It’s obvious that Israel is in a time of transition – that we are experiencing growing pains, deep divides and complicated issues. And while I’m well aware of the news reports and current events, I’ve decided to focus my energy on another side of Israel. Two weeks ago, my second son earned his army… Read More My Israel Through the Prism of a Beret
We’ve got problems in our teeny country. Upon this, we can probably all agree. I read the news and feel like I’m drowning in strife, infighting, hatred and despair. We are attacking each other internally and being attacked, seemingly all the time, by those who want to annihilate us. This builds a feeling of hopelessness,… Read More A Glimmer of Hope
Our second son starts the army today. And you would think that things get easier, that we adjust, that we know what to expect after doing this once. But it doesn’t get easier. And I’m not sure it will with the subsequent kids either. Perhaps it’s because it’s been an incredibly painful process and so… Read More The Second Time Around
Today, as I was driving my son and his friends back to their army base I thought to myself: What would 20-year-old you say if she could see you now? Heck, what would 30-year-old you say? And I had to just shake my head in admiration of where life has taken me. And say a… Read More Back to Base, Today
My Aliyah, and my Aliyah baby, have our tzav rishon today. I’m not sure we’re ready, but we’re going to have to be. 17 years ago, my Aliyah arrived, cradled in a safe nucleus of fluid, of love. It was protected, nurtured, safe. And, over the years, it has learned to walk, to speak Hebrew,… Read More My Aliyah Has Its Tzav Rishon Today
I can’t see my son for another month, maybe more. Today, I did the next best thing. I saw yours. Well, perhaps not your son, or daughter, exactly but someone’s. Corona is impacting all of us in one way or another. For some, it’s a death sentence; for others, it’s months of lingering symptoms. For… Read More A Warm Corner in our Hearts
I created a new file today for the file cabinet. It says “Army Stuff” on it. And as I filed it away, with the first of my first son’s army papers in it, I just couldn’t believe that we had come to this stage. Tonight, I stood in the Neve Daniel hall with hundreds of… Read More Carrying the Torch of our Futures
At sixteen, I came to Israel on a teen tour. I enjoyed the 6 week experience, the tour of the country and the beauty of the Land. And then I went home. But something had stuck, had connected, had pulled me. I returned as a 20 year old college student, and then for a year… Read More A First for our First: Tzav Rishon
Last night, our closest friends invited us to come to their son’s swearing in ceremony for the Israeli army. He joined in July, becoming part of an elite unit within Tzanchanim (paratroopers). The swearing in ceremony for the paratroopers is always at the Kotel (Western Wall) and it proved to be an incredibly moving night.… Read More Taking the Pledge
I saw the sweetest scene this morning. I was on my way to Curves, and was grumbling to myself because I was behind schedule and was going to get to work late. And I was plotting how I could get the kids to move faster in the morning and how I was going to get… Read More The Perfect Reminder
