US officials say talks between Netanyahu and Abbas will take place in unconfirmed location on Sept.15 a day after discussions in Sharm el-Sheik.

Remember the other night when I was up at 5 am worried that important things were going to shake down on a holiday? Well, you guessed it! Today is “day 2″ meaning it was the first day of the shots in the stomach (not fun, so so not fun). The nurse who More >

Defense minister, PA president discuss easing security conditions in West Bank as confidence building measure one day before PM set to depart for Washington to relaunch negotiations.

Right-wingers to visit settlements on 1st day of studies.

Silvan Shalom: Currently 250 to 280 trucks a day head to the Strip.

Summer time for kids in Israel is ‘chugim’ time – kaytanot (day camps), specialty courses, sports teams, anything to keep them occupied for the two months school is out of session.
There’s everything under the sun offered, including cooking courses, sewing courses, outdoor survival courses, in addition to the normal day camps where you get ball [...]

For those who aren’t aware, today is the 1st day of Elul, which is a very special and important day on the Jewish calendar:

It is the New Year’s Day for Animals.

The first mishna in tractate Rosh HaShana teaches that there are four days in the year that are regarded as New Year’s Days. Each one is considered a cut-off point that begins a new year for certain specific respective purposes in Jewish law:
The 1st of Nisan is the New Year’s Day for dating the reigns of kings, and for caclulating the cycles of festivals.
The 1st of Tishrei is the New Year’s Day for calculating calendrical years, shemitot (sabbatical years), and yovelot (jubilee years), as well as for planting (with regard to the law of orla), and for the ma’aser (tithing) of vegetables.
The 15th of Shevat is the New Year’s Day for the ma’aser of (fruit) trees.
The 1st of Elul (today) is the New Year’s Day for the ma’aser of animals.On the New Year’s Day for the tithing of fruit trees — commonly referred to as Tu B’Shevat — it is customary to celebrate by eating fruits grown in the Land of Israel.

And thus, in the exact same way, it is certainly most fitting to celebrate the New Year’s Day for the tithing of animals — today — by eating meat grown in the land of Israel.

So happy New Year’s Day!

And enjoy your barbecues!

Visiting Israel? Learn to Shoot at Caliber-3 with top Israeli Anti-Terror Experts!
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

Avner and Delek Drilling also rose strongly and it was a good day for telecom shares too.

I’ve had a crazy day and am about to rush out to go sign the lease on the apartment. But my day, as packed and fraught as it has been, ain’t nothing in comparison with what is happening on the border with Lebanon. So I’m about to leave my apartment thinking that by More >

Tu B’