Vinegar’s main ingredient. Used as a solvent, and even naturally exists in space!

Powdered quartz. Used to absorb excess liquid.

A thickener

A disaccharide used here to keep the beans moist.

Israel’s economy, especially its technology sector, is known as a regional giant. It withstood the late-2000s recession with positive GDP growth and relatively low unemployment rates.

It’s not all peaches and cream, though. The country has had little success at courting big multinationals, and ultra-Orthodox Jews, who historically have had lackluster workforce participation, are rapidly increasing their numbers.

This is just an educated guess, but it’s doubtful that Arabs or Palestinians are included in that “all the people”.

Presumably a reference to the Central District, which incorporates much of the Sharon coastal plain. (ever heard of the Rose of Sharon?)

The Galilee (Hebrew: HaGalil, meaning the province) is a large region in the north of Israel that borders the eponymous Sea of Galilee. It’s a popular tourist attraction for sightseers from both within and outside of Israel. Many of Jesus’s miracles are said to have taken place there.

As the area borders Lebanon, occasional cross-border conflicts with Hezbollah have been known to occur.

He’s unenthused, despite the beautiful scenery and the day’s festive air.

Perhaps there’s something else on his mind that’s diminishing his enjoyment of the new year, or maybe he’s just questioning the notion that one’s supposed to feel good on certain arbitrary days.

A flavor enhancer made from yeast by dissolving the yeast cells' walls. It brings out the savory and salty flavors in food.