Why are Israelis moving to Germany?

[bemildred]

Two blue-and-white balloons at the compound's gate announce that we are at the Tel Aviv Beach Party.

It is a wintry Sunday in August under gray Berlin skies. Beach chairs are set up on soft sand on the banks of the Spree River, which snakes through this city, and revelers are offered hummus and watermelon. The Israeli band Jachzen Bachzen plays music that wouldn't pass muster as elevator music in Israel, but happens to be a resounding success here. Nor does the light rain prevent attendees from feeling like they are in the midst of a Mediterranean celebration - a feeling bolstered by the many people speaking Hebrew. Only the Lebanese security guards make it abundantly clear where we are: in a colorful, multinational city that has taken in immigrants from all over the world.

Some 200 people attend the event organized by Habayit (which means both "home" and "the house" in Hebrew ), a unique program aimed at exposing Berliners to modern Israeli culture. Nirit Bialer, an Israeli who has lived here for the past five years, founded Habayit because, she says, "I wanted to build a house where Germans could learn Hebrew and Arabic, hold political evenings, and become acquainted with Israel a little differently - through Israelis who live here and know Germans." Indeed, about half of the attendees were Germans thirsting for a little exuberant Israeliness, reflected in the eyes of every Israeli who lives in this city.

The Israeli Embassy estimates there are 10,000 Israelis living in Berlin, but various forums serving members of that population put the number at between 8,000 and 15,000. Some say there are no fewer than 25,000 Israelis in Berlin's many boroughs and neighborhoods, though this is probably an overestimate.

http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/week-s-end/why-are-israelis-moving-to-germany-1.384831

Oh yeah, I forgot:
:popcorn:

[n2doc]

1. Tired of living in a war zone? n/t

[Swede]

2. Lack of missles lobbed at you?

That is the reason a truck driver from Israel told me why he moved to Canada. He was out trucking when there was a missle alert. Because of the alert he couldn't phone his family. So here he is.

[Boojatta]

3. Perhaps Chomsky is working behind the scenes ...

... and preparing for a day when enough Israelis have assembled and organized themselves in Germany to preach that the holocaust never occurred, get arrested, and fight for freedom of speech in Germany. (It's the familiar strategy of civil disobedience.)

[RZM]

4. Because Helen Thomas told them to n/t

[oberliner]

5. I think you win the prize

Tying everything together quite adroitly.