Observations about life in Israel from a Canadian immigrant's perspective.
“For from their beginning, I see them as mountain peaks, and I behold them as hills; it is a nation that will dwell alone, and will not be reckoned among the nations.” — Parshat Balak, Bamidbar 23:9 These are the words that we read in synagogue this past Shabbat. This story hearkens back to a… Continue reading Centering Mind, Body, and Soul in the Garden
It was a Saturday morning. After walking the dog, we were relaxing on our favorite bench, enjoying the views of the Kinneret and the Golan. Fields of mustard bloomed all around, the Kinneret sparkled, and everything felt fresh, balmy, calm. Birds were busy nest building, planning a future. Spring was in the air. Friends walked… Continue reading Groundhog Day
Sunday, January 29, was the official end to Israel’s ceasefire with Hezbollah. Yet the ‘war pot’ remains on the stove, simmering away on a low heat. The refugee family that was living here has returned to their northern border home and is rebuilding a life among debris. Yet nothing feels resolved or safe. In a… Continue reading Shifting on Wobbly Legs
Come September, the Israeli landscape is parched, crunchy, yellowed, and prickly. It is as if nature is spent and experiencing symptoms of advanced old age; plants are skeletal, withered, grey, their stems fractured bones. They are exhausted, save for seeds that many will spread to ensure a future generation. For the next big event in… Continue reading Weed Whacking
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
A few weeks ago I read an article about the new ‘Cadenza’project in Jerusalem and realized how perfect Israel is for such an endeavor. A concrete encased electric piano is placed on a busy thoroughfare of Ben Yehuda Street. Here, people rush on and off the light rail, head to the office and at night,… Continue reading Israel the Extrovert
I’ve heard it said that Israel is a dangerous place. People from abroad have visions of a war-torn country, of simmering conflict, of injustice. They imagine a barrage of gunfire, thunderous tanks and shattering explosions. Well, this is not exactly a precise description of Ra’anana. At least, not in terms of large weapons. In Ra’anana,… Continue reading If Ra'anana Were Rivendell…
As yesterday marked my 11th-year anniversary of making aliyah to Israel, here's 11 observations about life here. 1. The weather is amazing. Day in. Day out. Pure sunshine and heat. Ahhh. For a former sun-deprived Canadian, I just can’t get enough. Ever. It is so bright here, I feel the urge to put on sunglasses… Continue reading 11 things I learned after 11 years in Israel
Anyone have a snorkel mask? My street after the storm. It’s been one of those days when I am reminded that I live in the Middle East, or perhaps some third-world country. It all starts with wind and rain. In fact, it always starts with wind and rain. Every winter, there is wind, rain, often… Continue reading Middle East or Middle Ages?
Jerusalem, Sep 8, 2015 Soupy, moldy, thick, brooding, dark, moist, dank. This is our weather and the forecast calls for more of the same. I walk outside and feel as if I am entering a wet sauna. I try to breathe deeply, but there is little oxygen to enter my lungs. Is that the sun… Continue reading Dispirited Dust
Life in Israel 