From the media coverage of Israel, some may assume the country is still a developing country, dotted with ramshackle villages and ancient ruins. Yes, there are villages, and there are many interesting archaeological sites, but Israel’s cities are modern metropolises, including its three major urban centers, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Haifa. We live in Tel Aviv, which combines a modern skyline of tall high rises with neighborhood streets lined with stockier four to six story apartment buildings, some of which house cafes, grocery stores, clothing boutiques, electronics outlets, optometrists, and all kinds of other businesses at street level.