Observations about life in Israel from a Canadian immigrant's perspective.
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
“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
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
Dawn breaks. Birds sing their morning praise and crickets keep a steady song. The fall air is crisp like fresh mint, offering welcome relief from a blazing hot summer. Yet fighter jets fly non-stop overhead, a constant rumble above. It has been a week since the massacre of my people, an atrocity the Jewish people have… Continue reading Garden Therapy
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.
Israel is a multi-cultural Mosaic. These days, you hear many languages on Ahuza, Ra’anana’s main street. And we can spot the countries of origin right away, without even hearing the language spoken. For instance, French men tend to wear tight pants and chic leather loafers while les femmes grocery shop as if parading along a… Continue reading Dreams Come True
Normal 0 false false false EN-US JA X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} “Tu B’Shvat higiya,” the children sing. The 15th of the Hebrew month Shevat has arrived. In Israel, this is cause for celebration.… Continue reading Biblical Jordan Valley
Colosseum by Roman moonlight Packing for our trip to Rome, we messaged a friend who had spent time there. “Any tips?” we asked. “Yes,” he replied. “Go for dinner with Roy.” If anyone has ever seen the movie My Dinner with Andre, they will know what we experienced. We arranged to meet Roy at a… Continue reading Our Dinner with Roy
<!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-font-charset:78; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1791491579 18 0 131231 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145… Continue reading Tisha B'Av and the Little Wailing Wall
Life in Israel 