Bad Marketing Decsions

In China, it is apparently common practice to fake brand manes or even countries of origin on the packaging to make the product more appealing.

This was why Chinese orange growers decided to copy the branding on one of the most popular oranges in the far east - "Jaffa Sweetie - Made in Israel".
Only problem was their choice of export market - Iran.
For some reason, marketing oranges as "Made in Israel" is not a great marketing decision when exporting to the Islamic Republic of Iran.

This story from the BBC:

Israeli oranges' faked in China
By Andre Vornic
BBC News

One of the oranges allegedly found in Iran (photo from the Iranian news agency Mehr)
Photos from Tehran showed fruit marked "Israel"

A twist has emerged in the story of Israeli citrus fruit reportedly sold in Iran in defiance of a ban on commercial dealings between the two enemy states.

It has now been revealed the fruit, a type of orange-grapefruit hybrid marketed as Jaffa Sweetie, were not Israeli in the first place.

The Sweeties were brought to Iran from China, where faking the origin of goods is a common practice.

The discovery of apparent Israeli origin caused a stir in Iran.

Outrage followed, distribution centres stocking the fruit were sealed and accusations were traded.

Such is the infamy of dealing with Israel that an Iranian official went so far as to accuse the opposition of a "citrus plot".

However, Tal Amit, the general manager of Israel's Citrus Marketing Board, told the BBC the fruit had not originated in his country.

Prestigious fruit

"First of all, it's a bit annoying that somebody is using our brand name and registered trademark without our permission," he said.

Chinese boxes allegedly containing Israeli oranges found in Iran (photo from the Iranian news agency Mehr)
The fruit was packed in boxes marked "Origin China"

"Apart from this, I would like very much the Iranian people to eat Israeli fruit straight from the origin and not via China.

"But the politics is not allowing us to do any commercial relations with Tehran at the moment while back 30 to 40 years ago, Tehran was a superb market for our fruit."

The genuine Israeli Sweetie is primarily exported to the Far East's richest markets, Japan and South Korea.

That could explain the prestige of the fruit in the eyes of Chinese exporters and the temptation to counterfeit it.

...

Song for Yom Hazikaron - The Ballad for the Medic

In Honour of Yom Hazikaron (Memorial Day) which begins tomorrow night, I'd like to share the following song which I believe is based on a true story (if anyone knows in which war the story occured or other details, please leave a comment).

BALLAD FOR THE MEDIC by Dan Almagor and Effi Netzer They slowly advanced. Everything was calm. Against the river, with the reeds rustling suddenly a lightning bolt roared, and one [person] yelled out: [I'm] wounded! I'm coming - the medic replied to him. We went over a mine! the wounded yelled, I'm here, by your side - the medic replied to him. A hail of fire is coming down, a heavy fragmentary hail, across the river, to the murmuring reeds Leave me here - the wounded requested, leave the non-sense - the medic then answered him. Save yourself - the wounded requested. I'm staying with you - the medic answered him. And the two remained alone, and the field was open. And the two remained alone, exposed to the fire. We are [about to] perish - the wounded then muttered, hold me well - the medic answered him. You were wounded too - the wounded them muttered never mind, it's not too bad - the medic answered him. The fire is very heavy! It's very hard to move. Just don't despair, just don't despair, I'll always remember you - the wounded then pledged. Just don't fall - the medic then muttered. I'm yours till the day you die - the wounded then pledged. Today's the day I die - the medic answered him. Suddenly a dust cloud, suddenly the wind rose, and a shaddow over the ground, it approached loudly. We're saved! They're coming! - the wounded then whimpered, but he did not hear a word out of the medic. My brother, my very brother! - the wounded then whimpered. Across the river, the reeds are rustling, my brother, my very brother my brother, my very brother my brother!!!

בלדה לחובש ביצוע: יהורם גאון מילים: דן אלמגור לחן: אפי נצר הם התקדמו לאט. הכל היה רגוע. מנגד הנהר וגומא מרשרש פתאום רעם ברק, אחד צעק: פצוע! אני כבר בא- ענה לו החובש. עלינו על מוקש! - צעק אז הפצוע, אני כאן, לצידך - ענה לו החובש. ברד של אש ניתך, ברד כבד קטוע, מעבר לנהר, לגומא הרוחש. הַשאירו אותי כאן - ביקש אז הפצוע, עזוב שטויות - ענה אז החובש. תציל את עצמך - ביקש אז הפצוע. אני נשאר איתך - ענה לו החובש. והם נותרו שניהם, והשדה פתוח. והם נותרו שניהם, והם גלויים לאש. אנחנו אבודים - מילמל אז הפצוע, אחוז בי טוב - ענה לו החובש. נפצעת גם אתה - מילמל אז הפצוע עזוב, זה לא נורא - ענה לו החובש. האש כבדה, כבדה! קשה, קשה לנוע. רק לא להתייאש, רק לא להתייאש, אזכור אותך תמיד - נשבע אז הפצוע. רק לא ליפול - מילמל אז החובש. שלך עד יום מותך - נשבע אז הפצוע. היום הוא יום מותי - ענה לו החובש. פתאום ענן אבק, פתאום עלתה הרוח, וצל על הקרקע, והוא קרב, רועש. ניצלנו! הם באים! - ייבב אז הפצוע, אך לא שמע מילה מן החובש. אחי, אחי שלי! - ייבב אז הפצוע. מעבר לנהר הגומא מרשרש, אחי, אחי שלי אחי, אחי שלי אחי!!!

Keep your Laws off my body

A common argument of the "Pro-Choice" (AKA Pro-Abortion) lobby is that Government has no business interfering with the reproductive choices of women.

