It’s certainly a funny thing when a mailbox can make you smile. For a few weeks now, there has been construction in the center of the Yishuv by our mailboxes. And I’ve been wondering what they were doing, but I hadn’t taken the time to actually stop and look. For those who don’t live here… Read More When a Mailbox Can Make You Smile

Yesterday was a terrible day. In our immediate area there are four yishuvim (small towns). There was a funeral in each and every one of them yesterday. In Efrat, Alon Shvut and Elazar, the people buried members of their communities who were killed in a terrible head-on collision. Here in Neve Daniel we buried a… Read More The Reverberation of Grief

It was 10 years ago today that two young bar mitzvah boys decided to explore the mountains by their home. As you know, they never returned. Rather, while walking on their journey, they were set upon by 4 Arabs and were pummeled to death – beyond recognition – for the crime of being Jewish children… Read More Remembering Koby

It’s 1935 and Rivki is part of the Bnei Akiva youth movement in Poland. Once a week, she gets together with her friends and they talk about the dream of establishing a country together – the dream of traveling to Palestine to work the land. They focus on the ideology of Torah v’Avodah – that… Read More The Magic of Daglanut

It’s such a complicated country we live in. Today is Mother’s Day, and as I was wishing all of the moms in my life a beautiful day through Facebook and on the phone, I could hear music of mourning in the background in my own home. See, it’s Yom HaZikaron (Memorial Day) here which is… Read More A Baby Giggles…A Siren Wails

About a week ago, Josh started a 40 day party for me. He’s doing something sweet for me each day for the 40 days leading up to my 40th birthday. Yes, adorable. So, last Friday he came home with flowers. There were three small bouquets, and after we put two in vases around the family… Read More The Smallest of Details

Pesach just ended and we enjoyed a terrific holiday. When the chag first began, I was a bit apprehensive about our time. While many people pack up and head to hotels for the entire chag, we would be staying put, as always. We certainly don’t have the money to enjoy an expensive get away –… Read More Staying Put for Pesach

It’s hard to imagine. 10 years ago this week, we were on a flight to Israel to visit our dear friends and to show solidarity during a very difficult time. I had not considered Aliyah in our near future. In fact, I tried to get off of the plane during take-off. Flash back ten years… Read More A Decade to Reflect

It’s the day before Pesach (Passover) and we are all crazy busy trying to get ready. And, as usually happens right before the chag, there is no food in the house. Well, none that we can really eat at the moment. So, when I came home from work today, we gathered the kids into the… Read More Lessons Learned at the Bakery