The modern State of Israel is a complete miracle. With all of its complexities, problems and issues, it is a miracle that we’ve come home after 2000 years and that we are a thriving and free democratic society. When most people think about Israel, an image of the Kotel comes to mind; of the Old… Read More When Zionism Looks Like a Basketball Game
My two oldest boys go to school 45 minutes south of our house in a program that I’ve written about a few times called Sussya. It’s a magical place that places a great deal of emphasis on molding the boys into upstanding, thoughtful, generous people. At the same time, they teach the kids all about… Read More Lessons Learned at the Lone Tree
It’s been a few months since I’ve shared my recent reads, and I love talking about books. Here are my recent discoveries and opinions. I’m always on the look-out for the next great books, which I find to be few and far between. So here we go: Books I Loved The Promise of Stardust by… Read More Romi’s Reading Round-Up: October 2016
What was a woman who doesn’t drink doing with 52 bottles of wine in the back of her car? Yes, it was close to Rosh Hashanah, but that certainly wasn’t the full answer. No, she hadn’t suddenly become a wine distributor in her free time….well, not really. So what was she doing? The answer was… Read More Raise a Glass in Memory
Last week, right before school started, we received this schedule (included below) in an email. When I opened it, I sat and admired it for a few minutes. Now, I know it’s unusual to get goosebumps over a bus schedule, but that’s exactly how I reacted. This is one of the many, many examples of… Read More Goosebumps over the Bus Schedule
When we first moved to Gush Etzion, one of my friends in Jerusalem declared, “What are you going to do out there in the boondocks? There is nothing to do there.” In the 12 years that we’ve lived here, we’ve been amazed at how wrong she was. Gush Etzion is growing by the day… Read More The Wonders of a Wood Workshop
Last week, my supervisor and I were discussing the upcoming Nefesh B’Nefesh flight arrival and our plans to attend. We were sharing a sense of wonder at the indescribable nature of the experience and the Aliyah process. In what other country in the world do people wake up at 5:00 in the morning to scream… Read More Our Modern Day Rock Stars Have Arrived
Last night as I was bringing something to the car, I tripped on the curb and watched, in slow motion, as my ankle twisted completely around. I knew it was bad as soon as I did it, and I collapsed into the car. Josh was out with our oldest so I yelled to one of… Read More Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes
Teeth are tricky business for this mom of six. Sure I have a lot of doctor’s appointments and places to take my boys, but I find the dentist to be one of the hardest of those obligations. This is true for a few reasons. Where I live, teeth cleanings and teeth check-ups aren’t done in… Read More Tricky and Tiring Adventures with Teeth
Today is our Aliyaversary. We got onto the plane 12 years ago today with two little boys, a baby on the way and our whole lives ahead. I still can’t believe we did it or how rich and vibrant our lives would be as a result. But as I reflect on 12 years, there are… Read More Mazal Tov! It’s the Sussmans’ Only Bat Mitzvah!
