Issue #1 - United Synagogue Youth

7Volume 5, Issue 3Israel’s Tastiest Treat:Peanut-Buttery BambaEthan Shapiro, HanegevCrunch, crunch, crunch.That, my friend, is the sound of peanut-butterfilled bamba being snacked upon by millions of Israelis,Jews, and everyone else. Once you take a biteinto these peanut butter snacks, you don’t want tostop. Luckily, you have a full bag to nosh on! Amongall the technologies and outstanding inventions thathave started in Israel, Bamba may be one of the coolestcreations.Bamba has been around since 1964 and is producedby the manufacturing company Osem, whoseprofits have been increasing dramatically with thepopularity of the snack. At first Bamba had a cheeseflavor similar to Cheetos, but fortunately Osemchanged the flavoring to the peanut-butter taste thatwe all know and love. Osem also produces strawberryfilledBamba that is round in shape and is red, whichled to Israelis calling it 'Red Bamba'. In 2008, Osemcame out with a new Bamba flavor – nougat-filled.Nougat Bamba is produced at the Osem plant inSderot and is considered one of the most successfulproducts marketed by the Nestle group, which ownsthe controlling interest in Osem. In 2010 , Osem cameout with a halva-filled Bamba . Now it’s your turn graba bag of one Israel’s coolest inventions and snack like aking or queen.February 2011From the Editor...continued from page 1which has given Israel a remarkable reputation in the fieldof technological and scientific research in the just over 60years that the country has existed. Global companies, likeMicrosoft and Intel trusted Israeli innovation so much thattheir first overseas research and development (R&D) facilitieswere built in Israel.Even though Israel is at the forefront of scientificresearch, it is not just a country made of scientists. Thetheme of this edition of The Hechalutzon is Pop Knowledgy,a mashed up combination of Pop Culture, Knowledge, andTechnology. From Eilat to Rosh Hanikra, Israelis party toSinergia at nightclubs, munch on burgers and schwarmafrom Burgers Bar, and, of course, play Hackeysack nonstop.Because of everything that goes on Israel, there is toomuch for any one person to know about the country and itspeople. However, knowing about these three aspects of Israel,USYers can get a broad understanding of the country.In this edition, you will learn about NexTap, Israel’sworld-renowned tap dance troupe, (page 2), readabout your fellow USYers’ favorite places to grab a burgerin Israel (page 3), discover the history of Israel’s tastiestpeanut butter treat, Bamba (page7), and so muchmore!Closing out the 2010 series of The Hechalutzon, thisedition is filled with the voices of over 15 USYers fromacross North America. Flip through their stories, experiences,and drawings. Appreciate Pop Knowledgy.And with that, Shalom.Drew Lieberman, SWUSY Israel’s Best BurgersIsrael is a Country filled with many holyplaces. There's the Kotel, the Dome of the(continued from page 3)Rock, Mount Zion, and of course, BurgersBar! That’s right, I said Burgers Bar. This is a place that I haveheard people coming back from Israel swear by. The tender meat,fresh bread, fried to order French fries, and plethora of sauces givesBurgers Bar a different feel than the traditional hamburger joint. Butfellow USYers, trust me, this difference is a great one. You see, eversince my sister returned from USY Israel Pilgrimage in 2007, I haveheard non- stop about Burgers Bar, and this past summer I was finallyable to try it for the first time on my own USY Israel Pilgrimagetrip. It was an experience I will never forget. That first bite into myBurger Bar lamb burger was one of the best bites I have ever taken.Take it from a Burgers Bar expert, who tried Burgers Bar at four locationsthis past summer, eat at the one on Ben Yehuda Street – it’sthe best of the bunch. With this being the case, the best burger inIsrael and maybe the entire world can be found at Burgers Bar.Sarah Hoffman, SeaboardOut of all of Israel’s burgers, my personalburger preference is BurgerRanch. Unlike Burgers Bar, BurgerRanch’s burgers have the perfect combinationof sauces slathered all of over the burgers, suchas ketchup and mustard. I find that BurgersBar’s burgers are just too dry and not as enjoyableto eat as their Burger Ranch counterparts.McDonald’s and Burger King simply cannotcompare, as their burgers are just too measlyand their kosher locations are inconvenientlyplaced around Israel.So, in my personal opinion…GO BURGER RANCH OR BECOME AVEGETARIAN!