Navigating the Israeli scene - in terms of social/professional/romantic worlds is a pretty funny story. I was sitting in the offices of the company that I am interning for waiting for my interview for a more long term position -- and there sat next to me another man who was waiting to have his interview. Of course we started to chat, and he invited me to come to his office to see if that company would be something I was interested in - flash back to a few weekends ago, I was staying at an apt in Jerusalem and as I tried to figure out the lock, the next door neighbor came out to give me his business card "in case of emergency" - this led to tea and green grapes over talk about job opportunities in Israel and what it is like living here vs. home. One more story -- I decided to write an article for a magazine about jewish entrepreneurs and innovation. I was sitting at a confrence in IDC about African Refugees and realized I received my article back with edits from the editor. A few hours later, I went out with my boss to her friends party in Tel Aviv near the namal (Roza Parks - On Dizengoff, great spot) and when I came out of the bathroom, my boss wanted to introduce someone to me...yes, it was, the editor who has emailed me back a few hours earlier (who I thought was living and working in NYC)? Well, suffice it to say, the world is small, the network is connected, and people here are just looking to support you. I once read a shorty piece in a daily NY free magazine giveaway about the "Fathers of NYC" - that bar tenders, cafe waiters, people on the subway are in some ways the fathers - who make sure that you are not being treated poorly on the date and will stay and talk to you if u are feeling down after a bad date, hard test, or maybe no date at all. Now, the people I've somehow met through funny circumstances are in no way romantic. although that would have been fun. But professionals in the professional world who are just looking to help out a new Oleh to the city. So keep your eyes opened and your ears perked because you just don't know who is sitting next to you - and chances are they will be dressed in a t-shirt and jeans and won't look like the hot shots they are. Except for Shai Agassi. he always looks tip top.
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