Observations about life in Israel from a Canadian immigrant's perspective.
The quadruplets“They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.” As I walk across the land we recently bought, Joni Mitchell’s lyrics echo in my mind. This land is empty, save for jutting rocks and boulders. The gravelly, dry, and dusty ground crunches below my feet. A few hardy weeds grow in clumps, clinging on for… Continue reading They Paved Paradise
A food forest in Israel.With a June birthday, I have officially entered into a new decade. This decade felt more ominous when it was looming ahead; but now that I have arrived, waking up feeling exactly the same as in the previous decade, it is not so bad. I have arrived, determined not to ‘go there’… Continue reading A Farmer in the Dell
If one were to name the most common feature of Israel’s topography, 'rocks' would most certainly tumble to the top of the list. The rugged and stark Negev, Judean, and Arava Deserts are pure rock, sculpted over millennia into steep cliffs, gorges and dry, sandy wadis. Be it amber, brown, or white, the dominant feature… Continue reading Unmoving Rocks
This was attempt number two. Last April, I found myself hiking in the Meiron Mountains, searching for a flower. It was a different sort of walk as I usually focus on the trees and the views when I walk, not on my toes. We were looking for a pink flower. “Admonit,” my friend called out, scouring… Continue reading Intrepid flower chasers
Israel is supposed to be a very hot and sunny place, or I thought that was true until this past winter. Living in Amirim, perched high atop a mountain in northern Israel, the weather proclaims its own kingdom, and Mediterranean this is not.It has been a long winter of hail, sleet, and snow, along with… Continue reading An Israeli Winter
Photo by Denise Jans on UnsplashAfter months of feeling doom and gloom, it is a relief, like a ray of warm sunshine, to come outside mask free and see those Green Pass signs stripped from restaurants and shops and malls and wedding halls and museums. And then “it” hit Canada, my place of birth, the country described as “strong… Continue reading Oh, Canada
Photo by Giorgio Trovato on UnsplashIsrael, congratulations!You are number one in the world – and this is no small feat for a small country. But you tried so hard, and now you are the number one in Corona infections in the world! All of those va((ines you delivered. The government was so efficient, Israel soon become the number one… Continue reading Congratulations Israel for Being Number One!
Quote by Erin Gruwell, American teacherPhoto by Brandi Redd on Unsplash.History repeats itself. Over and over. Onstage, the actors change roles, their wardrobe switches, and the conflicts and weaponry are revised. Yet the underlying script remains the same. It is a story of diminishment, scorn, and persecution. As domineering corporate and governmental leaders write a narrative of hate, they… Continue reading "Silence ensures that history repeats itself"
Photo by Roman Kraft on Unsplash. I started this blog upon making Aliyah in 2005. I kept writing for close to 15 years, annotating the many enlightening experiences I had in this special land. From golden desert to oak forested mountains, I was inspired by the beautiful landscapes, dazzled by the brilliant sunshine, and fascinated… Continue reading I am reaching out, please take my hand.
Life has taken us all for a bumpy ride. In Israel, it looks as if the ‘Corona Ride’ is starting to slow down and let us off. We open our doors and walk out a bit dazed, weakened and unstable. We take the first few steps and feel uneasy, insecure, almost incapable of returning to… Continue reading Where Robots Meet Herring
Life in Israel 