Observations about life in Israel from a Canadian immigrant's perspective.
There are several signs that spring is in full bloom – a chorus of sneezing, a chamber of stuffed garbage bags and, hopefully, an empty pantry. Here in Israel come late March, every plant that can bloom is announcing its presence. Even my lemon tree, still bearing the weight of fruit, is able to produce… Continue reading Spotless and Sneezy
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I’ve heard it said that Israel is a dangerous place. People from abroad have visions of a war-torn country, of simmering conflict, of injustice. They imagine a barrage of gunfire, thunderous tanks and shattering explosions. Well, this is not exactly a precise description of Ra’anana. At least, not in terms of large weapons. In Ra’anana,… Continue reading If Ra'anana Were Rivendell…
It was 3:30 in the morning when our alarm went off. We quickly dressed, made a coffee and jumped into the car. It was still pitch black outside, but the roads were clear as we drove north to Tsfat. We were quiet, in disbelief, feeling heavy and sad. A friend of ours from Canada had… Continue reading More than meets the eye
"What makes the desert beautiful is that somewhere it hides a well." Antoine de Saint Exupery School vacationing in Israel corresponds with family time. For those who stay home, the go-to place is the mall where parents stuff their kids with fast food and sugar then invite them to watch mall puppet shows and concerts. … Continue reading What makes the desert beautiful?
“This is the place. Time to get out.” I looked out the window of the jeep. Craggy rocks, red, towering mountains. I opened the door and hopped out. Rocks crackled as the car pulled away, disappearing in a cloud of dust. And here I was. Alone. Utterly alone in a vast, silent desert. My only… Continue reading This is the place
Facing each other and clutching a plate between our hands, we hold our arms out, lift gently, then lower. I take a deep breath. My partner lets go and I hold on firmly, lowering the china plate to the floor. “You have to let go,” she says gently. “Let’s try again.” I take another deep… Continue reading Letting Go
Boca Raton? Nope. Ra'anana. (photo credit:Brauner Properties) People in Israel tend to be polarized, be it religiously, politically, socially or culturally. So here we are, a Canadian family living in Ra’anana, a suburban town that resembles Boca Raton more than Israel. We have limited exposure to Hebrew media and thus live in a ‘bubble.’ People… Continue reading Love Your Neighbor As Yourself
Haifa on fire (AFP) You can call it a fire intifada, an arson intifada or random fires. The truth is that Israel is on fire. Literally. Some 80,000 Israelis have been evacuated from their homes in the last week. There have been 220 separate fires burning in northern and central Israel leaving many families homeless,… Continue reading Israel on Fire
“Make sure you’re there for sunset.” That’s what we were told as we made our way to the Agamon Nature Reserve in the Hula Valley. Fall and spring are prime time for viewing the incredible bird migration that passes through Israel. Some 500 million birds pass through Israel from Europe and Asia to Africa and… Continue reading Birds Know No Borders
Life in Israel 