A little over two years ago Neve Daniel lost one of its youth. Eliyashiv was out for a run on an ordinary night when he died, suddenly, at the age of 18. Josh and I were taking a walk that night, when a man we know came running up, out of breath and shaken. He… Read More In Celebration of a Musical Life
This week we stayed in a cave. No, we didn’t turn into the Flintstones and decide to sleep on the ground with rocks for pillows. Far from it.Israel is so filled with out-of-the-way and truly unique finds. It’s one of the things that I simply relish. When I plan a family vacation in Israel, I… Read More A Modern Cave Woman
On Tuesday, while Dahlia was being buried in Tekoa by hundreds of friends and family members (and complete strangers), my first grader was filling out a worksheet. He came home with the form to show me what they had done in school, and I simply wanted to put my head on the table and cry.… Read More Talking about Terror, Tefillin and More
Terror doesn’t always look like planes flying into buildings with massive casualties. And it doesn’t have to look like a hotel, strewn with Passover guests about to have their Seder. We read in the paper about an incident, far away, and we give a collective sigh that it wasn’t close to home, that no one… Read More What Terror Looks Like
When I spent the year in Israel in 1993-1994 communication wasn’t exactly what it is today. It’s actually almost impossible to believe that we lived without the fast paced, always present ways to communicate. I remember sending aerograms to my family and waiting with great anticipation to get their reply. Well, it was their reply… Read More Modernity and Math Tutors
This morning, when we awoke to the shocking news of the assassination attempt against Rabbi Yehuda Glick, I had to wonder if my babysitter would be coming to our house as scheduled, tonight. And then I had to stop, pause, and shake my head at the incongruity of our lives, and the preposterous and seemingly… Read More Only Two Degrees of Separation
Yes, ten years later I understand full well that I’m still an immigrant – and that I will always, always, be one. Most of the time, my immigrant status doesn’t really come into play. I live in a wonderful yishuv where I know almost everyone. Many of my friends are English speakers and those who… Read More The Scarlet Letter I
I’m always amazed by the tapes that play in my head. This morning, I was taking pictures of Yakir to show Josh (who was already at work) the funny bed head Yakir had (yes, this is what we do to fill our time). So darn cute…bed head and all And while I was taking these… Read More Dancing Through the Wrinkles
At the very beginning of the summer, I wrote a blog about a very special evening and a very special community. But I never posted it. See, we took three of our boys as a big well-earned reward to Jerusalem to the Sound and Light Show. It’s a glorious show and we were all looking… Read More A First in 14 Years
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
