Along with the comings and goings of our family and the occasional ‘political analysis’ we always like to keep in mind those, ‘only in Israel moments’ and yesterday gave us a perfect example.

I have been making regular trips to the post office in Efrat lately to mail information packets for work and had noticed that the woman who is the most regular clerk at the Efrat doar (post office) was quite pregnant and looking ready to head to the hospital at any time. Yesterday morning I dropped off Romi at school and headed over to the doar to mail some packets before heading into work. I walked in and was struck by the array of baked goods, candies and drinks spread across the little ledge that is generally used to fill-out shipping forms and address labels.

‘Hmmm, this is strange…the post office is not usually the place where one goes for a home baked snack.’

At first I didn’t make the connection between the ‘kiddush table’ and the pregnant mail clerk and then I noticed a small handwritten ‘Mazal tov’ sign taped to the window where the clerk sits. This particular branch is run by a young couple (the pregnant woman and her husband) and the husband was happily sitting there doing the work of the post office. Everyone who came in wished him a mazal tov and some even walked behind the counter to give him hugs and kisses. Then a loud commotion came from the back and a small group of men could be heard singing and celebrating as they made their way from the back of the post office into the public area in the front…

The husband smiled and continued going on with his business as if this was all quite normal, encouraging everyone who came in to mail a letter or pick-up a package to have a quick snack and join in his simcha!!

I have visited many, many post offices all over America and even some in Europe and I am quite confident that this type of thing could only happen in Israel where the simcha (joyous event) of one person the the simcha of everyone.

Mazal tov on the birth of your daughter Yael and husband (I don’t know his name)….may she grow to build a bayit ne’eman v’yisrael and give you much nachat!

Thanks for bringing simcha to the simple act of going to the post office.