Staying Real in Israel
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"The Marty Roberts Show"

Most of the symptoms of the bird flu seem to be manifesting themselves in the hysteria and hyper-criticism of the Israeli press!…The situation seems to be under control (mostly)…Marty explores where the H5N1 avian bird flu may have come from…

Also…Israelis love ice cream…especially in cones and popsicles…Can we keep up with the Americans?…What to do as a tourist in Israel…(Hint: Do NOT satisfy your craving for an ice cream popsicle at a kiosk)…

All this and MORE…

Bird flu symptoms are spreading rapidly throughout Israel…

But they seem NOT to be affecting who you might expect…

Scary-looking, isn;t it?

Uhmmm…not really…

But not nearly as much as Americans do…

Watch out where you tourists in Israel buy it, though…

The popsicle is the preferred form of ice cream consumption in Israel…

Purchase in a kiosk is NOT recommended (unless, of course, your alternative is a movie theater)

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Great for Israel’s economy…VERY bad for MY waistline!!
I guess it will be even easier to grab some of that yummy Ben and Jerry’s ice cream now…Just when I was achieving reasonable success fighting off the urge for that delish designer frozen yogurt stuff…

Ben & Jerry’s to open new factory in Beer Tuvia

Ice-cream giant to invest NIS 8 million in new production facility that will employ dozens of workers, comply with international exporting standards. Sixteen retail stores, kiosks throughout country also slated to open in near future

Reprinted from YNet News Navit Zomer

Ben & Jerry’s ice-cream company will open a new factory in the Beer Tuvia area in southern Israel, near Kiryat Malachi, in a facility that up until recently served as a soup factory and logistic center for food manufacturer Vita Pri Hagalil.

Some NIS 8 million (appoximately $2 million) will be invested in the new facility, which will employ dozens of workers, and comply with standards set by the global Ben & Jerry’s corporation as well as the European markets and US food authorities.

The company’s previous factory in Yavne was shut down after it did not hold up to the exporting standards set by the ice-cream giant.

The new plant will produce Ben & Jerry’s ice-creams as well as baked frozen items that are marketed in Israel under the brand name “Rosie’s” and include pancakes, blintzes, bagels and more. In addition, the company will open a new retail store in the central city of Modiin.

According to Ben & Jerry’s General-Manger Avi Zinger, another retail store is slated to open next month at the new Cinema City in Rishon Lezion, in addition to the one already operating in Glilot.

The company is currently holding negotiations for opening another store in Jerusalem as well. Ben & Jerry’s annual turnover in Israel is estimated at some NIS 30 million (appox. $8 million).

Along with the expansion of production facilities, Ben & Jerry’s is also planning on expanding to 16 ice-cream parlors and selling kiosks. According to Zinger, “Ice-cream parlors have regained momentum in recent years, and we have also returned to full activity.

“Ben & Jerry’s opened its first store in Israel in 1988 and operated 16 branches at its peak. In 2001 it began to close down its stores dew to losses suffered with the break of the intifada and the era of increased terror attacks,” Zinger said.