up giving them most of it…
John // Nov 22, 2006 at 11:01 pm
Thanks everyone for the new apartment well wishing!
I like Turkish or Arabic coffee - but the mud stuff I am talking about is a different monster altogether. Seeing is believing.
Katherine - they didn’t hold out for a massive tip - but they did say that what we gave them initially was not enough. So next time we’ll start out with less! I am getting over being a sucker or “frier”. If I feel good at the end, then I think I’ve done ok.
RR - the title of this post was just for you!
And a little נב: Today I watched two HUGE guys with Russian accents carry our new washer and dryer up 4 fights of stairs on their backs!
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