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Sarah Tuttle-Singer

A Mermaid in Jerusalem

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We love Israel. And here are the pics to prove it

Feb 13, 2014, 12:00 PM

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Israel is my Valentine.

And I’m head over heels in love.

Sure, it’s complicated sometimes — sometimes we disagree.

Sometimes there are things I wish were different… especially when I’m “in line” (hahahahahahaha) at the bank, or ‘stuck in traffic’ at the checkout line at Rami Levi on a Friday afternoon…

But that’s love in all it’s glory: A little messy, exasperating at times… but soooo worth it.

The thing is, when you love Israel, you have to learn to share because so many others feel the same way. But whatever – I’m open-minded:

I <3 Israel. Photo by Federico Kremenchuzky — I Photo by Federico Kremenchuzky

We wear our heart on our... trees. Photo by Sarah Berkley. — For wearing our heart on our… trees. Photo by Sarah Berkley.

Moments like these. Photo by Yaniv Singer. — For moments like these.
Photo by Yaniv Singer.

For winter sunsets... Photo by William Daroff. — For winter sunsets…
Photo by William Daroff.

For "Layla Lavan" when Tel Aviv stays up alllll night. — For “Layla Lavan” when Tel Aviv stays up alllll night.

For pomegranates. Photo by Yael Katz — For pomegranates.
Photo by Yael Katz

Stunning sunsets. Photo by Devorah Levine — For stunning sunsets.
Photo by Devorah Levine

Gorgeous. Photo by Daniel Hoffman. — For gorgeousness.
Photo by Daniel Hoffman.

From generation to generation... Photo by Eunice Driver — For sweet moments….
Photo by Eunice Driver

For fighting the Evil Eye... Photo by Yael Katz — For fighting the Evil Eye…
Photo by Yael Katz

Riding off into the sunset. Photo by Erica Schain — For riding off into the sunset.
Photo by Erica Schain

For its hummus... — For its hummus…

Where does the sea stop and the sky begin? Photo by Yaniv Singer — For not knowing where the sea stops and the sky begins…
Photo by Yaniv Singer

Where old meets new... — For the intersection where Old meets New.

The grottoes of Rosh HaNikra. Photo by Felix Markman. — For the grottoes of Rosh HaNikra.
Photo by Felix Markman.

For its windmills... — For its windmills…

For the sunrise over Masada Photo by Victor Dewey — For the sunrise over Masada
Photo by Victor Dewey

For its music... Photo by Zahava D. Englard — For its music…
Photo by Zahava D. Englard

For sufganiyot. Pure and simple. Or with sprinkles.

Epic stretch of Hula Valley — For the stretch of Hula Valley

For the art... Photo by Melinda Bokor — For the art…
Photo by Melinda Bokor

The coffee here is the best. — For the best coffee in the world.

For camels... Photo by Zevie Tannenbaum — For camels…
Photo by Zevie Tannenbaum

For that epic moment before the plane lands at Ben Gurion Airport... Photo by Jenna Nowlan — For that epic moment before the plane lands at Ben Gurion Airport…
Photo by Jenna Nowlan

For the freedom children have... — For the freedom children have…

Poppies blooming in the Ella Valley. Photo by Amanda Borschel-Dan — For poppies blooming in the Ella Valley.
Photo by Amanda Borschel-Dan

For trash and treasures... Photo by Sarah Tuttle-Singer — For trash and treasures…
Photo by Sarah Tuttle-Singer

For views like these... Photo by Toby Rosner — For views like these…
Photo by Toby Rosner

For sweet moments….
Photo by Jonathan Meola.

For Kol Nidre in Tel Aviv... Photo by Marc Goldberg — For Kol Nidre in Tel Aviv…
Photo by Marc Goldberg

For Spring blossoms... Photo by Leora Leeder — For Spring blossoms…
Photo by Leora Leeder

For being able to touch history... Photo by Victor Dewey — For being able to touch history at Masada
Photo by Victor Dewey

For signs of Ahava - Love. Photo submitted by Susie Burger. — For signs of Ahava – Love.
Photo submitted by Susie Burger.

For this... Photo by Richard Behar — For this…
Photo by Richard Behar

For the strength of its people... Photo by Isaac Seinuk — For the strength of its people…
Photo by Isaac Seinuk

For Haifa... Photo by Amnon Bendoli — For Haifa…
Photo by Amnon Bendoli

For beauty.... Photo submitted by Jessica Snapper — For its beauty.
Photo submitted by Jessica Snapper.

For graffiti with a spiritual message... — For graffiti with a spiritual message…

For messages of coexistence... Photo by Sarah Tuttle-Singer — For messages of coexistence…
Photo by Paula Kantor

For not giving up on Gilad Shalit. Photo by Yehonatan Etzion. — For not giving up on Gilad Shalit.
Photo by Yehonatan Etzion.

For its history... — For its history…

For weddings…Photo by Jade Fenster

Cozy moments when snow falls and you're warm inside. Photo by Chaya Gross — For cozy moments when snow falls and you’re warm inside.
Photo by Chaya Gross

For our Israeli mothers... — For our Israeli mothers…

No hiding our menorahs here! Photo by Glen Feder. — For not hiding our menorahs here! Photo by Glen Feder.

