Whenever I’m abroad for any length of time, I start looking for signs that connect me in some small way with home.

Go to a public eating establishment full of people and look around. You can spot an American in an instant by the way he or she uses his or her silverware. I’ve found that to be true in Israel.

Europeans and those in the Middle East are a bit more efficient in the way they consume a meal. They place the fork in the left hand, knife in the right, push their food onto their fork with their knife and then raise the fork to their mouth. No changing of hands is required.

Americans, on the other hand, don’t use knives to push food onto our forks. We keep the fork in our right or left hand — depending on our dexterity — and use the knife only for cutting our meat, or slicing our bread. We’ll use the fork to cut our veggies. Those of us who are right-handed usually switch hands with the fork while using the knife in our right hand to cut our food.

I haven’t yet had the gumption to greet an American when I see one eating a meal. That would be rude, of course. Since my wife and I will be in Israel only a few more days, I am not likely to embarrass myself by disturbing one of my countrymen when he or she doesn’t expect it.

Still, it’ll be good to be home — among folks who don’t distract me with their table manners.