Observations about life in Israel from a Canadian immigrant's perspective.
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
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
Israel has been through a lot in its 22 years of existence. Rocket barrages, fears of chemical attack and acts of terror are just a few of the scares. Perhaps these stressors have resulted in creating a ‘callus’ that assists Israelis when dealing with hardship. This is the barbed, spiny shell of the ‘sabra’ that… Continue reading Coronavirus – Developing Fortitude
When we get together over Shabbat dinner, we often ask everyone at the table to share a meaningful moment. Last Friday, the topic was gratitude: specifically, an event from the week for which we were thankful. Everyone had a beautiful story to share, be it an encounter at school or at work. When it came… Continue reading Peace Summit on Bus 486
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
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There are several signs that spring is in full bloom – a chorus of sneezing, a chamber of stuffed garbage bags and, hopefully, an empty pantry. Here in Israel come late March, every plant that can bloom is announcing its presence. Even my lemon tree, still bearing the weight of fruit, is able to produce… Continue reading Spotless and Sneezy
Here I go again. Writing about hiking. You may wonder if I ever do anything else. Well, I do. But hiking opens my eyes and heart in such an incredible way, I become inspired to share these experiences. And the darker our world becomes, the more drawn I am to the simple life of the… Continue reading Sir Edmund Hillary
“Why is a Shabbat table behind glass?” My daughter looks at me in shock, confused. “How come Shabbat is a museum exhibit?’ my son asks. My kids are peering at a table adorned with a white tablecloth and two silver candlesticks. Two plastic braided challahs peek out from an embroidered cloth. We are visiting The… Continue reading Exhibit A: Jewish Florence
Life in Israel 