Only In Israel #1

I love Israel!! There are so many good things about it- it would take forever to describe.
So, I decided to start a new label- OII- Only In Israel happenings, that occur to me (usually) around a daily basis.

Yesterday, I was asked to visit a certain rav, who lives at the bottom of my neighborhood, while my apartment is at the top of the hill, affording me a beautiful view of Harei Yerushalayim (mountains of Jerusalem). So, off I went- and foolishly did not take anything with me except my cell phone and keys.

My walk down was uneventful, until I got to a major hill right before the rav's house. There, while talking on my cell phone, my cell phone dies suddenly. I'm so confused by this occurance, that I neglected to watch where I was going, and tripped, rolling down the hill a bit. Ouch.

B"H- nothing major happened- a bit bruised up, but quite alright. And, I continued to the rav's house.

On my way back, I climbed up that hill, and then the next hill, and the next. By the third, I started to get tired, and wished I had brought my bus pass. The ankle that I had tripped on started to hurt- and I paused to rest in the middle of the hill.

I see a taxi- from Monit HaTzomet- driving rather slowly behind me, as if he thinks I have money and I'll take him. But I don't- so I kept walking. At this point, he's basically trailing behind me, while I stop at the next bench to check how my foot is doing.

He opens his window and says, "Geveret (ma'am) would you like a ride?"

So, I, the honest person say- "Todah (thank you), but I don't have any money on me."

So he- the nice Kippah Srugah wearing taxi driver- says, "Who cares?! Come on in, I'll give you a lift!"

I'm shocked- as most taxis are searching for people who can actually pay. So I respond again, "But I don't have any cash on me."

"Mah Baayah (what's the problem)?" he responds, and lets me hop on in.

I asked him to take me just up the hill (so at least I would be on level ground for the last part till my apartment, and he joked with me that he thought I wanted to head to Bnai Brak! He would have taken me all the way home, but I felt it was too much of an imposition- as he was doing this for FREE.

I asked him his name on the way out- Itzik- and thanked him profusely. He wished me a good night, and that I should feel good (Tehei Briah- you should be healthy?= not the best translation, but that's what it means.)

How many NY cab drivers would stop for a tired pedestrian?

How many cab drivers at all would gladly do it- even if the pedestrian stated that they had no money?

Only In ISRAEL!! (Oh, and if you see a Monit HaTzomet taxi driver who's name is Itzik- tell him thank you again!)