Observations about life in Israel from a Canadian immigrant's perspective.
Having grown up in land-locked Toronto where the nearest ocean is a 10-hour drive away, I am in constant bliss to now be living near the sea. In Israel, I can drive to the beach in 15 minutes so when life overwhelms, I pack a towel and a book and head to the soft white… Continue reading Shabbat Bliss
Start Up Nation. Is that what we’re called? When it comes to ingenious inventions in medicine and high tech, yes. When it comes to basic services, we are, well, just starting up and have a long way to go. I’ve written about the post office services (Doar) many times. Some of my most frustrating moments… Continue reading Starting Up Nation
This year, I've been volunteering at a gardening club in an old age home called Beit Protea Village. This is not a standard club where people gather to talk about their begonias. This is a serious permaculture club. Under the guidance of the volunteer coach Ellen, who comes every Thursday morning, we've been learning about… Continue reading Chop and Drop
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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…
Boca Raton? Nope. Ra'anana. (photo credit:Brauner Properties) People in Israel tend to be polarized, be it religiously, politically, socially or culturally. So here we are, a Canadian family living in Ra’anana, a suburban town that resembles Boca Raton more than Israel. We have limited exposure to Hebrew media and thus live in a ‘bubble.’ People… Continue reading Love Your Neighbor As Yourself
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
Summertime….and the living is sticky. I live in a sauna. The air in Ra'anana is soupy thick, burning, as if the lid were taken off a giant, simmering stew. So we steam, feeling lethargic. I love running yet find I cannot breathe, I can hardly place one foot in front of the other even to… Continue reading Nocturnal Surprises
Remembrance Day for the Fallen Soldiers is one of the hardest days here in Israel. Every town and city, moshav and kibbutz has a gathering the evening before. When the siren wails across the country at 8pm sharp, every adult and child stands still and quiet. I am always saddened to see that even very… Continue reading No better place to be
Israelis are resilient. The day after the terror attacks, flags were draped on the two sites of the stabbings in Ra’anana. The colorful Na Nachs' truck rolled along the main street, its enthusiastic passengers jumping out to sing and twirl. My son’s school walked over to the nearby beit café where three people were stabbed. … Continue reading Strength in Compassion
Life in Israel 