Originally Posted by
yosithezet
I'm sure that someone like apirchik will come along and be able to do this more justice than I am able to do it.
Lot's of Israelis go to Sinai to relax, get stoned, chill. Probably thousands at any given time. They don't ride around in tourist buses. If amongst themselves they can avoid speaking Hebrew they likely will do so. So a bunch of people who are taking a long weekend in Sinai and happen to be Russian Israelis would speak Russian amongst themselves. In fact they don't need to be in Sinai to do so. Workplace coffee room, work conversation on the telephone, etc. This has nothing to do also with whether or not they are Jewish. It is just natural in the same way that I speak English with Dovster when I see him once in 4 years.
The one time I vividly remember hearing Hebrew in the Sinai was in an ahem discreet location where the 3 presumably Israelis were well on their way to getting stoned; what was memorable to me was that they were talking about football (Israeli and European leagues), the first time that I had heard football being talked amongst Israelis outside of a football-related event.
And yes, I also often encounter the ex-CIS Israelis speaking Russian amongst themselves, especially the older ones. Like the counter ladies in the local Mr Zul for instance. Understandable of course since they aliyahed late in their lives and they have little opportunity to learn/speak Hebrew in the USSR (regardless of whether they're really Jewish or not).