Observations about life in Israel from a Canadian immigrant's perspective.
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
“Send me photos. It’s beautiful there.” Instead of sending my daughter pictures of Rhodes with its azure skies, Grecian ruins, and sparkling Aegean beaches where sunbathers sip cocktails on beach chairs, I sent a photo of three memorial candles. The caption on this photo read: We lit these candles to commemorate the lost lives and atrocities of October 7th. These… Continue reading Accidental Tourists
Summer is here like an inferno with intensely scorching heat, thirsty, parched lands, and fields the hue of straw. The country is literally a stack of dry kindling, so when rockets landed in the north on June 3rd, care of Hezbollah, the place lit up like a colossal bonfire. As a result of rockets and shrapnel, there… Continue reading SOS Garden Brigade
It has been nearly eight months of war, death, and destruction in Israel. I experience fear, then calm, and shattered hope. I cycle between these feelings, finding refuge in my garden where nature continues to teach me lessons. Here exists a predictable world as the reliable seasons cycle. With this war raging, there is no predictability… Continue reading Living on the Edge
A pair of barn swallows decided our back porch would be a place to call home. They set to work without losing a moment. We sat outside with our morning coffee as they pirouetted in flight, a dizzying full-time job of gathering twigs, dirt, and grass. Soon enough they had a nest complete with eggs and before… Continue reading Homeless
Following up on last month’s blog, the corrupt mayor in Tzfat (the one who bankrupted the city) lost to a Hareidi candidate who knows nothing about the city’s issues - he was parachuted in by Shas and his connection to the town is that his wife was born there.All of the Tzfat Hareidim voted for… Continue reading We are united and all is ok
There has been an abundance of rain this winter, especially in January. The soil is wet, heavy, fecund. The rain water gathers and forms small rivulets that meander down the slopes, gargling as they go. As soon as the rain pauses (and even during a light rain), I am out there, astounded by the rapid rate… Continue reading A Meditation on Weeds
The vice tightens. This long war feels endless while the hatred of Israel and Jews around the world deepens. I stopped watching the news as my cup has overflowed with tragedy and sorrow. I just can’t take any more devastation and brokenness. At first, I felt it was my obligation to know. But how much sadness… Continue reading Celebrating in Darkness
November is normally my favorite month in Israel. It is a time of cooling, of nourishing showers accompanied by rainbows crowning sparkling skies. And finally, tiny green newborn growth pokes up beside its parched yellow elders. In contrast, November was my cruelest month in Canada with its retinue of dead fallen leaves, killer frost, and dreary skies. To… Continue reading War Day 54 and Life Still Surreal
Life in Israel 