— Avigail Hirshfeld, Eyal Hirshfeld, Ezuz, Israel, Israel vacation, Nitzana, Nitzana Hillocks, Zimmerbus —

Get On the Bus And Set Yourself Free…

December 6, 2013

People have been telling me that I should really get away. That we need some time to regroup…to relax…and to decompress after a very stressful month. And we couldn’t have agreed more. Little did I know, however, as we set out on our Chanukah vacation on Tuesday JUST how “away” this place would be or… Read More Get On the Bus And Set Yourself Free…

— adventure, Ein Gedi, fun, Israel, travel, vacation —

Part of the Team

August 20, 2013

In 1993, when I was on a program in Israel called Project Otzma, we went to the Dead Sea and to Ein Gedi. And I believe that this is the last time that I’ve been to Ein Gedi. Ein Gedi, for those who don’t know, is a nature reserve right along the coast of the… Read More Part of the Team

— Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance Day, Holocaust Remembrance Day, Israel, Yom Ha'Shoa, Yom HaZikaron laShoa v’Hagvura —

Answers? Yes, I’ve Got Six of Those

April 7, 2013

It’s Yom HaZikaron laShoa v’Hagvura (Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance Day) here in Israel. And I can’t bring back the 6 million or wipe out the horrific injustices that I’m hearing about all over the television tonight. But I do have six answers to the six million, and they are as good an answer as any… Read More Answers? Yes, I’ve Got Six of Those

— cooking, Israel, kale, Neve Daniel, organic food —

Kale Fever

December 26, 2012

So, the grand kale experiment today was DEEElicious!!!! I went to buy the kale this afternoon and took a few pictures of their garden and surroundings. I brought it home, looked at it and said, “Hmmmmmmm….. Now what?” One of my friends (actually, a few of them!) recommended kale chips. So that’s where we started.… Read More Kale Fever

— farming, Israel, kale, land, Neve Daniel —

What’s Kale Anyway?

December 25, 2012

I’ve just ordered kale. I’d tell you how much I ordered, but I don’t really know. Nor do I know how much 100 grams of kale is. Come to think of it…I don’t even know what kale IS. What I do know, however, is that my neighbors are awesome. I know, in the news, our… Read More What’s Kale Anyway?

— curing, curing olives, Israel, life in Israel, olives, trips —

Not Your Every-Day Olives

December 2, 2012

These were on our Shabbat table this week. “Wow,” you say, with your most sarcastic voice, “those look really unusual. So different than the thousands of olives people serve around the world every week.” But wait – they ARE different, and here’s why. This past Sukkot, in October, we went on a number of hikes… Read More Not Your Every-Day Olives

— fear, Gush Etzion, Israel, Stella, war, Yarden —

Passion, Love & Hope

November 18, 2012

Passion, love and hope come in many forms. They come in the form of a man, willing to take his body to the absolute limit for the love of his wife. They come in the form of a community, hundreds of people, who line the streets to cheer on the man who completes his mission.… Read More Passion, Love & Hope

— bombs, hope, Israel, missiles, parenting, Yarden Frankl —

Birthdays, Bombs & Bikes

November 15, 2012

I am sitting in one of the boats at Disneyland, going through the “It’s a Small World” ride. And it’s not the enjoyable experience that it was when I was a kid. Let me explain. I grew up right near Disneyland and I used to love going there. My favorite ride was “It’s a Small… Read More Birthdays, Bombs & Bikes

— Aliyah, Israel, Nefesh B'Nefesh, travel —

Welcoming Them Home

August 26, 2012

I love that we were given the opportunity to do a mitzvah (good deed) within five minutes of landing back on Israeli soil. As we dragged ourselves off of the plane, I stood around waiting for my stroller to unload while Josh went ahead a few feet with the other kids. As I was standing… Read More Welcoming Them Home

— first grade, Hevron, Israel, NBA, sports —

Hevron and the NBA

June 15, 2012

Today was one of those days that I just love in Israel. Last week, the older boys came to me to ask if they could get up at 4:00 in the morning for a few days to see some basketball game. “Um, what?” I replied. “No, really.” They said and then tried to explain to… Read More Hevron and the NBA