Does Israel Have an Allergy to Windows?

Can you see the image above? The building is in the process of having another floor added. You can see the pieces of wood stacked on the Mirpeset (balcony) on the end of one floor down. These pieces of wood make up the wall, with a layer of concrete and of course the stone facade.

Take a look at the top floor. Can you see the tiny window on the left and a large section of wall space with no windows? This wall space is actually one apartment. Can anyone explain to me what the resistance is to windows in Israel? Why not put in two wide windows or three if they will fit? 

If you take a look at the other walls visible here, windows are quite narrow compared to the wall space available.  This is something very common to see in most buildings I walk past, it is not isolated to the one we happened to photograph.

The way the walls are built, the walls can not breathe, at least I cant work out how they do. Many apartments do not have adequate ventilation.

Do you know that having sufficient oxygen intake is crucial for ones health, concentration and general functioning?

This blog post is prepared for you by Shoshanah Shear

Currently a Puzzled Occupational Therapist. Puzzled because home modification is a specialization of my profession. Health and wellness is a major area and one I work in. The environment has an important role to play in our daily functioning, health and wellness.

It would be wonderful to see an increased respect for health by those designing and building in Israel.

My late grandfather (who was a civil engineer) had a professor who taught the engineers that unless one considers who will be living in a building, you have missed out on the majority of the design. Apartments are for human beings to live in and people need to breathe. One of the best ways to have sufficient airflow is with adequate windows.

Growth and Development

When moving to Israel, many find themselves in a new or developing area, there are naturally many challenges. Many wont mention prior to your moving in that there might not be telephone lines yet, other necessities, also might take a while to develop. However, if one takes a step back and looks at the progress, it is very exciting to be a part of building the Land of Israel.

The photographs in this post are all by Shear Success Photographers

When we first moved into the area we are currently in, the buildings opposite and next to us were still being completed. The park just opposite was also incomplete.

Here you can see some of the just started buildings and the mounds of earth.

If you look closely, you can see the lamps are not yet on the tops of the lamp posts and there is a fence surrounding this park. The fence was the Eiruv which since has been moved back quite considerably.

Here you can see that the lamp posts now have lamps and there are a few shelters to offer shade for those who wish to sit down.

In the image above you can also see the children's creativity in developing their own maze to play and cycle through.

Here you can see the development of the buildings and the green starting. This green has all been "self-sewn" ie no people had yet introduced any plants here.

During the winter, we even enjoyed the beauty and blessing of snow in the area. As you see, this was a few months prior to some shown already as the shelters were not there yet and the Eiruv was still near our apartment.

In this image you can see some young trees have been planted. A very exciting time, though I am not sure why this was not carried out at Tu B'Shvat time.

Here you can see the laborers planting grass.

Finally the buildings opposite are complete, the trees and grass are complete, now we wait to discover what will be in the center of the park.

Whatever it will be, it is certainly very heartwarming to have a visual reminder that when the Jews inhabit the Land of Israel there is growth and development.