Back in the ATL

November 28, 2007

I am back in Atlanta at my house and living in the guest room with the master bedroom rented to a friend. I returned to attend a close friend’s wedding, to see my family for Thanksgiving, to prepare my house for sale or for long-term rental, and to raise money for a shelter for African refugees in Tel Aviv.

It is strange being back in Atlanta. Some may want to know what I see that is drastically different to the new Israeli culture that I am embracing:

The food is the first drastic difference that I noticed. I went to a bar to watch a Saturday afternoon football game with friends where chili cheese fries, nachos, and hot wings were the culinary choices. Those that were health conscious ordered monster salads in huge fried tortilla bowls. The eating culture plus a capsular lifestyle of home-car-work and fighting to get a close parking spot at the gym make it a constant challenge to maintain a healthy body fat percentage.

I love Atlanta so much but it feels so glitzy and formal compared to my life in Israel. Luxury BMWs, Mercedes, and Lexus’ are the norm, here. Everything seems sparkling clean and new. People are dressed to impress and look wealthy, fat and happy. Do they really know how fat and happy they are? It is the age of conspicuous consumption. These are the best of times. We are living them. It doesn’t get any easier than this.

Israelis usually wondered why I would want to leave such a luxurious lifestyle. It very difficult for me, from within the culture, to not be obsessed with material consumption and with need to be “ready” for retirement. Israeli men seem to try to underdress with old t-shirts and flip flops being the norm. My native culture of a Southerner, is to be polite and sensitive to others in an attempt to avoid being offensive. Israelis let it hang out and say exactly what is on their mind. They further ask any personal question that they want including how much money you make and what you spend on rent. Little is taboo. As tough and confronting as Israelis are and as polite as Southerners are, Israelis are less offended and less physically violent. You don’t see bar fights or feel nervous walking by a tough group of young men. You just don’t have the violent crimes or the need to show your machismo. As the bar scene is huge in Tel Aviv, men don’t go out with the purpose of getting drunk. They drink little and smoke a lot. They may choose tea or a soft drink instead of a beer. Thus, a walk through a dark part of town at 4:00 AM is completely safe.

I am moving to Israel and, yes, my wonderful family is supportive. I don’t know how long I will be there. My plan is to work for a couple of years and make my next decision at that time. I wish I were married with a family. But, since I’m not, my heart pulls me to Israel for the time being and I can go. I will continue to work for the refugees while I am here and when I go “home” to Israel. After all, when else can Jews extend compassion to those that fled murderous persecutions as the Jews did? My plan is to continue to work in commercial real estate. My only problem with the industry is that I don’t want to be the guy that cuts down the forest to put up the parking lot. My sister, Edie, and her husband Dr. Russ Hopfenberg, are active in teaching the world that humans are destroying the planet by encroaching on other species’ ecosystems in order to grow more food so that we can have more humans. Humans have doubled their population since 1960 from 3 billion to 6 billion. Russ reports that, if we try to modernize the planet so that we all have a stable population such as France, it will take many so many years that, by the time we reach that level, we will need 10 planet earths to feed the population of that time. Go to www.panearth.org and click on the movie. I still have to make peace with the real estate industry.

I am back through the end of the year so feel free to call at 404 848 1424.

Randy