Observations about life in Israel from a Canadian immigrant's perspective.
They say patience is a virtue, but in the Land of Israel, it’s a mitzvah. February is a month of transition as winter eases into spring. Compared to the lackluster browns and yellows of the dry season, spring here is a fast-moving, colorful parade. Hillsides and meadows are peppered with yellow mustard, crimson poppies, and… Continue reading Trees’ Birthday Bash
“I don’t like this rain,” the cashier groaned, pushing cans of chickpeas down the conveyor belt. “I know. So wet and cold,” the customer agreed, catching the rolling tins. “I don’t even want to go out,” the cashier added, throwing an anxious look at the exit as if it were keeping some adversary at bay. … Continue reading Heavenly Rain
“We want to get married.” “Mazal Tov! When?” “Three days after you get back from your trip. In your garden.” I could see Amir waving his hands frantically as if he were guiding a Boeing-747 down the runway. He himself was flying — and it was into panic mode. “I love garden weddings,” I replied calmly.… Continue reading The Circle of Life
It is eleven years to the day of my beautiful mother’s passing. There is so much I wanted to share with her but did not express. And there is so much in my present life that I wish she could share with me, but sadly she cannot. Over the years, I have looked for signs… Continue reading Empty Rocking Chair
During two years of war in Israel, my daughter Talya would do jigsaw puzzles on Shabbat. It was my form of de-stressing. When I puzzled, I seemed to enter another world, like tumbling down Alice in Wonderland’s rabbit hole. As I searched for matches and clicked pieces together, I was concentrated, a bit obsessive, and… Continue reading The Rabbit Hole
I am recovering from 12 days of war and didn’t realize how much fear my body was holding until the threat was over. I ache deep in my bones, crave sleep and more sleep, can’t focus, and walk around dazed. Yet I am also feeling an incredible sense of relief, joy, and wonder. Horrific damage… Continue reading Falling From the Sky
Sometimes I feel like I am losing the plot. Be it my garden plot, the Israel plot, and the state of the world plot, nothing makes sense. And with no solution in sight, I am resigned to an interminable hope that peace will come. Someday. Somehow. These are the times that drive me into my… Continue reading Sisyphean Gardening
Come spring, our food forest is flourishing. Delicate, fragrant blossoms from March have since transformed, gifting us with tiny apples, apricots, almonds, plums, and juicy mulberries. Because the Torah halacha of orla proscribes no eating of the fruit for the first three years of a tree’s planting, we look at this fruit with great anticipation… Continue reading The Barn Swallows’ Picnic Lunch
Rosh Chodesh Nissan. As the sliver of a new moon appears in the night sky, Israelis gather en masse to protest against the government. In their anger, frustration, and despair, they are fighting against fellow Israelis, threatening to shut down the country. Leaders in the opposition parties are fueling the fight, rubbing salt into already… Continue reading The Power of Kindness
I was already working on my deep breathing when the plane touched down at Ben Gurion. We had flown a short two hours from Rhodos to Israel, but had entered a different reality. Because of the war, the plane had to approach from the south, passing above the dramatic dunes and craggy cliffs of the desert. The… Continue reading Breath Work
Life in Israel 