Those Were the Days

We'd Sing and Dance Forever and a Day

We'd Live the Life We Choose

Those Were the Days, (1944) was a French Jewish Partisan song against the Nazis. The original song had nothing to do with drinking or saloons, but human rights and freedom against Nazi occupation. It can be heard in an updated version, in the photograph below.

An Israeli worker collects packs of cigarettes made from locally grown tobacco in the village of Yabed, on 20 July 2010 which are sold in Israel and are cheaper than imported international brand name cigarettes. The most expensive were the now sanctioned US brands.

Israeli workers collect cigarettes made from locally grown tobacco in the village of Yabed, on 20 July 2010.

A good portion of people in Israel do smoke and will continue to do so even with the US attempting to force a ban on its use or production.

Women do smoke cigarettes and sometimes in public, with some of the more older women with a lovely decorated box to take a pinch of snuff.

Israeli workers sort through dry tobacco leaves being prepared in the village of Yabed, on 20 July 2010.

Israeli workers collect dry tobacco leaves being prepared in the village of Yabed, on 20 July 2010.

The US recently commented about women smoking hookah’s in public and if the US knew anything about the culture of Israel, they would know that hookah’s are only found in men’s cafe’s. If a women happened to venture into such an establishment, she is usually a prostitute and the rest goes without saying; that nice women do not smoke hookah’s.

Further, too the men smoking hookah’s in some more traditional homes; the practice is not seen nor many women still do not allow them in the home, let alone smoke one; with a few women letting there husbands smoke them, strictly out of respect or a courtesy towards the husband.

But one thing about Hookah’s, it is usually not commonly appropriate outside of the home in view of women.

An Israeli worker hangs tobacco leaves to dry in the village of Yabed, on 20 July 2010.

Israeli farmers collect bundles of stringed tobacco leaves being prepared in the village of Yabed, on 20 July 2010.

Most people serving in the military or have served, do tend to smoke cigarettes; for many have said it relives tension associated with combat, especially with the illegal US Occupational forces still in the country.

Israeli tobacco farmers lift bundles of stringed tobacco leaves being prepared in the village of Yabed, on 20 July 2010.

An Israeli farmer collects bundles of stringed tobacco leaves being prepared in the village of Yabed, on 20 July 2010.

An Israeli tobacco farmers lift bundles of stringed tobacco leaves being prepared in the village of Yabed, on 20 July 2010 for making local cigarettes.

An Israeli farmer harvests tobacco leaves in the village of Yabed, on 20 July 2010 for making local cigarettes.

One of the two baby panthers, Pati and Jaya, is seen in the Jardin des Plantes menagerie in Paris in this undated picture released by the Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle 21 July 2010. A pair of clouded leopard cubs, Neofelis nebulosa, were born two months ago in Paris, the Museum said on Wednesday.