There are many problems with the argument (mainly it seems to ignore the rights of the unborn baby), but if the Pro-choice Lobby is sincere in their belief that government should keep out of people's personal lives, especially with regards to reproduction, than I would expect the Pro-Choice camp to be up in arms against the Call in Australia to limit families to one child (similar to the laws in the Chinese dictatorship)

OK - Pro Choice camp, now is your opportunity to show a commitment to your belief, even if it doesn't involve killing unborn babies.

source: www.stuff.co.nz

Call for one-child policy in Australia
Australia should consider having a one-child policy to protect the planet, an environmental lobby group says.

Sustainable Population Australia says slashing the world's population is the only way to avoid "environmental suicide".

National president Sandra Kanck wants Australia's population of almost 22 million reduced to seven million to tackle climate change.

And restricting each couple to one baby, as China does, is "one way of assisting to reduce the population".

"It's something we need to throw into the mix," the former Democrats parliamentarian told AAP.

...

Kudos to McCully and the Labour Party

I was delighted to read that new Zealand has joined the free World in boycotting the Durban Israel Hate-fest.
NZ won't attend racism conference

Labour and the Greens are at odds with the Government over its decision to boycott this week's United Nations conference on racism.

Foreign Minister Murray McCully confirmed today New Zealand would not take part, joining other countries including the United States, Australia, Canada, Italy, Israel and Germany.

The Geneva conference is in trouble because of intense sensitivity around Israel and Arab states – the last UN meeting called to condemn racism ended in chaos when Muslim delegates tried to insert language into a declaration defining Zionism as racist.

...

Mr McCully said New Zealand would not attend because he was not satisfied the wording of the draft declaration would prevent the conference from "descending into the same kind of rancorous and unproductive debate that took place in 2001".

"I was determined that New Zealand's participation in the review conference would be on the basis of a draft outcome document that did not endorse the 2001 declaration, and which responsibly and productively addressed racism."

Labour's associate foreign affairs spokesman, Grant Robertson, said it was unfortunate the Government had allowed "rhetoric around Israel" to override important issues about racism.

"In multilateral discussions there will be things said that we find unpalatable but it is vital that we are at the table to ensure that New Zealand's opposition to racism in any form is expressed at the highest levels," he said.

"Mr McCully needs to be careful that New Zealand continues to adopt an independent and principled approach to foreign affairs."

The Green Party's foreign affairs spokesman, Keith Locke, said the Government's decision was "an unacceptable insult" to the UN at a time when former prime minister Helen Clark was taking up an important position at the world body.

"The fact that we won't agree with all the speeches at the conference is hardly a reason to withdraw," he said.

...

This is a refreshing change from the stance of the previous New Zealand administration.

Birkat HaChama in Modi'in

Below is a video of Birkat HaChama in Modi'in.

There was a big crowd - I don't know how many thousand people attended, but the crowd exceeded expectations - they ran out of printed sheets with the Nussach.

The sheets that they printed included both an "Ashkenaz" and "Sfardi" Nussach. Both of which were different from the printed texts that I linked to in earlier posts.



BTW - Shecheyanu was recited by both Rabbanim HaRashim, but they emphasized that they were wearing new clothes for the Shecheyanu.

First to Bless The Sun

This morning my father attended what I believe was the first public recitation of Birkat hachama in 28 years.

About 30 people were in shul in Wellington New Zealand this morning for Birkat HaChama.

Here is my father's account of the event:

Amazing service this morning, over 30 people turned up for the siyum for the fast of the first born and the blessing of the sun afterwards. Some of them were Jewish. (or rather some were not, including the astronomer who gave the talk on Birkat HaHamah).
There is an article on the Dominion about the event celebrated once every 28 years, with a photo of Haim Dovrat. He is brilliant at promoting Judaism in Wellington. He should be writing the book on how to build a community.

Here's how it was reported in the Dominion Post:

Sun gets birthday blessing

By KELLY BURNS - The Dominion Post
Last updated 09:32 08/04/2009

Kiwi Jews were the first in the world to give the Sun a birthday blessing in a one-in-28-year ceremony this morning.

As daylight broke, Jews around the country recited prayers to celebrate their belief that Earth was created 5769 years ago.

Wellington Rabbi Chaim Dovrat said it was a ''restaging of the heavens as they were at the beginning of time''.

According to the Talmud, the central book of laws and traditions of Judaism, once every 28 years the Sun returns to its precise position in the sky - at the same time and day of the week as the moment of its creation.

The Sun rose at 6.24am today, but Rabbi Dovrat led the rare blessing from the Webb St synagogue at 7.45am.
About 40 people, ranging in age from 5 to 77 and including non-Jews, were at the synagogue for the celebration. "It was surprisingly beautiful morning. My wife said I must surely have a good connection with God, because it was suppose to be cloudy and rainy but at 7.45am the sun was so clear."

He said it was a special celebration as the 7500 Jews in New Zealand would be the first in the world to give the blessing of the Sun. "It's a rare occasion, something you only get to do once or twice in your life."

After the blessing in Hebrew and English there was wine; "Then it was, see you in 28 years," Rabbi Dovrat joked.

For only the third time in history, the blessing falls on the eve of Passover, Pesach, a celebrated holiday in the Jewish calendar.

SOLAR SALUTE

Birkat Hachama - or blessing of the Sun - happens every 28 years as Judaism believes the Sun returns to its time and place at creation.

Today is the 206th cycle of the Sun aligning with its position when created
by God.

Jews believe the Earth was created 5769 years ago and the Sun was made on Wednesday, the fourth day of creation.

Today, at the first rays of sunshine, Jews went outside, faced east and recited prayers in Hebrew and English and psalms.

Birkat haChama Explained

For people still trying to understand what brikat Hachama is all about,Oorah put together a great explanatory video:

(hat tip: GRUNTIG)