This morning, Eyal Aliman at Yediot Achronot posted his “71 Reasons to Love Israel”. You can read the full post above if your Hebrew’s decent, but we thought it would be nice to translate some of our favorites for your reading pleasure this Yom Ha’atzmaut.

• #1 – Because only we have the calming words, “yihiyeh b’seder” (it will be ok)
• #4 – Because only we will fly El Al for $500 more … because of “security”
• #8 – Because we have the nicest – and saddest – memorial songs (for Yom Hazikaron) in the world
• #10 – Because only we say “Shema Yisrael” when the plane takes off
• #11 – And applaud when the plane lands.
• #15 – Only we put mud on our faces and try to extend our lives – in the “Dead Sea”
• #16 – Only we see Shlomo Artzi in Caesaria and David Broza at Masada, and hey…it’s all free on YouTube!

#18 – Because a true Israeli understands the holy connection between Bulgarian Cheese and watermelon.

• #21 – Because we are addicted to the Eurovision Song Contest, stay up until 1 AM for the results, and if we don’t get a “Douz Points” from Armenia or Macedonia? “This is B.S, it’s all politics, this is the last time I watch!”
• #22 – Because we like to travel all over the world – treks in Nepal, beaches in Brazil, vacations in Prague…
• #23 – …but our heart feels happiest when we land at Ben Gurion.
• #24 – Because we have candles, kiddush…and Netflix that protect us.
• #25 – …and the Iron Dome that keeps our enemies away.
• #26 – We have the magical pair of words that always cause us to get emotional “Al HaEsh” (“on the fire”, meaning cooked on the barbecue).
• #29 – We are a nation that remembers where we came from, but have no clue where to go from here.
• #30 – Because only here are the bakery guy, the judge in court, and the bank teller all known as “achi” (my brother).
• #35 – Because only here, a 1.5 room apartment without an elevator and services costs the same as a penthouse in Berlin.
• #36 – When there is a drop of rain here, we all run to mother for cholent.

#39 – Because we invest years and billions in development, just so we can post a selfie with the moon to our story.

• #40 – To be Israeli is to tell residents of the south that they deserve to have rockets fall on them because they voted for Bibi, and then invite them over for “Jachnun” Saturday morning (so you can tell it to them face to face).
• #49 – Because we are a nation that eats a laffa with pargiyot (dark meat chicken) and 50 salads on the side…but only with a Coke Zero.
• #50 – Because we lie to Waze that we are not the drivers.
• #61 – Because it’s in our DNA to tell a friend who just booked a vacation in Eilat with his family in August, “too bad – for that money, I could have booked a month in Greece!”
• #62 – “But enjoy, dude, you deserve it!”
• #63 – Because we really don’t have a clue how to “close the month” (i.e. make ends meet), but somehow, the month ends and we’re still here.

#63 – Because we really don’t have a clue how to “end the month” (i.e. make ends meet)… but somehow, the month ends, and we’re still here.

• #66 – Because we have the Kotel, Machane Yehuda, Nachalot – Jerusalem, a city of gold.
• #67 – And the Shuk HaPishpishim, Neve Tzedek, Allenby, Rothschild – Tel Aviv is a city that never stops.
• #68 – Because of the lines to the Hermon, and the camels in Mitzpeh Ramon.
• #69 – Because there’s nothing like getting excited about the fireworks in the sky, embracing your wife and telling her: “Get it? Our property tax pays for this!”

As for the ones we left out…you’ll just have to read them in Hebrew. They don’t translate well.

Chag sameach!