<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> Dear List Readers: I was asked to repost this message which I had originally sent privately because it may be of interest, especially if anyone plans on visiting Israel or maybe even moving here. Hope it adds to your knoweldge. =BB Can you tell me about the gluten free labelling =BB law? I heard the law changed recently to make it easier for celiacs. In 1994, a motion was put forth in the Knesset (legeslative arm of govn't) to make labelling laws easier for celiacs. It passed but as with everything here, it takes forever and then some to be enforced, and then few actually do it. Companies, if you have the time to call them all and hunt down the right people, will send you a list or color catalogue for the asking of the foods they make that are GF but none carry the international symbol. There are only 2 companies that have a special GF department and only one of them actually uses the symbol. The vast majority of GF foods are imported from Europe (Germany, Sweden, Switzerland) and cost a fortune. They are generally only available in specialty stores. The medical system here is such that there is as yet no set policy for subsidy or partial "rebate" on GF foods medically indicated. The celiac would have to appeal in written form to the head office of his health fund and request the reimbursement. As you can tell, the Celiac Support Groups here are brain-dead. That is, they exist on paper but don't do much at all to further the interests nationally of celiacs. It's basically each person for himself. This list has given me some motivation to possibly change this. I have plans to get together with a celiac deitician here in Haifa and together we will publish a book of dos and don'ts, recipes with available ingredients, etc. As long as my son is a minor, I will want to concentrate my efforts on meeting the needs (emotional support and physical support) of his age group. The young adult years here are completely different than anything Americans are likely to relate to for this reason: When a child (particularly a boy) reaches his final year of high school, he along with all his classmates is called for a series of physical examinations, psycological tests, interviews, etc. for placement in the IDF (Israel army). As things stand now, the army is not interested in drafting celiacs. They are automatically exempted. Too inconvenient for the army to plan field rations that are GF. If the celiac really wants to be in the army (this is also an important rite of passage into manhood), he can beg and plead to be volunteered. He will get a desk job and will eat meals at home or bring his own. So the celiac is limited as to where and in what capacity he can serve. (eg. no elite units for front line duty for sure). The celiac gets about $75 added to his salary/month to help pay for the special food. That's at least some compensation. The soldier is also given what is called a "profile". It is a number up to 97 that is some calculation of physical health/fitness, mental intelligence, and the like. Because of the disease, celiacs are given a 24, which happens to be the same profile as is given someone with mental illness. Objections to this rating have been made but to my knowledge nothing has changed. Since profile ratings are often required on job applications, the number standing alone without definition is pretty unfair to the celiac, wouldn't you say? I know there is a lobby to change this but since the support groups are pretty inactive, I don't see much initiative and push. As people become more aware, hopefully this will change. As to a visit to Israel, beware of street food - our national foods of felafel and shwarma. All felafel balls are held together with the flour. When we go out for "street food" as a family, my son can only have the shwarma (stacks of lamb meat roasted on an open fire). He has it on a plate (not in a pita) but can enjoy most of the salads that are free for the taking. The "chips" or french fries are, unfortunately, fried in the same oil as the felafel balls. So we avoid them. He doesn't seem to suffer. Desserts are often ice cream in a cup or even if all they have is cones, he just doesn't eat the cone. We may not have all the luxuries that come with celiac awareness as the US, but we can certainly get along fine. Hope this has been informative. Sharon Marcus Haifa, Israel.