For that intersection between secular and observant... Photo by Sarah Tuttle-Singer — For that intersection between secular and observant…
Photo by Sarah Tuttle-Singer

A long stretch of highway into the desert near Kibbutz Lotan. Photo by Erica Schain — For a long stretch of highway into the desert near Kibbutz Lotan.
Photo by Erica Schain

This. Photo by Serena Povia — For this.
Photo by Serena Povia

Where the conversation flows at 2 am... — For conversations flowing late into the night…

This isn't Gringotts... This is Israel. Photo by Ethan Katz — For nature. No, this isn’t Gringotts… This is Israel.
Photo by Ethan Katz

Yes. This really is Israel. Photo by Laura Ben-David. — For snow. And yes, this really is Israel.
Photo by Laura Ben-David.

A boy and his flag. Photo by Rahel Sharon Jaskow — For celebration.
Photo by Rahel Sharon Jaskow

Bliss. Photo by Corinne Berzon — For bliss.
Photo by Corinne Berzon

Lone soldiers making Aliyah. Photo by William Daroff. — For Lone Soldiers making Aliyah.
Photo by William Daroff.

Where Shabbat is a given. — For Shabbat.

For peace signs... Photo by Sharon Altshul — For peace signs…
Photo by Sharon Altshul

Where there is time for quiet reflection... Photo by Marna Becker — For time for quiet reflection…
Photo by Marna Becker

For bright colors... Photo by Sarah Tuttle-Singer — For bright colors…
Photo by Sarah Tuttle-Singer

A lovely street... Photo by Sarah Berkley. — A lovely street…
Photo by Sarah Berkley.

Water War!!!! Photo by Guy Prives. — For Water War!!!!
Photo by Guy Prives.

For variety in the shuk. Photo by Nili Neuss — For variety in the shuk.
Photo by Nili Neuss

Classic. Submitted by Josiah Ching. — For sheer awesomeness.
Submitted by Josiah Ching.

#onlyinIsrael — For the little #onlyinIsrael moments

A magnificent aerial view of the Old City. Photo by David Katz — For a magnificent aerial view of the Old City. Photo by David Katz

We can always use a rainbow... — For rainbows…
Photo by Noa Ben-Jacob

Ah-may-zing view of the Sea of Galilee Photo by Eric Schorr. — For this sublime view of the Sea of Galilee
Photo by Eric Schorr.

Gorgeous, right? Photo by Sarah Berkley. — For the pretty.
Photo by Sarah Berkley.

A sweeping view of the Jezreel Valley from ancient Tsippori. Photo by Nili M. Zaharony — For a sweeping view of the Jezreel Valley from ancient Tsippori.
Photo by Nili M. Zaharony

Where you turn a corner and find yourself in Fiddler on the Roof. Photo by Yaniv Salama — For turning a corner and finding yourself in Fiddler on the Roof.
Photo by Yaniv Salama

Views of Biblical proportion. Photo by David Zlotnick. — For views of Biblical proportion.
Photo by David Zlotnick.

For enchanted forests…
Photo bySarah Tuttle-Singer

Lush and green mountains. Photo by Natan Epstein — For lush and green mountains.
Photo by Natan Epstein

Delicious! Photo by Irene Rabinowitz. — For making our mouths water!
Photo by Irene Rabinowitz.

Industry and agriculture... and a rainbow in between. Photo by Daniel Seaman. — For industry and agriculture… and a rainbow in between.
Photo by Daniel Seaman.

A lovely moment... Photo by Noa Ben-Jacob — For this lovely moment…
Photo by Noa Ben-Jacob

Mazel Tovvvv!!!! Submitted by Koby Benmeleh — For knowing how to party.
Submitted by Koby Benmeleh

Beautiful winter... Photo by Natan Epstein. — For stunning winters…
Photo by Natan Epstein.

Wow. Just, wow. Photo by Gabriele Manasse - — For Wow… Just, wow.
Photo by Gabriele Manasse –

For Springtime on Mount Arbel Photo by Josh Fisher — For Springtime on Mount Arbel
Photo by Josh Fisher

For its rainbows. Photo by Sarah Tuttle-Singer — For its rainbows.
Photo by Sarah Tuttle-Singer

For messages like these... Photo by Miryam Schattner — For messages like these…
Photo by Miryam Schattner

... And for messages like these. Photo by Toby Rosner. — … And for messages like these.
Photo by Toby Rosner.

This love post is SOOO not finished – if you want to be featured here, send me your photos… sarah@timesofisrael.com.

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About the Author

Sarah Tuttle-Singer is the author most recently of Fairy Lights in God’s Backyard: A Jerusalem Love Story (Vayinafash Press) and of Jerusalem Drawn and Quartered. She is the New Media Editor at Times of Israel. She was raised in Venice Beach, California on Yiddish lullabies and Civil Rights anthems, and she now lives in Jerusalem with her 3 kids where she climbs roofs, explores cisterns, opens secret doors, talks to strangers, and writes stories about people. Sarah also speaks before audiences left, right, and center through the Jewish Speakers Bureau, asking them to wrestle with important questions while celebrating their willingness to do so. She loves whisky and tacos and chocolate chip cookies and old maps and foreign coins and discovering new ideas from different perspectives. Sarah is a work in progress.

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