Observations about life in Israel from a Canadian immigrant's perspective.
From mefakedet (sergeant) to a twentysomething... Last week, my daughter finished her army service. She arrived at base in uniform, then changed into civilian clothes and walked out the front gate. Just like that. (Of course there were many offices she had to visit and lots of paperwork involved…bureaucracy and the IDF are solid roommates!)… Continue reading From Army Boots to Naots
Happy Purim! Living in Israel, everyone knows about this holiday. Hamentashen (oznei Haman) seem to appear on bakery shelves right after the Chanukah donuts (sufganiot) disappear. Do you like white chocolate filling, strawberry jam or the traditional poppy seed variety? The toy stores start displaying costumes in February, with princess dresses buffeting in the fresh… Continue reading Happy Hipster Purim
Friday was the sixth annual Jerusalem marathon. It was a chilly, bright morning and we were there to run the 10-kilometre race. (My son Shaya had been training to run the half marathon but had a bicycle accident three days before and was unable to participate. He calculated that he'd run the distance from home… Continue reading Running for Jerusalem
IDF uniform, Druze flag. The IDF base of Michve Alon is home to soldiers from all over the world. On base, soldiers from over 40 countries are integrated into the army. They learn Hebrew, get basic training and help with army placements. There are also many Israelis on this base, including Druze soldiers, who are… Continue reading Dedicated Druze
Field of lupines near my house. The longer I live here in Israel, the harder it is for me to leave, even for a few days. I am not sure why this is, but after I return from being abroad, I am always struck as to how deeply tied I am to this land. Perhaps… Continue reading Here Comes the Sun
O my Luve is like a red, red rose That’s newly sprung in June; O my Luve is like the melody That’s sweetly played in tune. Today marks the birthday of Robert Burns, Scotland’s favourite poet and national bard, affectionately known as Rabbie Burns. His birthday, January 25th, is celebrated as the biggest night of… Continue reading Rabbi (Rabbie) Burns
Here I go again. Writing about hiking. You may wonder if I ever do anything else. Well, I do. But hiking opens my eyes and heart in such an incredible way, I become inspired to share these experiences. And the darker our world becomes, the more drawn I am to the simple life of the… Continue reading Sir Edmund Hillary
Trail Angels. Anyone met one? According to a few trekking websites, this is a trail angel: Definition A Trail Angel: a townie or other person who provides unexpected and much-appreciated assistance to a hiker. Definition B Trail Angel: a person, or persons, who practice trail magic; (see: 'Trail Magic') Trail Magic: an act of seemingly random kindness by… Continue reading Trail Magic
“It had nothing to do with getting from point A to point B. It had to do with how it felt to be in the wild. With what it was like to walk for miles with no reason other than to witness the accumulation of trees and meadows, mountains and deserts, streams and rocks, rivers and… Continue reading Out in the Wild (part 2)
“Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity.” John Muir, 1923. Our desert adventure of three weeks past was calling to us. We just had to go back. We have been hiking the Israel Trail (the Shvil Israel) in small… Continue reading Wildness in the Negev
Life in Israel 